Is This General Assembly Chairman a 'National Merit Recipient'... Eligible for Burial at the National Cemetery?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs announced that Lee Man-hee, the president of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji) (photo), is recognized as a national merit recipient.

According to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs on the 4th, it was confirmed that President Lee participated in the Korean War from May 1952 to April 1953. Accordingly, he was registered as a war veteran on January 12, 2015. This is the date when President Lee’s national merit certificate was issued. It was during the administration of former President Park Geun-hye and when former Minister Park Seung-chun was in office at the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

A petition requesting the revocation of President Lee’s status as a national merit recipient was also posted on the Blue House’s public petition board. The petition to cancel President Lee’s registration as a national merit recipient has garnered nearly 40,000 supporters so far.

Until now, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs had stated that it could not confirm the controversy surrounding President Lee’s merit status due to personal information protection. However, recently, the ministry had a phone conversation with President Lee and received his consent to provide personal information. Through this process, the ministry disclosed information about President Lee’s war participation record and merit registration.

Online, criticism has been raised questioning whether President Lee, who is held responsible for the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), will be recognized as a national merit recipient and buried in the National Cemetery after his death.

Previously, a photo of a national merit certificate issued in President Lee’s name circulated mainly on online communities, and some netizens pointed out that the certificate was forged.

However, with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs officially confirming that President Lee is a Korean War veteran, interest has also risen regarding whether he qualifies to be interred at the National Cemetery. For now, the ministry’s position is that "if he received a military merit medal as a Korean War veteran, he is eligible for burial at the National Cemetery."

That said, even if he is eligible according to regulations, whether he will actually be interred depends on a review process. If records of criminal activity or legal violations emerge during the review, he will be excluded from burial.

Typically, when a national merit recipient passes away, the bereaved family applies for burial, and the ministry conducts a background check within 24 hours to verify any criminal records. If no criminal record is found, the family is immediately notified that burial is possible. However, if a criminal charge is found, burial is postponed and the case is submitted to the Burial Review Committee, which meets monthly, for deliberation.

Article 79 of the Act on the Honorable Treatment and Support of Persons, etc. of Distinguished Services to the State stipulates that if a person is sentenced to imprisonment or heavier punishment for violating the National Security Act, or sentenced to imprisonment of one year or more for violating the Criminal Act, the National Public Officials Act, the Local Public Officials Act, or other laws, their status as a national merit recipient can be revoked. Additionally, those who habitually damage their dignity as defined by presidential decree may also lose their national merit status.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.