Woo Won-sik "Relocation of Hong Beom-do Bust Seems Not Solely a Decision by the Ministry of National Defense"

Woo Won-sik, Democratic Party Lawmaker, MBC Radio Interview
"Issue of South Korea's Identity... Linked to Controversy over Founding Day"

The Ministry of National Defense has announced that it will consider relocating the bust of General Hong Beom-do installed inside the Korea Military Academy, sparking ideological controversy. In response, Woo Won-shik, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "I do not see this as a decision made solely by the Ministry of National Defense."

Woo, who is the chairman of the Hong Beom-do General Memorial Project Association, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 31st and stated, "This issue is connected to the identity of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and, further, to the legitimacy and identity of the Republic of Korea inheriting the legal continuity of the Provisional Government. I do not think this was discussed only within the Ministry of National Defense. It is a very important issue that is difficult to see as a decision made solely by the Ministry of National Defense."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the ideological controversy, when asked by the host if it originated from the president, Woo replied, "There is a very high possibility of that."

He added, "In the recent Liberation Day speech, President Yoon Suk-yeol mentioned communist totalitarianism and linked democracy to communist totalitarianism. He also spoke about protecting liberal democracy. The controversy over not recognizing General Hong Beom-do's communist party background and the five independence fighters enshrined at the Military Academy as the roots of the armed forces is all connected to this," he explained.

Woo also pointed out, "(The bust of Hong Beom-do) is a symbol that the roots of the armed forces are the independence army and the Liberation Army. However, according to the Ministry of National Defense Minister's response in the National Assembly, they emphasized military figures active after the founding of the armed forces rather than independence activists," adding, "What this means is the same as the controversy over the National Foundation Day."

He continued, "They argue that our government did not inherit the legal continuity of the Provisional Government, but that the National Foundation Day started with the establishment of the government in 1948," and said, "Are they trying to abolish the legal continuity of the Provisional Government? Are they trying to create a pro-Japanese state? Are they trying to erase the independence movement? This controversy has been a major social issue. Saying that the roots of the armed forces are not the independence army or the Liberation Army but those after the founding of the armed forces is exactly that controversy," he said.

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