‘Last Female Independence Fighter’ Late Patriot Oh Hee-ok Rests in Peace

National Patriots' Day, Passing Due to Chronic Illness
Lee Jong-chan, President of the Kwangbok Association, "Symbol of the Independence Struggle"
Interred at the National Cemetery, "An Independence Spirit That Generations Must Remember"

The late Oh Hee-ok, the last female member of the Korean Liberation Army who dedicated her life to the independence of the homeland, passed away on the 20th. The social funeral ceremony was held at the Hyeonchung Hall of the National Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul.

Yonhap News

About 150 people attended Oh’s funeral, including her family, Kang Jeong-ae, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, and Jin Sun-mi, member of the Democratic Party of Korea. At the funeral hall, wreaths from major politicians across the ruling and opposition parties, including President Yoon Suk-yeol and former President Moon Jae-in, were placed to bid farewell to the deceased.

At the funeral, Lee Jong-chan, Chairman of the Liberation Association, delivered a eulogy saying, "Seven years ago, during the Liberation Day celebration, the deceased proudly sang the Korean Liberation Army anthem, deeply moving the people," and mourned, "The sorrow of seeing off the only female member of the Liberation Army is great." He also highly praised her struggle, saying, "The independence movement was a nameless flower, a dedication offered to the homeland."

Kang Jeong-ae, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, delivered a memorial speech, stating, "We will remember and carry on the sacrifice and spirit of independence of the deceased, who devoted herself to the country during dark times."

Born in 1926, Oh joined the Korean Liberation Youth Corps in Liuzhou, China, at the age of 13 and plunged into the independence movement. She was involved in anti-Japanese activities such as gathering intelligence on the Japanese army and recruiting operatives, and later worked with the Korean Independence Party, dedicating herself to the independence of the homeland.

Oh’s family led the independence movement for three generations. Her grandfather, Oh In-su, a militia leader, as well as her father, Oh Gwang-seon, and mother, Jeong Hyun-sook, were all recognized as independence patriots.

Oh’s remains were enshrined at the Chung-hon Hall of the National Seoul National Cemetery. Prior to the funeral, a send-off ceremony was held at the Seoul Central Veterans Hospital in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. When the coffin, draped with the Taegeukgi flag, was loaded onto the hearse, the honor guard of the Ministry of National Defense’s Army, Navy, and Air Force saluted to honor her.

During her lifetime, Oh sang the Korean Liberation Army anthem, helping to inform the public about the history of the independence movement. The "unfamiliar anthem" she sang left a deep impression on many.

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