Leader of underground anti-Japan organization passes away

Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik pays his respects to Lee Il-nam at a funeral hall of Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital, Friday. Yonhap

Lee Il-nam, a prominent figure in the Korean independence movement during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial period and leader of an underground anti-Japan organization, passed away at the age of 98. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs confirmed his death, stating that he succumbed to illness at Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital on Nov. 30.

Born in 1920, Lee played a pivotal role in the resistance against Japanese rule. In 1942, he initiated a secret organization to carry out anti-Japan activities. The group was aimed at raising funds for independence movements. However, his efforts were cut short when he was exposed and subsequently arrested by Japanese authorities.

Despite facing charges at the Jeonju District Court in August 1942, Lee was released from prison upon Korea's liberation in 1945. In recognition of his dedication to the cause, the government awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1990.

Lee's passing leaves a void in the community of surviving Korean patriots, reducing their number to seven — six in the country and one abroad.