South Korean Province to Provide Annual Stipend to Descendants of Donghak Revolutionaries

Jeonbuk Province is set to become the first provincial government in South Korea to offer a regular survivor's stipend to the descendants of the Donghak Peasant Revolution participants. This significant move aims to provide long-overdue recognition and support to the families of those who fought in the historic 1894 uprising.

The provincial government announced that 723 registered descendants residing in Jeonbuk will each receive an annual stipend of 1.2 million won. This initiative is based on the 'Jeonbuk Special Province Ordinance on Support for the Commemoration of Donghak Peasant Revolution Participants.' The total budget for this year's program is 868 million won, shared between the provincial government and local municipalities.

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The payment of the survivor's stipend is a meaningful start to enhance the honor of the participants and pass on their spirit to future generations.

The Donghak Peasant Revolution, which began in 1894, was a large-scale anti-feudal and anti-foreign movement led by figures such as Jeon Bong-jun. It evolved from a peasant uprising for rights into a modern national movement advocating for the abolition of the class system and the expulsion of foreign powers.

Eligible recipients are registered children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of revolution participants, who have been registered residents of Jeonbuk Province for at least one year as of January 1st. Applications will be accepted from October 4th to 22nd at local administrative welfare centers. The province plans to continue advocating for expanded national-level recognition for the revolution's participants, including posthumous honors and their inclusion in the preamble of the constitution.

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We will continue to strive to ensure that the Donghak Peasant Revolution is fully recognized as a historical asset of South Korean democracy and that the participants receive appropriate national respect.