Civil society groups in Jeonbuk are urging the National Assembly to legislate to honor the participants of the Donghak Peasant Revolution's anti-Japanese armed struggle.
On December 4, citizen groups and political organizations from the Jeonbuk region called on the National Assembly to enact legislation honoring participants in the Donghak Peasant Revolution's anti-Japanese armed struggle, including leader Jeon Bong-jun. They highlighted that many people are unaware that Jeon Bong-jun, who led the uprising against the invading Japanese army, has yet to be recognized as a martyr for national independence. The collective emphasized that the Donghak Peasant Revolution is viewed as the initial movement for Korean independence by historians and urged for swift legal recognition as a matter of fairness, particularly in light of the fact that 150 participants in the 1895 Eulmi Uprising have already been honored as independence martyrs while those from the 1894 uprising have not.
The organizations pointed out that despite the existing Special Law on the Restoration of Honor for Participants of the Donghak Peasant Revolution, established in 2004, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs persists in not modifying the existing guidelines for recognizing independence martyrs. This, they argue, represents a violation of the rule of law and demonstrates a disregard for the legislative intent behind existing laws. They noted that four bills regarding the honoring of Donghak independence martyrs have already been proposed in the National Assembly across its 20th, 21st, and 22nd terms, calling for the swift processing of one bill, emphasizing that the financial burden would be minimal as only 494 descendants of these independence figures remain.
In addition, the groups referenced President Lee Jae-myung’s speeches highlighting the need for enhanced recognition of independence martyrs during Memorial Day and Liberation Day, insisting that a government representing the people should promptly resolve the situation regarding the honoring of Donghak participants. They underscored the need for the National Assembly to take the lead in legislating the recognition of those who fought against the Japanese invaders during the Donghak Peasant Revolution, firmly calling for legislative action on the matter.
