President Yoon Seok-yeol expressed regret over the ideological debate taking place in the political world two days before the Liberation Day celebrations.
According to the Blue House on the 13th, regarding the recent announcement by the Gwangbokhoe and the opposition party that they will not attend the Liberation Day ceremony on the 15th, President Yoon reportedly said, “What meaning would a debate on National Foundation Day have for people who are struggling to make a living?” and “It is difficult to understand why an unnecessary ideological debate is taking place now and how it will be of any help to the people.”
The controversy over the half-Liberation Day began with the appointment of Kim Hyung-seok as the new director of the Independence Hall of Korea. Lee Jong-chan, the president of the Independence Hall of Korea, declared that he would not attend the government’s Liberation Day event, calling Director Kim a New Right figure who supports the National Foundation Day.
The chairman claims that the appointment of Director Kim was intended to establish National Foundation Day. He also appeared on TV and revealed that he sent a letter to President Yoon opposing the appointment of Director Kim, but President Yoon ignored it and pushed ahead with the appointment.
The opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea and the Fatherland Innovation Party, are also pressuring the government along with the Gwangbokhoe, saying that they will not be able to attend the Gwangbokjeol ceremony unless the appointment of Director Kim is withdrawn.
The Office of the President said that there is no connection between Director Kim’s appointment and the controversy over National Foundation Day, and that it cannot understand the unilateral claims of the Liberation Association.
According to the Blue House, Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok also relayed President Yoon’s message to Chairman Lee the day before, but Chairman Lee has not cleared up the misunderstanding. It is reported that a high-ranking official from the Blue House personally visited Chairman Lee on the 11th and conveyed his position that the Yoon Seok-yeol government has never said it would designate a National Foundation Day and has no plans to do so in the future.
The Office of the President draws a line regarding the suspicion about the establishment of National Foundation Day, saying, “The foundation of the nation was a series of processes that took place from the March 1st Movement in 1919 and the establishment of the provisional government to the establishment of the government in 1948. We do not recognize National Foundation Day in 1948 as a single point in time.”
However, the Office of the President maintains that there will be no withdrawal of Director Kim’s appointment. A senior official from the Office of the President said in a phone call, “Is it even possible to withdraw the appointment?” and “Didn’t I say that I have never promoted the establishment of a National Foundation Day and have no plans to do so in the future?”
Director Kim held a press conference at the Seoul Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs the day before, saying, “I am not someone who advocates making National Foundation Day,” and expressed his position that he considers the liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945 more important than the establishment of the government in 1948. He emphasized that he is not a “pro-Japanese” or “New Right” who sympathizes with Japanese colonial rule.
Photo courtesy of the Office of the President, Kim Jeong-hyeon
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2024-08-13 22:52:48