Korean independence heroes buried abroad granted symbolic passports

A portrait and handwritten note of late independece fighter Ahn Jung-geun whose remains have yet to be repatriated to Korea / Korea Times file

Decades after dying on foreign soil in the fierce struggle against Japan's 1910-45 colonial occupation, 30 Korean independence activists whose remains still lie buried abroad are receiving a symbolic homecoming.

To mark the upcoming Aug. 15 Liberation Day, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korean food company Binggrae have launched a nationwide public campaign titled "The Brightest Passport of Korea."

The joint initiative presents official honorary passports to the surviving descendants of independence patriots who passed away in foreign countries prior to Korea’s liberation on Aug. 15, 1945, and whose resting places remain overseas.

Modeled directly after modern Korean passports, the custom travel documents incorporate historical records and design elements commemorating the anticolonial movement, including archival photographs, excerpts from historic resistance newspapers, the national flag, Harbin Station — where independence hero Ahn Jung-geun struck a decisive blow against Japanese imperialism in Manchuria — and the Sinheung Military Academy, the clandestine Manchurian institution that trained generations of armed resistance fighters.

Veterans officials emphasized that these symbolic travel documents carry profound national weight, representing a long-overdue return to the embrace of the native land these heroes longed for so deeply throughout their exile.

Among the 30 distinguished honorees are prominent independence figures whose remains have never been repatriated to Korea. The roster includes Ahn, who led armed militia operations in the Russian Far East and executed Ito Hirobumi — the prime architect of Japan’s annexation of Korea — at Harbin Station before his execution in a Japanese prison in 1910. The campaign also honors Lee Ae-ra, a courageous activist who died from the severe after effects of torture after being captured by Japanese gendarmerie while smuggling secret intelligence into Korea. Park Yeong-hui, a key military strategist who served as adjutant to Gen. Kim Chwa-chin during the decisive victory at the Battle of Cheongsanni in 1920, is also among the honorees.

The custom-crafted passports were officially presented to surviving family members during a solemn ceremony held at the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan. A tribute video documenting the project and telling the stories of the 30 activists has been released across official government and Binggrae media channels. Public broadcasts and large-scale visual displays are also scheduled across major transit hubs and civic sites, including the media wall at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2 and the Seoul National Cemetery.

“Every single independence patriot who dedicated their life to the country but could not return home is a hero Korea must remember forever,” said Veterans Affairs Minister Kwon Oh-eul. “We hope this campaign serves as a meaningful opportunity for all citizens to reflect on their noble sacrifices and pass down their legacy of courage to future generations.”

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.