General Hong Beom-do's Birth Information Standardized as "August 27, 1868, Pyongyang"

The birth information of General Hong Beomdo, which has previously been inconsistently recorded in South Korea, will be standardized.

A bust of General Hong Beomdo installed at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

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The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs announced on April 28 that, following expert consultations and discussions with relevant organizations, it has decided to unify General Hong Beomdo’s date and place of birth as “August 27, 1868, Pyongyang, South Pyongan Province.”

Due to the absence of clear official records such as family registries or court documents, General Hong Beomdo’s birth information has been listed differently by various organizations since the 1990s, when a variety of historical materials flowed into Korea after diplomatic relations were established with the Soviet Union and its former member states. For example, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (through the Electronic Memorial Archive) had recorded his birthplace as “unknown, North Pyongan Province,” the Independence Hall of Korea as “Yangdeok, South Pyongan Province,” and the Hong Beomdo General Memorial Foundation as “Pyongyang.” His year of birth also varied, being cited as either 1868 or 1869.

To standardize this information, the ministry sought expert advice and held consultations with related organizations such as the Hong Beomdo General Memorial Foundation and the War Memorial of Korea. It concluded that “Pyongyang, South Pyongan Province” is the most credible and reasonable birthplace, and “August 27, 1868” the most reliable date of birth. Major supporting sources included the “Hong Beomdo Diary,” in which General Hong recorded his activities and career from birth through his participation in the righteous army and collective migration to Central Asia, as well as his obituary published in the contemporary Kazakhstani newspaper “Lenin Kichi.”

The ministry will share these findings with the Ministry of National Defense (Korea Military Academy), the War Memorial of Korea, the Independence Hall of Korea, and other relevant institutions, and will guide them in updating their information accordingly.

Minister Kwon Oeul stated, “Correcting the records related to General Hong Beomdo not only clarifies historical facts, but is also fundamental to ensuring proper national respect for a hero of independence. The government will continue to rigorously verify the records of independence patriots to ensure that the lives and achievements of our forebears are fully remembered.”

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