Veterans Minister Kang Jeong-ae: "Will Follow Bipartisan Agreement on General Hong Beom-do's Bust Issue"

Announcing This Year's Work Plan at Press Conference
"There Is No Left or Right in Veterans Affairs, Nor Should There Be"

Kang Jeong-ae, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, announced plans to radically innovate veterans' policies ahead of the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day next year.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 7th, Minister Kang held a New Year's press briefing at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan-gu to reveal these plans.

Minister Kang stated, "After passing the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement last year, next year marks the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day. We will wholeheartedly prepare so that the noble spirit of independence of the patriots who willingly sacrificed their lives for the country's independence can be commemorated and remembered by the people, and so that the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day resonates deeply with the public." She added, "Veterans' affairs should be an important medium for national unity and must not become a subject of political strife. There is no left or right in veterans' affairs, nor should there be." She pledged, "We will do our utmost to ensure that veterans' affairs do not become a source of conflict."

When asked by reporters whether her remark that "veterans' affairs should not become a subject of political strife" was intended to differentiate herself from former Minister Park Min-sik, she drew a clear line, saying, "It was not a comment recalling the former minister. It is my usual conviction."

Regarding the proposal by the Korea Military Academy to relocate the bust of General Hong Beom-do to the Independence Hall under the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, she avoided giving a direct answer. She said, "General Hong Beom-do is a highly respected independence activist," but added, "Regardless of personal likes or dislikes or values, if the ruling and opposition parties reach an agreement after fully considering the Constitution, laws, and public sentiment, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will comply." On the Ministry's removal last year of the phrase "pro-Japanese anti-national act" from the record of General Paik Sun-yup's burial at the National Cemetery during former Minister Park's tenure, she only responded, "I was informed that the burial review committee proceeded according to laws and procedures."

When asked if there are plans to transfer the War Memorial of Korea to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, as the National Seoul National Cemetery was transferred from the Ministry of National Defense to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs last year, she said, "As the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs was elevated from a bureau to a ministry, there needs to be appropriate hardware, and from a management perspective, facility and event management should be unified," leaving the possibility open. The War Memorial Foundation, which operates the War Memorial of Korea, is an agency under the Ministry of National Defense, but there are criticisms that its operational goal of 'contributing to war prevention and peaceful reunification of the country through the lessons of war' overlaps somewhat with the nature of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs' work.

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