Award Application Briefing

The “14th Award Application Briefing for Independence Patriots”, co-hosted by the Korean Liberation Association (President Jong Chan Lee), Incheon National University (President In Jae Lee), and the Seoul Metropolitan Government (Mayor Se Hoon Oh), was held on Wednesday, August 27 at 2 p.m. in the 3rd-floor conference room of Seoul City Hall. Attendees included Jae Jin Kim, Director of Welfare Planning at Seoul Metropolitan Government; Jong Ho Jeon, Director of the Seoul Regional Veterans Affairs Office under the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; Dae Ha Kim, Head of the Seoul Branch of the Korean Liberation Association; Tae Ryong Lee, Director of the INU Institute of Korean Independence Movement History; and about 30 descendants of independence patriots.

In his opening remarks on behalf of the Mayor of Seoul, Jae Jin Kim said, “Seoul was the city where the passion for independence burned most fervently despite the suffering of a nation that had lost its sovereignty. This initiative to identify and apply for awards for independence patriots is a precious opportunity to inscribe their names in history and to pass on the spirit of independence to their descendants and citizens. Going forward, we will work closely with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the Korean Liberation Association, and academia to rediscover the achievements of independence activists and further spread the value of liberation.”

Jong Ho Jeon, Director of the Seoul Regional Veterans Affairs Office, encouraged the initiative by saying, “The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has long carried out the work of identifying and recognizing independence patriots, and the new government has shown particular interest in this endeavor. It is highly commendable that Seoul City, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Liberation, has planned a special initiative to discover independence patriots from Seoul starting last year and continuing into next year.”

Dae Ha Kim, Head of the Seoul Branch of the Korean Liberation Association, remarked, “Since signing an MOU with Incheon National University, the Liberation Association has consistently pursued the identification and recognition of independence patriots. We will continue this effort for another year to discover and apply for awards for patriots from Seoul.”

Dr. Tae Ryong Lee, Director of the INU Institute of Korean Independence Movement History, who led this research effort, highlighted notable figures among the award applications. “One particularly remarkable figure is Patriot Hyun Hwan Park from Changsin-dong, Gyeongseong. He served as a teacher at Osan School in Jeongju, Pyeongbuk, and in February 1919 informed Osan School founder Seung Hoon Lee (birth name: In Hwan) of a secret meeting of religious leaders in Seoul. In June 1919, he worked as a member of the Historical Compilation Committee of the Provisional Government and as a journalist for the government’s official newspaper ‘Independence.’ He later helped establish the Su Yang Dongwoo Association, a sister organization to Ahn Chang Ho’s Heungsadan, before being arrested and serving over four years in prison.”

He continued, “Another case is Patriot In Seon Park from Gahoe-dong, Gyeongseong. He was arrested in 1932 while working with the ‘Preparatory Committee for the Gyeongseong Red Labor Union’ and sentenced in 1934 to two years in prison (suspended for four years). In 1936, he was arrested again for involvement in publishing leftist literature and, after prolonged interrogation, was sentenced in 1939 to three years in prison (with 600 days of detention already served). He endured great hardship.” Dr. Lee added, “In the past, cases that resulted in dismissal or acquittal after long detention did not qualify for awards, but now they are recognized the same as prison sentences. As a result, more students and socialist activists are expected to be recognized as independence patriots going forward.”

Meanwhile, among the award applications submitted this time are 108 activists imprisoned under charges of violating the Public Order Maintenance Act for anti-Japanese activities, 77 anti-imperialist activists, 14 righteous army fighters, 10 participants in the March 1st Independence Movement, and 21 individuals involved in the June 10th Demonstration and Provisional Government fundraising, totaling 230 people.

With this, the INU Institute of Korean Independence Movement History has applied for the recognition of a total of 5,481 independence patriots to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs over 14 sessions since 2019.