Yoo Seunggwang, Seocheon County Governor Candidate: "Wolnam Yi Sangjae Should Receive the Top-Class Order of Merit"

Pledge to Upgrade to "Republic of Korea Medal" on Independence Movement Day
Chungnam Province and Provincial Assembly Also Pursue Promotion

On June 3, candidate Seungkwang Yoo, who plans to run for Seocheon County Governor in the upcoming June local elections, announced a pledge to upgrade the posthumous award of Independence Movement leader Sangjae Lee Nam to the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Republic of Korea (1st Class). /From the campaign team of candidate Seungkwang Yoo

Yoo Seunggwang, the prospective candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea who plans to run for Seocheon County Governor in the upcoming June 3 local elections, announced on March 1, Independence Movement Day, a pledge to upgrade independence activist Yi Sangjae's national order of merit from the current Order of Merit for National Foundation, Presidential Medal (2nd class) to the Republic of Korea Medal (1st class).

In a press release that day, Candidate Yoo stated, "The highest level of honor is needed to match the stature of an independence activist who represents Chungnam Province," and emphasized, "Considering Mr. Wolnam's achievements and historical symbolism, a 1st class decoration is justified."

He particularly mentioned the case of Yu Gwansun, whose order was upgraded based on public demand and research results, stressing, "If there is a national re-evaluation and historical consensus, Mr. Wolnam could also be posthumously awarded the highest grade."

According to Candidate Yoo, Yi Sangjae was born in Seocheon and served as a national leader during the March 1st Movement. In 1927, he became chairman of the Singanhoe and devoted himself to national enlightenment and nurturing talent. In recognition of these contributions, he was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Presidential Medal in 1962.

However, academic and local communities have continued to point out that the grade of the honor is low compared to the accumulated research on his achievements.

In 2019, Chungnam Provincial Assembly member Yang Geumbong called for an initiative to upgrade the order and a provincial-level response during a five-minute speech, and in September of last year, assembly member Jeon Ikhyeon raised the need to upgrade the award and identify other independence activists who have not yet been recognized.

The Wolnam Yi Sangjae Memorial Project Committee and Seocheon County have formed a "Committee to Promote the Upgrade of the Order of Merit" and are conducting a signature campaign with the goal of collecting 100,000 signatures.

The Chungnam Provincial Government is providing administrative support to upgrade the order of merit for Yi Sangjae and Lee Dongnyeong.

Candidate Yoo stated, "Upgrading the order of merit is not only about correcting the sacrifices of the past, but also about instilling a proper sense of national identity in future generations," and added, "I will make Seocheon a hub for veterans' affairs and historical education that continues the spirit of Wolnam Yi Sangjae."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.