Effectively Urging Voluntary Resignation… Director Kim Dismisses Suggestions
In response to controversies surrounding Kim Hyung-seok, the director of the Independence Hall, related to a Liberation Day commemorative speech, Minister Kwon Oh-eul of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs issued a stern warning and effectively urged Kim to voluntarily resign.
On the morning of the 27th, the ministry directly delivered an official letter of directive from Minister Kwon to Director Kim through the head of the department overseeing the Independence Hall.
In the letter, Minister Kwon emphasized that “the director of the Independence Hall must fulfill their public duties based on public trust and must not prioritize personal opinions over the operation of the institution under any circumstances.” He criticized Director Kim for “causing a New Right controversy and a historical perspective controversy, thus dividing the public and seriously undermining the stature of the Independence Hall.”
Minister Kwon pointed out that on August 15th, during the Independence Hall’s own Liberation Day ceremony, Director Kim caused controversy by undermining the historical significance of the independence movement, deeply hurting the descendants of independence activists and the public, which constitutes a serious mistake that undermines the authority of the Independence Hall.
Additionally, it was pointed out that Director Kim made inappropriate remarks in internal memos, attributing the reasons for protests and sit-ins within the Independence Hall to members of the National Assembly, thus abandoning the neutrality and dignity required of a public institution head. This does not align with the basic attitude of respecting the public and the National Assembly.
Minister Kwon expressed that any actions or remarks seemingly degrading the history of the independence movement and the honor of independence activists cannot be tolerated, instructing a series of actions that Director Kim must undertake as a public institution head. These include ceasing any remarks or actions that could harm the historical significance of the independence movement and the honor of independence activists, ensuring the overall operation of the Independence Hall aligns with public expectations and constitutional spirit, refraining from any politically contentious remarks or actions, and strictly maintaining neutrality and dignity as a public institution leader. Furthermore, if the director fails to perform their fundamental duties and continues to undermine the trust in a public institution, they will lose any justification to continue performing their role.
Minister Kwon concluded by stating that “the Independence Hall is not a venue for personal academic assertions or debates but a historical pride maintained by the citizens and a spiritual heritage to be passed on to future generations,” and once again sternly warned against further damaging public trust and the noble intentions of the independence movement pioneers.
The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, as the overseeing body of the Independence Hall, plans to continuously manage and supervise the director’s conduct and the institution’s operations to ensure there are no issues.
Director Kim faced controversy for stating during the Liberation Day commemorative speech on the 15th, “When viewed from a global historical perspective, our country’s liberation was a gift obtained from the Allied Forces’ victory in World War II.” As a result, descendants of independence activists conducted group actions to block his entry to the office. Despite the controversy, Director Kim dismissed calls for his resignation. In a statement to the staff, he expressed his hope “for the Independence Hall, built with the people’s donations, to regain the public’s affection and to share the value of independence with the citizens,” vowing to do his best to keep that promise during his term.