Essentially Encouraged to Resign…Director Kim Dismisses the Suggestion,
Minister Kwon O-eul of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. 2025.08.21. Newsis, “Minister Kwon O-eul of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has issued a stern warning to Kim Hyeong-seok, the director of the Independence Hall, who is embroiled in controversy over his Liberation Day speech, effectively encouraging him to resign voluntarily.”,
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, “On the morning of the 27th, the ministry stated that a letter signed by Minister Kwon was personally delivered to Director Kim by the department head responsible for the Independence Hall.”,
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, “In the letter, Minister Kwon stated, ‘The director of the Independence Hall must fulfill their public duties based on public trust and should not prioritize personal opinions over the operation of the institution under any circumstances.’ He also pointed out, ‘Nevertheless, the director of the Independence Hall has sparked controversies over the New Right and historical perspectives, causing division among the public and gravely shaking the status of the Independence Hall.'”,
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, “Minister Kwon criticized him, saying, ‘On August 15th, through the Independence Hall’s own Liberation Day commemorative speech, the director invited controversy that damaged the historical significance of the independence movement, deeply wounding the descendants of independence activists and the public, which is a serious mistake undermining the authority of the Independence Hall.'”,
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Director Kim Hyeong-seok of the Independence Hall turns away from his attempt to enter after being blocked by descendants of independence activists on August 25, 2025, in Cheonan. News1, “He continued, ‘Additionally, he made inappropriate remarks in an internal notice, blaming a member of the National Assembly for protests and sit-ins within the Independence Hall, thereby abandoning neutrality and dignity as a public institution’s head, which does not befit a director who should respect the public and parliament.'”,
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, “Minister Kwon stressed, ‘Any conduct or remarks that seem to belittle the history of the independence movement and the honor of independence activists will not be tolerated,’ instructing future responsibilities as a public institution head.”,
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, “The directives issued by Minister Kwon to Director Kim include: immediately ceasing any speech or action that could damage the historical significance of the independence movement and the honor of independence activists, ensuring that the general operation of the Independence Hall aligns with public expectations and the constitutional spirit, refraining totally from making politically controversial remarks or statements criticizing members of parliament or specific individuals, thoroughly maintaining neutrality and dignity as a public institution leader, and recognizing clearly that failing to fulfill his primary duties and continuously damaging the trust of the public institution would result in the loss of any justification for continuing his role as director.”,
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, “Minister Kwon concluded, ‘The Independence Hall is not a venue for personal academic claims or debates, but it is a historic pride and spiritual legacy that the public has upheld and should be passed down to future generations.’ He solemnly warned, ‘As the minister, I strongly caution against further damaging the trust of the public and the noble intentions of the independence movement’s pioneers.'”,
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, “The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, as the supervising agency of the Independence Hall, plans to continuously manage and oversee the director’s conduct and the institution’s operations to ensure there are no issues.”,
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, “Director Kim’s comments during the August 15th Liberation Day ceremony, in which he described Korea’s liberation as a ‘gift obtained through the Allied victory in World War II’ from a global perspective, sparked controversy. Following his remarks, descendants of independence activists engaged in collective actions to block his attempts to enter the office, leading Director Kim to continue his director duties in a separate office.”,
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, “In response to the ongoing controversy, Director Kim dismissed calls for his resignation. In a statement to employees, he expressed his wish that the Independence Hall, built through public donations, would regain the love of the people and share the values of independence with them. He affirmed his commitment to working toward these goals throughout his term.”