Moon Jae-in: "The Presidential Office Should Step In and Withdraw the Bust Removal Plan"

Former President Moon Jae-in urged on the 3rd to "withdraw the plan to remove the bust" of General Hong Beom-do, saying, "Please do not bring shame to history and our ancestors."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In a post on Facebook that day, former President Moon said, "Even if this matter was discussed at the level of the Korea Military Academy, since the controversy has grown this large, it is right for the Presidential Office to step in and resolve the issue."

On the 27th of last month, former President Moon also expressed deep concern via Facebook regarding the plan to relocate the busts of General Hong Beom-do and four other independence and liberation army heroes, urging, "Please reconsider carefully."

On the same day, just a week later, former President Moon said, "I am posting again to avoid leaving shame and regret in history."

He continued, "The hardships endured by the independence army units, who were driven from Manchuria to the Maritime Province due to Japanese oppression and had no choice but to rely on Soviet territory, symbolized their indomitable will to continue armed independence struggles despite wandering and enduring harsh conditions," adding, "To disparage the achievements of the independence war on the grounds of unavoidable cooperation with the Soviet Union during that period is to degrade ourselves into a shabby and narrow-minded nation."

This was in response to the Ministry of National Defense and others citing General Hong Beom-do's 1927 membership in the Soviet Communist Party as a reason for removing the bust.

Former President Moon said, "Enshrining the busts of the five independence heroes on the Korea Military Academy campus was to declare that the Republic of Korea Army was not founded based on former Japanese soldiers, but inherited the independence and liberation armies, and that the Korea Military Academy itself has its roots in the Shinheung Military Academy, thereby elevating its legitimacy."

He added, "Removing the busts distorts history and is an act that damages the legitimacy and identity of the Republic of Korea Army and the Korea Military Academy themselves," and "We do not even come close to the patriotism and dedication of General Hong Beom-do."

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