Effort to Award National Honor to Donghak Leader Jeon Bong-jun Revived

A renewed push is underway to grant a national posthumous honor to Jeon Bong-jun, a pivotal leader of the Donghak Peasant Revolution. The National Memorial Foundation has accepted an application for review, with the results expected around mid-August, coinciding with Liberation Day celebrations. This marks a potential turning point for the long-standing debate over recognizing Jeon Bong-jun and other Donghak leaders for their contributions.

Lee Yun-yeong, director of the Donghak Revolution Memorial Hall, confirmed on July 6 that he had submitted an application to the National Memorial Foundation for "Commendation for Patriots of the Donghak Revolution's Anti-Japanese National Salvation Movement." The foundation's response indicated that Jeon Bong-jun would be included in this year's public service review for Liberation Day honors, following further investigation into relevant materials.

This is not the first attempt to honor Jeon Bong-jun. Lee had previously submitted applications for commendations for independence activists in 2023, naming Jeon Bong-jun, Kim Gae-nam, and Son Hwa-jung. However, the foundation deferred these requests, citing unclear anti-Japanese independence movement characteristics. The current application reframes the Donghak Peasant Revolution's second uprising, which occurred after the Japanese military occupied Gyeongbok Palace in 1894, as an anti-Japanese armed struggle against national encroachment.

Civil society groups and Donghak-related organizations have consistently argued that the revolution should be recognized as an anti-Japanese independence movement. They point to the fact that 150 participants in the 1895 Eulmi Uprising have already received posthumous honors as independent patriots, raising questions of fairness. The "Act on the Honor Restoration of Donghak Peasant Revolution Participants" defines the movement as a national salvation effort against feudalism and foreign powers. However, the lack of national commendations for its leaders highlights a gap between historical evaluation and the current 보훈 (veterans affairs/honors) system. The outcome of this year's review is expected to significantly influence the national recognition and historical assessment of the Donghak Peasant Revolution's leaders.

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We expect the National Memorial Foundation to actively evaluate General Jeon Bong-jun's spirit of anti-Japanese national salvation.