image text translation
SBS
single
General Hong Beom-do is always likely to ‘maintain the current position’_
SBS
NFWC
https://www.youtube.com/embed/C1Mb12rtP6M
〈Anchor〉
Our coverage has confirmed that the military authorities are giving up on their plan to demolish the bust of General Hong Beom-do at the Military Academy and are considering leaving it in its current location. It appears that they were conscious of the fact that trust in the military has declined due to martial law and that there are loud voices opposing the relocation of the bust.
Defense reporter Kim Tae-hoon reported exclusively.
SBS coverage confirmed that the Army and the Military Academy have selected two options in relation to the bust of General Hong Beom-do and have begun drawing up a final plan.
A key Army official said, “We are simultaneously considering a plan to create an independence park at the Military Academy and then move the bust there or leave it in its current location in front of the Military Academy’s Chungmugwan.”
At the same time, the official added, “‘Preserving the current location’ is a more likely option.”
The bust issue, which is the core of the comprehensive plan for the Military History Monument, changed from ‘removal and relocation to an external location’ to ‘relocation to Independence Park on campus’ to ‘remain in the current location.’
Former defense ministers of the current government, including Lee Jong-seop, Shin Won-sik, and Kim Yong-hyun, pushed for the removal of the bust, citing General Hong’s socialist record.
However, due to backlash from public opinion, the Army and the Military Academy pushed for a plan to move it to Independence Park within the Military Academy last year.
Then, independence movement groups such as the opposition party and the Liberation Association strongly opposed the bust, saying that it should not be moved even 1 mm.
[Lim Tong-il/Secretary General of the Korean Independence Association (November 6 last year): Do not move the busts of independence heroes in the Military Academy even an inch!]
In the end, the Army and the Military Command virtually gave up on relocating Independence Park, but the 12/3 martial law incident involving some generals from the Military Academy broke out, and the ‘preservation of the current location’ was strengthened.
[Woo Won-sik/Chairman of the National Assembly (last January 2): Isn’t this an opportunity for us to create the truly democratic and strong Republic of Korea that stands tall as an advanced country in the world, as General Hong Beom-do envisioned?]
There has also been growing speculation within the military that if the military, caught up in the theory of responsibility for martial law, removes or moves the general’s bust, it could face a backlash from public opinion.
The final decision on whether the bust of General Hong Beom-do will remain in its current location is expected to be made within the first half of this year.