Remains Repatriation Ceremony to be Held at Incheon Airport on the 16th, Burial at National Cemetery in Daejeon on the 17th, “[Financial News]”, Independence activist Lee Uigyeong. Provided by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, “The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs announced on the 12th that they will repatriate the remains of independence activist Lee Uigyeong, author of the novel ‘The Amnok River Flows’ and known by the pen name ‘ImiReuk.’, back to his homeland.
It has been 105 years since Lee crossed the Amnok River to leave the country in 1919. From last May, in anticipation of the 80th anniversary of liberation next year, the ministry has actively been working on the repatriation of Lee’s remains to Korea. According to the ministry, Lee’s remains, which are interred in Germany, will arrive at Incheon International Airport on the 16th. A repatriation ceremony will be held upon their arrival, and Lee will be laid to rest at the Daejeon National Cemetery on the 17th, the Day of Remembrance for Martyred Patriots.
Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kang Jung-ae stated, “I am dedicated to spreading the noble spirit of independence exemplified by Lee Uigyeong and others, ensuring that the remains of the independence activists buried overseas are brought back to their homeland, thus fulfilling our commitment to those who dedicated their lives to the nation.”
To facilitate the repatriation, the ministry dispatched Oh Jin-yeong, Director of Veterans Affairs Policy, to Germany as the head of the government delegation. In Germany, a memorial service for Lee will be held on the 14th at the funeral hall within the cemetery where his remains are interred, attended by the Mayor of Graefelfing and the Consul General in Frankfurt. Also, on the 15th, a sending-off ceremony will be held in front of a plaque for Lee located on Huber Street in Graefelfing, with members of the ImiReuk Memorial Association and local residents in attendance.
The remains will depart from Munich Airport on the afternoon of the 15th and are expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport around 11 AM on the 16th. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will hold a repatriation ceremony at 1 PM on the 16th at Terminal 1 (Entry Hall F) of Incheon International Airport under the theme of “Life-long Devotion, Hooray for Our Country,” with Minister Kang and others in attendance. Lee’s remains will be laid to rest at noon on the 17th at the 7th burial ground of Daejeon National Cemetery, overseen by the director of the cemetery.
Born in 1899 in Haeju, Hwanghae Province, Lee participated in the March 1st Movement in 1919 and, in May of the same year, became an editor for the Korean Youth Diplomatic Corps, formed for diplomatic activities for independence. On August 29 of that year, due to being wanted by the Japanese for printing promotional materials like the ‘Gyeongsul National Humiliation Warning,’ he fled to Shanghai, China, where he assisted the Provisional Government.
In 1920, after passing through France, Lee arrived in Germany. While attending the University of Munich in 1927, he participated as a member of the Korean delegation at the “World Congress of Oppressed Peoples” held in Belgium, drafting a booklet titled “The Korean Question” and translating resolutions into German to promote Korea’s independence aspirations.
In 1928, Lee published ‘The Amnok River Flows,’ written in a recollective style, covering from his childhood experiences to his studies in Germany, set against the backdrop of historical changes from late Joseon to the colonial era. The novel was recognized for its excellence in prose and was selected as the best German novel. It remains popular, being continuously included in German textbooks.
Lee passed away on March 20, 1950, due to stomach cancer and was buried in a new cemetery in Graefelfing, Bavaria. In honor of his contributions, the government awarded him the Patriotic Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1990 and selected him as the “Independence Activist of July 2024.”
The repatriation of the remains of independence activists buried overseas began in 1946 with the remains of Yun Bong-gil, Lee Bong-chang, and Baek Jeong-gi, totaling 149 cases with the addition of Lee Uigyeong.