Moon at the Center of Ideological War... Invites 'Hong Beomdo Researcher' to Pyeongsan Bookstore

Invitation to Author Lee Dong-sun of 'General of the Nation Hong Beom-do'

Former President Moon Jae-in, who has been criticizing the Yoon Seok-yeol administration over the 'Hong Beom-do Bust Relocation Controversy,' is now inviting poet Lee Dong-soon, an expert on Hong Beom-do, to Pyeongsan Bookstore.

Pyeongsan Bookstore, where former President Moon serves as the bookstore keeper, announced on the 8th through its official social media service (SNS) that it will hold a meeting with poet Lee Dong-soon, the author of "General of the Nation Hong Beom-do." This meeting with the author will take place on Sunday, September 17, in the yard of Pyeongsan Bookstore, with a capacity of 70 participants.

The invitation of poet Lee by Pyeongsan Bookstore seems closely related to the recent ideological debates that have erupted in the political sphere. Earlier, the Ministry of National Defense and the Korea Military Academy announced plans to relocate the bust of General Hong, which is located on the academy grounds, citing that Hong's history of joining the Soviet Communist Party does not align with the identity of the academy.

Former President Moon Jae-in is delivering a greeting at the "3rd Anniversary Event of Overcoming the Seomjin River Flood" held on the morning of the 8th of last month in Yangjeong Village, Gurye-eup, Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Yonhap News

However, this plan has drawn criticism from researchers of Hong Beom-do. Poet Lee, known as an expert on Hong Beom-do who has conducted research on the general for 42 years, raised his voice against the relocation, stating that it would be an insult to General Hong and is inappropriate. The opposition party also strongly opposed the move, calling it an attempt to erase Hong Beom-do.

As the controversy over the relocation of Hong Beom-do's bust intensified, former President Moon directly criticized the current government with a series of messages. On the 27th of last month, he expressed deep concern on his Facebook about the movement to remove busts of anti-Japanese armed independence heroes from the Korea Military Academy grounds. On the 4th, he stated, "The removal of the busts distorts history and damages the legitimacy and identity of the National Armed Forces and the Military Academy themselves," and urged the government to withdraw the plan to avoid bringing shame to history and the ancestors.

Meanwhile, as the controversy over the relocation of General Hong's bust escalated into an 'ideological war,' former President Moon's father was also brought into the discussion. On the 6th, Park Min-sik, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, said at the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee full meeting, "Former President Moon's father served as the head of the agricultural department at Heungnam City Hall during the Japanese colonial period; isn't he a pro-Japanese collaborator?" In response, former President Moon announced that he would file a defamation lawsuit against Minister Park.

Meanwhile, General Hong was the most spotlighted independence activist during the Moon Jae-in administration. The installation of General Hong's bust at the Korea Military Academy and the repatriation of his remains from Kazakhstan to be enshrined at the National Cemetery were both accomplished during the Moon administration.

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