Episode 285 It’s not too late
August 15, 1945.
It is the day of liberation when our country regained its sovereignty, which had been taken away by Japanese imperialists.
Until this day, there have been many sacrifices of independence fighters who sacrificed their lives for the independence of their country.
But ironically, their descendants suffered from extreme poverty and had to lead miserable lives.
If you look at the other side, it was inevitable because he donated all his property for independence and had no time to take care of his family while dedicating himself to his country.
Moreover, most independence activists did not live long under Japanese oppression.
Therefore, in a way, it could have been a predestined fate for their descendants to suffer from poverty.
***
Jingwansa Temple, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul
“We sincerely welcome the descendants of independence fighters who have visited Jingwansa Temple, a thousand-year-old temple in Korea. Jingwansa Temple, which boasts a beautiful view at the foot of Bukhansan Mountain, was also the base of the secret independence movement during the Japanese colonial period. In particular, Baek Cho-wol, a Buddhist monk from Jingwansa Temple, was one of the leading independence activists in the Buddhist world and a figure who left a mark in the history of the independence movement. He carried out a fierce anti-Japanese movement based at Jingwansa Temple, raised independence funds for the Provisional Government, and carried out activities such as engraving the inscription ‘Long Live the Independence of Korea’ on a military train bound for Manchuria. However, he died just before the first year of liberation. .”
Quite a number of people were flocking to Jingwansa Temple, which boasts a quiet atmosphere, touring Daeungjeon, Myeongbujeon, Hongjeru, Donggonggak, Nahanjeon, Dokseongjeon, Chilseonggak, Nagawon, etc.
In front of them was an old monk guiding them, and he was the chief Buddhist monk of Jingwansa Temple.
“The name of this building is Chilseonggak, and it is here that the Taegeukgi was hidden by monk Baek Chowol…”
Those who were listening attentively to the monk’s explanation ranged in age from young people to old people, and some of them seemed to be of mixed race.
They had earphones in their ears, which was the organizers’ consideration for those who could not understand Korean.
“How about coming and seeing it for yourself? “Nothing special, right?”
I nodded to Director Shin Ki-baek’s words.
“The event… “It’s simpler than I thought.”
“Unfortunately, this is reality. This also proves that people are not very interested. “At least this was only possible because we raised a certain amount of money, otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to hold it at all.”
While listening to Shin Ki-baek’s explanation, I moved forward in silence.
Next, we entered an auditorium-like space within the temple, where descendants of independence fighters who visited today shared their thoughts.
The beginning was a brown-skinned middle-aged woman who appeared to be of mixed race.
“uh···. hmm. hello. Am I mistaken? This is the governor’s descendant, Banales Melia. I came from Mexico… “I feel very honored to be here.”
Governor Oh Im-ha graduated from Willows Flight School in the United States, trained pilots as a Korean pilot instructor, and was confirmed to have supported the independence movement on several occasions.
In addition, the daughter of Governor Seon Woo-wan, who was active in the Korean Liberation Army, and the granddaughter of Jong-geon Jang, who served as the person in charge of the Anguk-dong rebellion during the Tap-dong independence demonstration movement.
Descendants of independence fighters who came from a thousand miles away expressed their impressions of visiting Korea one by one.
“Are there a lot of people living overseas?”
“I guess that’s what you’re wondering about. There may be several reasons. There are cases where people participated in the independence movement abroad and failed to return to Korea, and there are also cases where they became disillusioned while in Korea and emigrated abroad. really···. “It’s a sad case.”
“ah···. Is that so?”
I didn’t know why I felt embarrassed.
As the simple event came to an end, Director Shin Ki-baek approached an old man with a happy expression.
His thin physique and dark age spots suggested his old age.
“How have you been, old man? “It seems like your complexion has gotten worse.”
The old man, who was looking at Shin Gibaek with gloomy eyes, burst into laughter.
“I was wondering who I knew, and it turned out to be Director Shin. Cluck cluck. “It’s the complexion of an old man just waiting to die. It’s obvious, but it’s refreshing.”
“Ugh. Don’t say things like that, old man. “You must live long and strong.”
“Cluck. Don’t say that even if it’s a joke. “That’s a harsh thing to hear from an old man who just wants to leave this horrible world as soon as possible.”
The old man had a very pessimistic mood.
“Is the young man next to you a new employee?”
In response to the old man’s question, Director Shin Ki-baek introduced me.
“It’s not like that. “He is a very famous young businessman.”
“Cluck cluck. is it? You’re amazing at such a young age. But what happens to a young man in such an old-fashioned place?”
“Actually, this person retrieved Mr. Lee Hoi-young’s secret diary from China and donated it to the foundation.”
Then the old man’s wrinkled eyes opened wide.
“Really? Teacher Woodang’s diary? Oh my god.”
The old man held my hand with eyes full of emotion.
“You did a really great job. Woodang’s diary. “No, where on earth did you get that?”
“ah···. I happened to stop by China on business and went to an auction house, and I found it there. Actually, when I first won the bid, it wasn’t a diary, it was just a scribbling pad, and this… When it touched the water, the hidden writing was revealed.”
The old man hit his knee with a wrinkled hand.
“Is that right! At the time, I wrote in such a way as to avoid the eyes of the Japanese police. I finally found it! Great. amazing.”
“no···. Well, I didn’t win the bid because I knew about it…”
My grandfather, who seemed cynical about the world, now looked at me with a loving, dying face, and I felt a little burdened.
“No matter what, it must have cost a lot of money, so how did you come up with the idea of buying it? “How much money did you spend?”
“I didn’t spend much time. Only about 150 million… ah! That doesn’t mean I thought nothing of the money, but I thought it was well worth paying. Isn’t this the person who sacrificed everything for our country’s independence? “Money wasn’t the issue; all I knew was that I had to bring it.”
“Oh oh. oh my god···.”
The old man, whose wrinkled eyes became moist, continued to stroke my shoulders and hands.
“There were still young people like this in our country… “There was such a great young man in this country that our martyrs sacrificed their lives to protect.”
My face felt hot because it felt like something was giving me a very high opinion.
Rather than feeling patriotic or anything, it was a memento of our country’s independence activists, and from my perspective, spending that much was no different from just going abroad and buying souvenirs, so it wasn’t a big burden.
“This elderly man here is Han Myeong-hoe, the grandson of independence activist Han Tae-seok, who raised military funds for the Liberation Association.”
“ah···. “My name is Song Dae-un.”
“Thank you, Daewoon. thank you so much.”
“I didn’t do anything in particular…”
“Thank you, though.”
I felt embarrassed because the elder Han Myeong-hoe kept holding me and saying thank you, so I sent a look of relief to Director Shin Ki-baek.
Fortunately, Shin Ki-baek, who was wise, grabbed the hand of elderly Han Myeong-hoe and changed the topic.
“Anyway, how is your life these days? “You’re still skipping meals these days, right?”
“Cluck cluck. Sometimes I pick up waste paper for entertainment, and I somehow manage to survive with my veterans’ benefits. At least I receive veterans’ benefits, but most descendants of independence fighters do not. What is the law? It limits the recipient of payments to only one descendant and even discriminates depending on whether the independence activist died before or after liberation. Does this even make sense? If it’s an independence movement, it’s all the same independence movement. What are the standards you share? Eh…”
Elder Han Myeong-hoe clicked his tongue as if he didn’t like it, and Director Shin Ki-baek spoke in a supportive tone.
“That is correct. These days, interest in the descendants of independence fighters has almost disappeared altogether. Only less than 10% of descendants receive proper support from the state, and most of them have difficulty making a living. “It is truly a shame.”
It wasn’t true for me either.
I thought that descendants of independence fighters would receive unconditional subsidies, but I never thought there would be such a difference.
“The people you see over there who came from foreign countries didn’t receive even the slightest compensation. I just couldn’t return home after working alone in the independence movement in exile overseas, and now my nationality has completely disappeared. Our country should not treat them like that. France still arrests and punishes those who collaborated with the Nazi regime, and still treats the descendants of those who participated in the Resistance (an underground French independence movement organization) with the utmost respect. “This is wrong, but it is still wrong.”
At the old man’s bitter complaint, I just gaped like a crucian carp and didn’t know what to say.
“Shouldn’t we at least protest and correct that?”
Elder Han Myeong-hoe shook his head helplessly at the barely contrived question.
“From the perspective of the descendants of those who contributed to independence, just mentioning the old past again makes me cautious. I’m afraid that the people may have forgotten us. Although I feel proud as a descendant of independence fighters, there are many times when I feel ashamed and sad about my squalid life. Cluck cluck. “It’s deplorable.”
There was sadness in the old man’s wrinkled eyes.
“You shouldn’t do that, but… Sometimes I feel resentful towards my grandfather. He said that if he had not started the independence movement, he would have had land and property. Cluck cluck. Even though I know it was a truly unfavorable idea, I sometimes feel that way when I see the people who sold out the country and are still living well and enjoying favor. “It doesn’t mean much now.”
“Elder…”
As Director Shin Ki-baek looked at me with sad eyes, the old man burst out in sad laughter and turned his gaze towards me.
“I’m just saying it was like that. In any case, the country became independent and has become such a prosperous country now, hasn’t it? Such an upright young man did not forget the independence activists even in other countries and even gave them their mementos. Even though I’m having a hard time, seeing a young man like this gives me strength again. “Huh, haha.”
I looked at the elderly Han Myeong-hoe, who was smiling desperately, and then asked.
“Are you sure you don’t have any?”
“huh?”
“Do you really have no regrets about life anymore?”
“Uh huh. Mr. Daeun, those words…”
Director Shin Ki-baek grabbed my sleeve with an embarrassed look on his face, but even though he knew it was a rude question, he had a reason to ask the old man.
It was because I saw some trace of regret hiding behind the old eyes.
“It’s a regret…”
Han Myeong-hoe, who took a look at the panoramic view of Jingwansa Temple, slowly brought out the story buried within.
“I’m already over 80. How many regrets do you have in life? If there’s anything you can dream about… Pro-Japanese companies still making a living in Korea… And war criminal companies like Susumi, which forcibly mobilized Koreans and caused them great suffering during the Japanese colonial period… If only I could see them sincerely reflecting and apologizing in my lifetime… I really have no time left even if I die. but···. That will never happen. “Cluck cluck”
“Why do you think that?”
“Too much time has passed. Their evil deeds have already become so obscured that they are not even visible, and now they have so much power and money that no one can touch them. “You’ve already missed the time.”
“no. “It’s not too late.”
“Yes?”
“What the old man longed for… You’ll probably be able to see it in the near future. So, take care of your health.”
You may ask if I’m being overly presumptuous, but I also had a good reason.
This was because, from the moment the inner story was revealed, a ‘blue’ radiance rose like a haze from the body of elderly Han Myeong-hoe.
