The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby

  • 3

    Suicidal pedestrian saved over Han River bridge

  • 5

    US four-star general warns of war with China in 2025

  • 7

    Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year

  • 9

    Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons

  • 11

    INTERVIEWBusan has potential to be world-class city, says mayor

  • 13

    Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

  • 15

    Samsung to introduce low-carbon diet for employees to help tackle climate change

  • 17

    Base taxi fare to rise by 1,000 won to 4,800 won next month

  • 19

    Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI

  • 2

    Japanese teen romance film attracts 1 mil. Korean viewers for 1st time in 21 yrs

  • 4

    Korea to lift indoor mask mandate Monday

  • 6

    Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'

  • 8

    K-pop releases for February

  • 10

    Youth, foreign drug offenders increase threefold in 5 years

  • 12

    'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot

  • 14

    NK rejects alleged arms trading with Russia, warns of 'undesirable result'

  • 16

    Seoul International School celebrates 50th anniversary

  • 18

    Plum trees, pheasants and promises of old Korea

  • 20

    Main opposition leader faces pressure to resign in case of indictment

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, January 31, 2023 | 23:38
Independence fighter Yu to earn first-grade medal
Posted : 2019-02-26 16:19
Updated : 2019-02-27 10:37
Kang Seung-woo
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Visitors look at a portrait of Yu Gwan-sun at Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Visitors look at a portrait of Yu Gwan-sun at Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

Yu Gwan-sun, a symbolic figure of the 1919 March 1 Independence Movement against Japan's colonial rule of Korea, will be awarded an additional order of merit for national foundation, which is more prestigious than the current medal she received posthumously, according to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Tuesday.

The government decided to bestow the Republic of Korea Medal ― the highest out of the five ranks of national decorations ― on Yu, during a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Moon Jae-in, on the occasion of the resistance's 100th anniversary.

Previously, Yu had a third-grade Independence Medal given posthumously in 1962.

"Yu is a symbol of the March 1 Independence Movement. At the age of 16, she organized an independence protest and devoted herself to the nation's independence," Moon said during the meeting held at the Kim Koo Museum and Library in Hyochang-dong, western Seoul. Kim Koo was the first head of Korea's provisional government set up in Shanghai in 1919.

"The single fact that the people recognize Yu as a symbolic figure of the independence movement is enough to award her the first-grade order of merit. I hope the promotion will serve as momentum to further honor the 100th anniversary of the March 1 movement."

A teenage schoolgirl, Yu participated in the 1919 independence protest in Seoul and continued her fight by organizing another massive protest one month later in her hometown of Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.

Japanese military police arrested her and she died in prison on Sept. 28, 1920, of severe injuries sustained from torture.

In the lead-up to the centennial of the March 1 movement, there was growing public sentiment that Yu's medal status should be raised, considering her symbolic meaning and contribution to the nation's independence movement.

According to a poll by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism released Tuesday, which asked what is the first word or image when people think of the March 1 movement, Yu was the runaway leader with 43.9 percent, followed by the "manse" movement with 14 percent. Manse means "long live" (an independent Korea).

In that respect, bipartisan lawmakers submitted a bill to elevate Yu's status with the Order of Merit and scores of petitions calling for the government to give her better recognition have been posted on the presidential office's website.

According to the ministry, 31 people including Kim Koo and other independence fighters such as Ahn Jung-geun have been awarded the most prestigious Republic of Korea Medal, while 93 have received the second-ranked Presidential Medal.

However, the Awards and Decorations Act stipulates a man of merit cannot win another decoration for the same accomplishment, which had prevented the government from honoring Yu.

Considering the restriction, the government decided to bestow a new medal by recognizing her contributions to the country other than the independence movement, such as posthumously improving the country's reputation and inspiring the people's patriotic spirit.

Also on Tuesday, the government said it would grant special pardons to 4,378 people, mostly those involved in political protests and convicted of crimes for the sake of their livelihoods, on the occasion of the March 1 Movement's centennial.

It will be the Moon administration's second special amnesty since its inauguration in May 2017 following the first in December the same year.

The beneficiaries will include people convicted of staging violent rallies regarding the construction of a naval base on Jeju Island, Ssangyong Motor's restructuring plan, the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD) and a controversial "comfort women" deal between Korea and Japan in 2015.

However, convicted progressive politicians were excluded to prevent any charges of political favoritism.


Emailksw@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year
2Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons
3Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule
4Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI
5[ANALYSIS] Pandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation ANALYSISPandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation
6SPC opens 120th Paris Baguette store in US SPC opens 120th Paris Baguette store in US
7Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit
8Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches
9Biohealth geared for growth Biohealth geared for growth
10NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war' NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby
2Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity' Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'
3K-pop releases for February K-pop releases for February
4'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot 'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot
5Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group