"10 Years of Daehan Gwangbokdan History... Also Documenting the History of Distortion"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] "First, to record the 10-year history of the Daehan Gwangbokdan. Second, to accurately document the process of historical distortion. Third, to make Punggi-eup, Yeongju City, where the Daehan Gwangbokdan is rooted, a sacred place of liberation."

Jung Yoon-seon, president of the Daehan Gwangbokdan Memorial Association (69, photo), said this in an interview with Asia Economy on the 4th. Having taken office as president in 2019, this year marks his third anniversary, and his main task is to investigate and accurately record the history of the Daehan Gwangbokdan. He pledged, "I will not only record history but also correct the distorted history that misinterprets it."

A representative distortion he mentions is the claim by some historians that the nationwide anti-Japanese organization ‘Daehan Gwangbokdan’ was actually a regional group called ‘Punggi Gwangbokdan.’ President Jung pointed out, "They deliberately call the nationwide organization Daehan Gwangbokdan as Punggi Gwangbokdan, leading to a misunderstanding that it was a local organization."

According to President Jung, the Daehan Gwangbokdan was established in January 1913. The first leader was Mr. Chae Gi-jung. It was a secret revolutionary organization that led armed resistance. Mr. Chae Gi-jung was executed by the Japanese authorities in 1921, and last year marked the 100th anniversary of his martyrdom. Starting with the memorial ceremony held last year, the memorial association plans to hold annual rites honoring the Gwangbokdan members.

About 60 people participate in the events and research. A few staff members of the memorial association and dozens of members and bereaved families are at the core of researching the history of the Daehan Gwangbokdan. "There is some support from Yeongju City and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, but most of it is self-funded," said President Jung. He added, "Recognition of the time and effort people devote is as important as the costs." This is an appeal for interest in correcting the history of the anti-Japanese movement.

So far, about 350 Daehan Gwangbokdan members have been uncovered from the shadows of history. Despite the harsh times when it was common to hide or burn personal information to avoid arrest, they have devoted all their efforts to uncover related details and reveal the identities of the Gwangbokdan members. However, many are not officially recognized for their merits. According to President Jung, this is because of the lack of official records, preventing their registration in the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs’ merit records.

The discovery of Mr. Chae Gi-jung’s former residence is also a result of these efforts. After verification, Yeongju City purchased the house on May 30th. President Jung said, "A memorial space (Mr. Chae Gi-jung’s house) will be established in 2 to 3 years," and "annual memorial ceremonies will be held."

Next year marks the 110th anniversary of the founding of the Daehan Gwangbokdan. President Jung said, "We are moving forward step by step with a five-year short-term goal," and added, "This is a time when the interest of the public is greatly needed."

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