Shinan-gun Holds Meeting with Families of Independence Patriots from Anti-Japanese Peasant Movement

Held a meeting with the families of independence patriots from the anti-Japanese peasant movement. ⓒ Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Park Woo-ryang) held a meeting on the 7th with the families of 11 individuals who were posthumously awarded honors as independence patriots on the August 15 Liberation Day (2 recipients of the Patriotic Service Medal, 3 recipients of the National Foundation Medal, and 6 recipients of the Presidential Citation).

According to the county on the 8th, the meeting was held in compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines and was attended by Governor Park Woo-ryang, Chairman Kim Hyuk-seong, Oh Byung-gyun, Chairman of the Sinan-gun Farmers' Movement Memorial Association, as well as the families and descendants of the independence patriots.

Last year, Sinan-gun established the Sinan-gun Farmers' Movement Memorial Association, a nonprofit organization, to restore the honor of ancestors and conduct systematic research on the farmers' movement.

The association has been striving to reexamine and restore the honor of the islanders' anti-Japanese farmers' movement. Among the 123 people imprisoned for participating in the farmers' movement, they located 26 descendants and applied for honors from the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs in December last year and April this year.

As a result, 11 individuals were posthumously awarded as independence patriots on the August 15 Liberation Day, achieving the restoration of their ancestors' honor. The remaining 15 individuals are scheduled to be announced on the upcoming November Memorial Day for Patriots and on the March 1 Independence Movement Day next year.

With this award, the number of independence patriots in Sinan-gun has increased from 4 to 15.

Governor Park Woo-ryang stated, “We will not forget the spirit of resistance and sacrifice of our ancestors who fought against the unjust conditions during the Japanese colonial period,” expressing gratitude to the descendants and adding, “We plan to erect monuments in related areas to ensure the farmers' movement is not forgotten and to conduct annual commemorative projects for the anti-Japanese farmers' movement.”

Pyo Myung-sik, grandson of the late Pyo Saeng-gyu, who led the tenant farmers' association on Jaeun Island and received the Presidential Citation, said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the governor for relieving the grievances of our ancestors, and also thank the Farmers' Movement Memorial Association for their unwavering efforts to this day.”

Sinan-gun plans to continuously discover descendants of imprisoned participants in the farmers' movement and support their applications for honors, as well as promote projects such as excavation of farmers' movement sites, academic research, formation of bereaved families' associations, succession of the anti-Japanese spirit, and construction of memorial towers.

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