S. Korea, Kazakhstan sign MOU on preservation of historic sites linked to Korea's independence movement

Seoul, September 16 - South Korea and Kazakhstan inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on September 15, aimed at safeguarding historical sites in Kazakhstan that are connected to Korea's struggle for independence from Japan's colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, according to the country's veterans ministry. The MOU was inked by Kwon Oh-eul, the minister of veterans affairs, and Arman Kyrykbayev, Kazakhstan's minister of culture and information, during a bilateral summit attended by President Lee Jae Myung and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan.

The summit, which included leaders from four other Central Asian nations, marked the inaugural South Korea-Central Asia Summit. The MOU outlines the joint commitment to systematically preserve the historical and cultural significance of sites related to Korea's independence movement, while also bolstering academic collaborations.

Kazakhstan currently hosts 25 such sites, including a memorial park in Kyzylorda, southern Kazakhstan, where Hong Beom-do, a key figure in Korea's liberation fight, was once interred. Notably, Hong commanded the Korean independence army's forces during their decisive victory over Japanese troops in the Battle of Bongo-dong in northeastern China in 1920.

The Korean veterans ministry is currently conducting a comprehensive survey of all 1,032 overseas historical sites tied to Korea's independence movement against Japan, with the final report due in 2028. This year, the ministry plans to inspect 258 sites in China and Japan, followed by 413 sites in 2027 and the remaining 361 sites in 2028.