빽가, 독립운동가 후손이었다…“외증조부가 임시정부 수립에 함께해”

Bongga, descendant of a nationalist activist, revealed that her late husband was the distant cousin of independence activist Je-hyuk Chinnǒk (1874–1933). In a recent YouTube video, Bongga announced that "Je-hyuk Chinnǒk was my distant uncle." She expressed her cautiousness, stating, "I was quite hesitant to share this, fearing it might seem like I was tainting his legacy."

Bongga explained that she had heard stories about how descendants of nationalist activists often struggled financially. While she couldn't help them economically previously, she felt she could now. She revealed that Je-hyuk Chinnǒk was a key figure in supporting the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai, providing financial and logistical support during its early days.

She shared that Je-hyuk Chinnǒk's name appeared in Park Chung Hee's "Park's Diary," where it mentioned that "even the closest comrades wouldn't spare a meal for me but helped me." Je-hyuk Chinnǒk had moved to Shanghai after the country's colonization in 1910, where he worked for a British-run automobile company, acting as a supervisor.

During his time there, he secretly provided shelter, funds, and support to independence fighters attempting to flee Korea. When the 3·1 Independence Movement erupted in 1919, Je-hyuk Chinnǒk played a crucial role in the first meeting of the Provisional Government members in Shanghai on April 10, 1919, where they declared the country's provisional name, "Daehanminguk," and drafted a provisional constitution establishing a democratic republic.

Je-hyuk Chinnǒk served as an assistant physician in the Korea Independence Refugee Association in 1920, supporting the Korean diaspora community. In 1926, he organized the Provisional Government Economic Assistance Committee, which raised funds for the independence movement. The government awarded him the "Founding Celebration Independence Medal" in 1980.

Bongga concluded, "He was a national who consistently supported the Provisional Government and the independence movement. Without his immense dedication, we wouldn't have begun our journey as the 'Daehanminguk' democratic republic. He perished in Shanghai in 1933 without witnessing our independence."