▲ Prime Minister Kim Min-seok pays his respects after laying flowers before a portrait of patriot Ahn Jung-geun at the former Kwantung District Court in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China, where Ahn was sentenced to death, on June 24.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, currently on a visit to China, stated that it is time to locate the remains of patriot Ahn Jung-geun and bring them back to his homeland.
On the afternoon of June 24, Prime Minister Kim visited the Lushun Prison in Dalian, where Ahn was imprisoned, and the former Kwantung District Court, where he stood trial. With tears in his eyes, the Prime Minister emphasized, "I have discussed this with the Chinese side, and because they will cooperate with us, we must bring his remains back to the motherland, no matter what the process may be or how long it takes."
This marks the first time a sitting South Korean Prime Minister has visited the Lushun Prison and related sites.
Prime Minister Kim first toured the Lushun Prison, visiting the cell where Ahn was held, the execution chamber, and the exhibition hall.
While reading aloud the phrases from Ahn’s calligraphy works displayed in the prison, such as "Devotion to the country is the duty of a soldier," the Prime Minister carefully inspected the state of the exhibits. He remarked that they were "well-maintained," but added that it was "a pity that there are no explanations in Korean."
He then stood in silence while gazing at a bust of Ahn in the execution chamber and repeatedly read Ahn's last will, which requested that his remains be returned to his homeland. In the exhibition hall, the Prime Minister listened to accounts of the lives of Ahn, as well as independence activists Shin Chae-ho and Lee Hoe-yeong, expressing his deep respect for them.
After concluding his visit to the prison, he asked the Chinese officials in charge of the facility to "take good care of the historical sites related to patriot Ahn, with the mindset of cherishing South Korea-China relations and caring for our friendly nation, the Republic of Korea."
Prime Minister Kim then visited the Kwantung District Court, located about five minutes away, where he was briefed on the trial process in which Ahn faced his sentencing with dignity.
After laying flowers, he wrote in the guestbook, "I will inherit the spirit of independence and peace of General Ahn Jung-geun, a great Korean, and as per his wishes, I will surely bring him back to the soil of our motherland."
Speaking to reporters after the visit, Prime Minister Kim said, "(Ahn's life) shows a history written in desperate blood, and it was more than just moving; it was deeply emotional."
He was briefly unable to continue speaking as he became overwhelmed with emotion while reflecting on Ahn's final wishes.
He continued, "Although we have now nearly joined the ranks of advanced nations, we must never forget that this foundation was built on the bloody struggle of our ancestors who sacrificed their entire being during difficult times."
Prime Minister Kim added, "I highly appreciate and thank the Chinese side for their sincere efforts to preserve these historical sites," and requested, "If there are any minor shortcomings for Korean visitors, I look forward to the Chinese government and relevant institutions supplementing them well."
Previously, during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the second-highest ranking official in China, on the previous day, Prime Minister Kim mentioned his planned visit to the Lushun Prison and requested that China continue to manage the historical sites related to Korea's independence movement well.
(Photo: Provided by the Office of the Prime Minister, Yonhap News)
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