Key facts
- South Korea will award state medals and awards to 283 late independence fighters.
- The recognition is for their roles in the resistance against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.
- Awards include the Order of Merit for National Foundation, National Foundation Medal, and Presidential Commendation.
- Notable recipients include three miners who led a protest in 1919, Choe Jun-nye (wife of Kim Koo), and actor Kim Duk-rin.
South Korea will confer state medals and awards on 283 late independence fighters to honor their roles in the resistance movement against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula, the veterans ministry announced Thursday. The ministry plans to award the Order of Merit for National Foundation to 65 individuals, the National Foundation Medal to 29, and the Presidential Commendation for National Foundation to 189 people on the occasion of the Aug. 15 Liberation Day. Among the honorees are three miners who led an independence protest in March 1919, marching toward a Japanese police post before being shot to death. Choe Jun-nye, wife of renowned independence fighter Kim Koo, will be recognized for her support during his imprisonment and for leading a female enlightenment movement. Additionally, Kim Duk-rin, a Korea-born Chinese actor known as Jin Yan, will be awarded for starring in movies that promoted anti-Japanese sentiments in the 1930s. The ministry stated its aim to shed light on individuals, including women, workers, and cultural figures, who have not been adequately recognized for their contributions to the independence movement, attributing the belated recognition to historical records and on-site inspections. Since the establishment of the South Korean government in 1948, the ministry has honored a total of 19,059 independence patriots.