Unclaimed Medals Step Out After 80 Years... Yangsan City Independence Memorial Hall to Publicly Display 'Unclaimed Medals and Certificates' of Independence Activists for the First Time

Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Provides Six Unclaimed Medals and Certificates of Merit for Yangsan Independence Activists

"It may be late, but we have not forgotten."

Yangsan City Independence Memorial Hall (Director: Shin Yongcheol) has established a new memorial space to mark the Year of Byeongo and will publicly display six unclaimed medals and certificates of merit awarded to independence activists from the Yangsan region, which have been held by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

Yangsan City Independence Memorial Hall Memorial Space.

Since 1949, the government of the Republic of Korea has been awarding (posthumously) the Order of Merit for National Foundation to those who devoted themselves to the independence movement. As of December 2025, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has recognized a total of 18,664 independence activists, and the number of newly discovered and honored independence activists continues to increase each year.

However, due to the absence of confirmed descendants, there are as many as 7,179 unclaimed medals nationwide, with 259 of them stored by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs in the Gyeongnam region alone.

It is extremely rare for unclaimed medals to be made available to the public through a memorial hall, and this is the first such case in the Gyeongnam region.

This exhibition is expected to serve as an opportunity to share the history of the local independence movement as a collective memory and to further the memorial hall's purpose of being built together with citizens.

The six independence activists whose medals will be displayed are: Seo Duseong (2005, Order of Merit for National Foundation - Order of Patriotism), Yoon Suman (2025, Order of Merit for National Foundation - Order of National Loyalty), Kang Seongok (2020, Presidential Citation), Yoon Moonsuk (2023, Presidential Citation), Lee Heewoo (2025, Presidential Citation), and Ham Seonggwan (2025, Presidential Citation).

The exhibition can be viewed in the newly created memorial space within the Independence Memorial Hall. This space honors the achievements of local independence activists and is designed to allow all citizens to participate, featuring displays of unclaimed medals and certificates, introduction panels for the activists, a flower-laying area, and a memorial photo zone.

Visitors can learn about the lives and activities of the honorees at a glance and reflect on the meaning of the independence movement through floral tributes and remembrance.

Yangsan City Independence Memorial Hall hopes that this exhibition will raise awareness among citizens about the existence of unclaimed medals, increase public interest in the process of awarding medals and the honor given to independence activists, and, through cooperation with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, provide an opportunity for these medals to eventually be returned to the families.

Director Shin Yongcheol of Yangsan City Independence Memorial Hall stated, "Unclaimed medals are important records that prove the achievements of the independence movement, and it is very meaningful to share them with citizens. I hope this exhibition will help us remember the footsteps of local independence activists and reaffirm the spirit of the independence movement for both descendants and citizens."

For inquiries regarding this exhibition, please contact the Independence Memorial Hall team for detailed information.