Jeonbuk Province to Provide Allowance to Great-Great-Grandchildren Starting Next Year
Netizens Mock, Asking "Is There an Allowance for the Imjin War or the Unification of the Three Kingdoms?"
Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province has announced plans to provide an honorary allowance to the descendants of participants in the Donghak Peasant Revolution starting next year, but this decision is facing criticism as a potential waste of taxpayer money.
According to Jeonbuk Province and the provincial council on July 5, from next year, descendants of Donghak Peasant Revolution participants residing in the Jeonbuk region will receive a designated allowance. The legal basis for this payment is the "Ordinance on Supporting Projects Commemorating the Donghak Peasant Revolution," enacted in September of last year. The purpose of the allowance is to restore the honor of the descendants of Donghak Peasant Revolution participants. The eligible descendants include the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren of those who participated in the Donghak Peasant Revolution.
Gapo Donghak Revolution Memorial Tower
The province has identified 915 eligible descendants residing in Jeonbuk. Among them, Jeonju has the largest number with 302, followed by Jeongeup with 148, Imsil with 107, Iksan with 101, Buan with 62, Gimje with 52, and Gunsan with 43. If each receives a monthly allowance of 100,000 won, the annual budget required would be 1,098 million won. Previously, Jeongeup became the first local government in the country to provide a monthly allowance of 100,000 won to descendants of the Donghak Peasant Revolution, starting in 2020.
The Donghak Peasant Revolution was a popular uprising in March 1894, led by Donghak leaders, followers, and farmers, who raised the banner against foreign influence and corruption in the feudal society of the Joseon Dynasty. Jeonbuk Province explained that the reason for providing the allowance is that there has been no compensation for the participants of the revolution until now. Under the current Veterans Act of the Republic of Korea, those involved in the Donghak Revolution and their descendants are not eligible for veteran benefits.
However, there is considerable public opposition to the idea of compensating a historical event from over 130 years ago with taxpayer money today. On online communities, sarcastic comments such as "I am a descendant of someone who fought in the Imjin War. Will we get an allowance too?" and "Is there an allowance for the unification of the Three Kingdoms?" have appeared.
One netizen posted on a workplace community, "At first, I thought it was fake news," adding, "I can't believe that events from the enlightenment period I read about in history books are being discussed in 2025." There have also been posts suggesting that allowances should be given to the descendants of soldiers mobilized for other historical events from a similar era, such as the Byeongin Yangyo (1866) and the Shinmiyangyo (1871).
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