Moon pledges more support for independence fighters

President Moon Jae-in, second from left, takes a group photo with first lady Kim Jung-sook, center, and Shim Soon-bok, left, great granddaughter of late independence fighter Jang Byung-hoon for a special meeting also attended by 64 other descendants of late independence fighters from overseas countries at his office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

President Moon Jae-in pledged to expand support for more independence fighters and their descendants in a move to commemorate the centennial of the March 1 Independence Movement, Monday.

“Our ancestors' independence movement 100 years ago was a big fight for people's independence, liberty, human rights and democracy,” Moon said before a special lunch meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.

His remarks came during a lunch with 64 overseas descendants of late independence fighters who fought against Japan's 191-45 colonial rule of Korea.

Also among invitees are Susan Jane Black, a granddaughter of British journalist Ernest Thomas Bethell, who was awarded an order of merit for national foundation in 1968 and founded the newspaper Daehan Maeil Sinbo, also known as The Korea Daily News, to disclose Japanese soldiers' abuse of Koreans, and Shim Soon-bok, a granddaughter of Jang Byung-hoon who taught aviation skills to members of the provisional government.

Citing the country's new compensation system revised last April which gave more awards to the independence fighters, Moon said, “It is the country's responsibility to find the independence fighters who led the fight and their descendants and treat them properly. It is also something that can help people have pride in their country.”

Moon also pledged to expand the role of the Independence Hall of Korea so that it can better collect the historical records and find independence fighters here and abroad while finding historic sites in other countries and preserving those.

It was the first time for Moon to invite the descendants of independence fighters living overseas. The presidential office plans to invite more of them on April 11 when the country's provisional government was established in 1919 and on Aug. 18, the country's Liberation Day.

The meeting was attended by descendants from eight countries ― Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, Kazakhstan, Russia and the U.S.

Park Yoo-chul, chairman of the Korea Liberation Association, an organization of the independence fighters and their families, said “I thank President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook who invited us to South Korea and a lunch for the centennial of the May 1 Independence Movement.”

Citing Moon's drive to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula, he said “I hope he could achieve the goal.”