The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will hold a repatriation ceremony for the remains of the late Lee Ha-jeon, the last overseas-residing independence patriot who passed away in the United States in February at the age of 104, at the Memorial Plaza of Seoul National Cemetery on the 22nd, the ministry said Thursday. Lee was awarded the Patriotic Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1990.
The one-hour ceremony will feature an introduction of the deceased's achievements, a commemorative performance, and the transfer of his remains, attended by about 450 people including bereaved families of independence patriots, senior government officials, and members of the Heritage of Korean Independence.
Lee's remains will then be transported to Daejeon National Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest alongside his wife following an interment ceremony.
Born in Pyongyang in 1921, Lee organized a secret independence movement society in 1938 while attending Sungin Commercial School. He was arrested by Japanese colonial police in 1941 while studying in Japan and served two years and six months in prison.
After liberation, he left to study abroad and settled in the United States, where he served as president of the Korean Liberation Association's Northern California chapter. He received the Patriotic Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1990.
The oldest independence patriot and the last surviving patriot residing overseas, he passed away at his home in Sacramento, California, on February 4 of this year. With his passing, only four surviving patriots now remain in Korea.
The repatriation of remains of independence patriots buried abroad began in 1946, when Kim Gu brought home the remains of three patriots — Yun Bong-gil, Lee Bong-chang, and Baek Jeong-gi. Including Lee Ha-jeon, a total of 156 sets of remains have now been returned to Korea.
