Woo Won-sik "Ruling Party Lawmakers Did Not Participate in Resolution to Preserve Busts of Independence Heroes"

Woo Won-sik, Democratic Party Lawmaker, SBS Radio Interview
"President's Words' Sincerity Starts with Canceling the Bust Relocation"

181 members of the National Assembly, including those from the Democratic Party of Korea, the Justice Party, the Basic Income Party, the Progressive Party, and independents, proposed a resolution urging the preservation of the busts of independence heroes within the Korea Military Academy. In response to the ruling party members not participating, Woo Won-shik, a Democratic Party lawmaker, criticized, "The President has said that now it is not about ideology but about people's livelihood, but isn't this just empty talk?"

Woo, who serves as the chairman of the General Yeochun Hong Beom-do Memorial Association, appeared on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' on the 25th and said, "I sent text messages asking them to sign the resolution since it was circulating, but not a single ruling party member signed it," adding, "If the President's words are sincere, the first step should be to cancel the plan to remove and relocate the busts of the Korea Military Academy's independence heroes who sparked ideological and historical wars."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the resolution co-proposed the day before, Woo explained that it includes ▲ scrapping the plan to remove busts within the Korea Military Academy ▲ restoring the Independence War Heroes Room ▲ legislating the legitimacy of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

In particular, on legislating the legitimacy of the armed forces, he stated, "I believe it is necessary to clearly institutionalize that the roots of our armed forces are the independence army and the Korean Liberation Army."

Woo said, "In 1907, after the disbandment of the military, armed uprisings occurred, which were the armed militias," and added, "Those armed militias became the Korean Independence Army, and the history of this independence army continued with the Korean Liberation Army. For about 40 years under 36 years of Japanese colonial oppression, we have a history of fighting with weapons."

He continued, "That history of fighting with weapons is what makes our armed forces proud and is the root of our military," emphasizing, "Isn't it already clearly stated in the Constitution that the Republic of Korea inherits the legal tradition of the Provisional Government?"

Regarding the Ministry of National Defense's position that it is inappropriate to have a bust of General Hong Beom-do within the Korea Military Academy, considering that the academy's roots lie in the National Defense Guard Academy established after liberation, Woo rebutted, calling it "nonsense."

He said, "Strictly speaking, the National Defense Guard Academy was established immediately after liberation by the U.S. military government, and it started as a military English school," adding, "A U.S. Army lieutenant colonel served as the principal, and most of the staff were composed of Japanese army, Manchurian army, in other words, pro-Japanese collaborators. How could that be the root of our armed forces?"