Head of independence fighters' institution pressured to step down

Social Affairs

Published: 14 Feb. 2022, 16:32

Head of independence fighters' institution pressured to step down

In this file photo, Heritage of Korean Independence Chairman Kim Won-wung greets Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party, who paid a courtesy visit to his office on Nov. 1, 2021. [YONHAP]

Descendants of patriots who fought for Korea’s independence from Japan are pressuring the leader of their association to step down over corruption allegations.

Members of the Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI), a public institution established in 1965 under the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to represent descendants and relatives of independence fighters, issued a statement on Monday demanding the resignation of the organization’s chairman, Kim Won-wung. “We vow to remove Kim and we will stage a demonstration indefinitely until our goal is realized,” the statement read.

“With our strong patriotism, we hoped that the HKI would walk the right path, but Chairman Kim repeatedly violated the articles of organization and ruined national unity with his pro-North, leftist remarks,” they said. “Recently, he went so far as to misappropriate money earmarked to give scholarships to some members of surviving families, but refused to apologize or step down. We, therefore, have no choice but to take action.”

The members said they will occupy the headquarters of the HKI, located in Yeouido, western Seoul, starting 2 p.m. Wednesday and stage a sit-in until Kim steps down.

Last week, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs announced it asked the police to investigate an allegation that Kim had misappropriated the organization’s funds.

The ministry said Thursday that its recent audit found that profits from the HKI’s cafe inside the National Assembly were misappropriated by Kim. The ministry said it will also start a process to cancel the scholarship project.

The HKI had been operating the cafe, Heritage 815, inside the National Assembly with the goal of raising money to give scholarships to the children of some of its members. The National Assembly provided the site for the cafe free of charge.

According to the ministry, Kim misappropriated 61 million won ($50,900) from the project’s profits.

Kim denied the charges. In a statement aired by Yonhap News Agency, Kim said the ministry has defamed him by publishing false accusations.

Before the ministry announced the audit's outcome, a group of HKI delegates had already made an attempt to remove Kim, but failed. The delegates proposed Wednesday that a general assembly be held to vote on a motion of no confidence to oust Kim. Kim, however, used his power as the chairman to reject the request, fueling the members’ rage.

Kim, a 77-year-old former three-term lawmaker, was elected as the head of the HKI in June 2019.

Since he took office, he has stirred a series of controversies with his politically charged remarks, although the law forbids the HIK to engage in any political activities.

In 2020, Kim argued that the legacy of the late Korean War hero General Paik Sun-yup was exaggerated and demanded a fact-finding mission. Though known for his heroism during the 1950-53 Korean War, Paik has also been a controversial figure due to his checkered past, having served under the Japanese imperial army before Korea’s liberation.

Kim has also said 69 top military generals who had led campaigns under the Japanese Imperial Army to kill independence fighters are buried at the National Cemetery and demanded that their graves be relocated.

He also said the country has failed to settle its history of pro-Japan collaboration, denouncing President Syngman Rhee, the first president of the country, and Ahn Eak-tai, composer of the national anthem, as Japanese collaborators.

He also called the United Future Party, predecessor of the current main opposition People Power Party, a “pro-Japan” organization and singled out some of its politicians for having protected Japanese collaborators.

BY SER MYO-JA [ser.myoja@joongang.co.kr]