Seoul: South Korea and Kazakhstan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance the preservation of historical sites in Central Asia connected to Korea's independence movement against Japan's colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, Seoul's veterans ministry announced.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the agreement was signed by Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul and Kazakhstan's Minister of Culture and Information Arman Kyrykbayev. The signing took place Tuesday during a bilateral summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. President Tokayev is visiting Seoul alongside leaders from four other Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, for the inaugural South Korea-Central Asia Summit.
The MOU stipulates that the two nations will work together to systematically preserve the historical records and cultural significance of sites related to Korea's independence movement. It also aims to bolster academic exchanges between the two countries.
The veterans ministry identified 25 historical sites in Kazakhstan linked to Korea's independence movement. Among these is a memorial park in Kyzylorda, southern Kazakhstan, marking the resting place of Hong Beom-do, a notable figure in Korea's liberation struggle. Hong was the general commander of Korea's independence army and is celebrated for leading a victory in the Battle of Bongo-dong against Japanese forces in 1920.
The ministry is conducting a survey of 1,032 overseas sites related to Korea's independence movement against Japan's rule, with plans to complete it by 2028. This year, the ministry will examine 258 sites in China and Japan, followed by 413 sites in 2027, and the final 361 sites in 2028.