Seoul, South Korea – The Ministry of Veterans Affairs in Seoul announced on Wednesday that a memorial park dedicated to Hong Beom-do, a prominent Korean independence fighter, will be inaugurated at his previous burial site in Kazakhstan later this week.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the statement from Seoul's veterans ministry, the South Korean government had committed to establishing this memorial in Kyzylorda, a city in southern Kazakhstan, following the repatriation of Hong Beom-do’s remains to Seoul. His remains were laid to rest at the Daejeon National Cemetery, located 139 kilometers south of the capital city, in August 2021. A commemorative ceremony for the opening of the memorial park is scheduled for Friday (local time), with the attendance of South Korean Vice Veterans Minister Yoon Jong-jin and around 60 other individuals anticipated.
Hong Beom-do is celebrated for his leadership of the Korean independence forces during significant battles in Manchuria in 1920, including the successful Battle of Fengwudong. In 1921, he sought refuge in the Soviet Union, fleeing from Japanese forces. However, in 1937, under the policy of then Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, he, along with numerous other ethnic Koreans, was forcibly relocated to what is present-day Kazakhstan. He passed away in 1943 at 75 years of age, two years prior to Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule.
Recently, Hong has become a focal point of ideological debates in South Korea. This occurred after an announcement in August by the defense ministry, which disclosed it was contemplating the removal of his busts from its headquarters and the Korea Military Academy, citing his historical alignment with Soviet communist forces. This proposition has been met with strong opposition from the Democratic Party, as well as advocates for independence fighters.