{"id":2202279,"date":"2023-09-15T17:21:46","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T08:21:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2202279"},"modified":"2023-09-18T17:01:36","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T08:01:36","slug":"reframing-south-korean-identity-the-controversy-of-general-hong-beom-dos-bust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/09\/reframing-south-korean-identity-the-controversy-of-general-hong-beom-dos-bust\/","title":{"rendered":"Reframing South Korean Identity: The controversy of General Hong Beom-do\u2019s bust"},"content":{"rendered":"
The South Korean Defense Ministry, in conjunction with the Korea Military Academy (KMA), <\/span>proposed<\/span><\/a> the removal of a bust of General Hong Beom-do from the academy\u2019s grounds. This decision has ignited debates, primarily concerning the Yoon administration\u2019s interpretation of Korean contemporary history, which hints at its current worldview.<\/span><\/p>\n Five busts of Korean independence fighters were <\/span>installed<\/span><\/a> at the entrance of the KMA\u2019s main pavilion in March 2018, during President Moon Jae-in\u2019s tenure. Hong\u2019s bust was chosen to commemorate the Korean Independence Army\u2019s first major victory over Imperial Japanese forces at the 1920 Battle of Fengwudong, where Hong was the commander.<\/span><\/p>\n However, concerns about Hong\u2019s political associations post-1927 have overshadowed his earlier contributions. The Defense Ministry <\/span>highlighted<\/span><\/a> his links to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, with which he was affiliated until his death in 1943.<\/span><\/p>\n In a late August National Assembly Defense Committee hearing, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup <\/span>confirmed<\/span><\/a> the KMA\u2019s intentions to remove all five busts from its pavilion. Lee stated that the primary concern centered on the appropriateness of featuring individuals with communist ties in an institution committed to defending the country from North Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n Shin Won-sik, former Deputy Chief of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff and <\/span>Yoon\u2019s pick<\/span><\/a> for the next defense minister, endorsed the removal. During a press conference on Aug. 29, he <\/span>emphasized<\/span><\/a> that Hong\u2019s communist affiliations were inconsistent with the KMA\u2019s values, going as far as suggesting that retaining the bust would \u201cdeny the nation\u2019s identity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n BIPARTISAN BACKLASH<\/b><\/p>\n The Defense Ministry\u2019s rationale for relocating Hong\u2019s bust has faced significant public pushback. A poll by National Barometer Survey revealed that <\/span>58%<\/span><\/a> of South Koreans oppose the removal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Scholars and politicians from across the political spectrum also voiced their concerns.<\/span><\/p>\n Former President Moon Jae-in <\/span>called<\/span><\/a> on the presidential office to resolve the controversy, cautioning against diminishing the contributions of independence soldiers due to their associations with the Soviet Union, suggesting it might portray South Korea as a \u201cnarrow-minded\u201d nation.<\/span><\/p>\n Woo Won-shik, a Democratic Party lawmaker and chairman of the Hong Beom-do Memorial Association, <\/span>criticized<\/span><\/a> the government\u2019s decision, saying it fuels public division.<\/span><\/p>\n Even figures from the conservative People Power Party (PPP) have expressed their reservations. <\/span>Lee Jun-seok<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Hong Jun-pyo<\/span><\/a>, both former party leaders, expressed that they felt the government was overly harsh in its portrayal of Hong.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI believe that relocating the statue of General Hong Beom-do, who is considered a hero in conservative circles, is historically and politically unjust,\u201d Cheon Ha-ram, another PPP member, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Shin Joo-Baek, a former director of the Institute of Korean Independence Movement Studies, emphasized the importance of viewing Hong\u2019s life through a historical lens.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCritics might be disregarding the challenges and circumstances Hong faced. Hong\u2019s primary motive was national survival. He had no intention of harming the independence movement,\u201d Shin told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Similarly, Cheon Ha-ram noted to <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> that branding Hong as contradictory to South Korean identity due to his Soviet ties is misguided.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThey are underestimating the intelligence of the Korean people. The current government is showing a lack of historical understanding,\u201d Lee Hyung-jin, chairman of the Korean Liberation Army Memorial Association, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n