Controversy Over Independence Hall Director's Greeting Ahead of Gwangbokjeol
Amid controversy over Kim Hyung-seok, director of the Independence Hall of Korea, Kim stated, "I have never divided people into left and right or incited factional conflict," and claimed, "The Liberation Association is labeling all citizens who follow former President Rhee Syngman as New Right and pro-Japanese collaborators." On the other hand, Lee Jong-chan, chairman of the Liberation Association, criticized, "Kim is not a historian but a highly skilled politician," and said, "His claim that he is not New Right is unlikely to be true."
On the 14th, Kim said on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' that "The Liberation Association announced nine criteria to distinguish New Right, but they are very arbitrary and biased interpretations," adding, "They are dividing national opinion." He continued, "In my book, I have expressed concern that without reconciliation between those who follow Kim Gu and those who follow former President Rhee, there is no future for the Republic of Korea."
Kim Hyung-seok, Director of the Independence Hall, is holding a press conference on the controversy regarding New Right tendencies at the Seoul Regional Veterans Office on the 12th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Regarding the controversy over the National Foundation Day, he explained, "Originally, August 15, 1948, was designated as Independence Day, but it was changed to Gwangbokjeol (Liberation Day)." He added, "The Constituent National Assembly passed the name Gwangbokjeol to reflect both the liberation in 1945 and the establishment of the government, as both were important." Kim said, "Both liberation and government establishment are significant events, and I highly value both equally. However, I advocate a process theory that it took 29 years from the March 1st Independence Declaration to the establishment of the government. In other words, the starting point is not the focus, but the completion on August 15, 1948."
Regarding personnel controversies surrounding him, he responded, "I have no way to contact the Yongsan Presidential Office or the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, nor have they ever sought me out." He added, "I was encouraged to apply for the position of director of the Independence Hall by elders and experts from various sectors of our society participating in the Wisdom Forest 100 Forum, and I gladly took part. None of these people are directly or indirectly connected to the Yongsan Presidential Office or the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs."
Lee Jong-chan, Chairman of the Liberation Association, is saluting the national flag at the "79th Liberation Day Commemoration Ceremony for Descendants of Independence Patriots Receiving South Korean Citizenship Certificates," held on the afternoon of the 12th at the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea Memorial Hall in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the other hand, Chairman Lee claimed, "There is a problem not only with the appointment of the director of the Independence Hall but also with the overall trend," and expressed suspicion, "It seems like an attempt to create a pro-Japanese faction before the war."
On the same day, Lee said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "Kim's goal is to deify President Rhee Syngman as the founding president while reducing Kim Gu to a terrorist," adding, "If such a person becomes the director of the Independence Hall, he will destroy all the research achievements so far and leave only materials favorable to himself."
Regarding the so-called 'New Right' controversy surrounding Kim, Lee said, "I have never seen a New Right person admit that they are New Right. The New Right is a hidden existence," and added, "Kim says that the founding in 1948 is a more glorious day than 1945, which is the closest statement to the New Right."
Lee said, "Just having Kim in the position of director of the Independence Hall is a declaration of intent to establish National Foundation Day," and added, "His voluntary resignation would greatly help resolve this situation." He urged, "I hope the government shows sincerity. If they say they will redo this wrong appointment to clarify that there is no National Foundation Day, we members of the Liberation Association will applaud." He concluded, "It is very regrettable that even after 80 years since liberation, we have not overcome the burden before and after liberation and are still stuck there."
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