"Right Then, Wrong Now"... Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon, Supports 'Removal of General Hong Beom-do Statue'

On the 31st of last month, statement made via Facebook
Governor Kim claims "suspect in the massacre of independence fighters"

As the Ministry of National Defense pushes for the removal and relocation of General Hong Beom-do's statue within the Korea Military Academy, sparking heated debates in the political arena, Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, expressed his support for relocating the bust, stating, "It is right to remove General Hong Beom-do's statue."

On the 31st of last month, Governor Kim Jin-tae posted on his social networking service (SNS) account, "Do you know about the Free City Incident? It was a horrific event in 1921 where hundreds to thousands of our independence fighters were massacred by the Soviet Red Army," adding, "This incident effectively destroyed our armed independence forces. Historical records increasingly reveal circumstances suggesting that General Hong Beom-do sided with the Soviets during this incident."

Jin-tae Kim, Governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province
Photo by Yonhap News

Governor Kim further stated, "He (General Hong Beom-do) reportedly received a pistol from Lenin after the incident and carried it for life. What are we supposed to learn from cadets when someone who slaughtered our independence fighters is enshrined not just anywhere, but at the Military Academy?" He added, "Even conceding a thousand times over, he remains a prime suspect in the massacre of comrades."

Governor Kim Jin-tae of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province expressed his support for relocating the bust, stating through his SNS, "It is right to dismantle the statue of General Hong Beom-do."
[Photo by Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Facebook]

He continued, "Are you saying we shouldn't question this because President Park Chung-hee posthumously awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1962? Back then, the data was insufficient and people might not have known, but now it's different," and asked, "If you still want to pay respects to General Hong Beom-do's statue despite the newly revealed facts, where is your homeland?"

General Hong Beom-do's Communist Activities Remain Unsettled in Academia

On the 28th of last month, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it is considering relocating the bust of the late General Hong Beom-do, not only within the Korea Military Academy campus but also in front of the Ministry of National Defense building if necessary. The photo shows the bust of the late General Hong Beom-do installed in front of the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

General Hong Beom-do's involvement with the 'Communist Party' remains an unresolved issue in academic circles. In particular, some interpretations argue that it is unreasonable to conclude he sided with the Soviets solely because he participated as a military tribunal judge after the Free City Incident.

Regarding this, Han Dong-geon, Secretary General of the General Hong Beom-do Memorial Association, stated, "It is true that General Hong participated as a tribunal judge at the time, but he worked to seek leniency for the independence fighters and to minimize damage," adding, "His Communist Party membership was also aimed at national reunification, not a commitment to Cold War communism. He had no connection with North Korea’s Kim Il-sung’s Workers' Party."

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