Rep. Lee Hoon-ki Co-hosts Academic Symposium on Juksan Cho Bong-am... "Cho's People-First Spirit Most Needed in Politics Today"

Democratic Party Representative Lee Hoon-ki co-hosted an academic symposium today (October 30) with the Juksan Cho Bong-am Memorial Association at the Incheon YWCA auditorium on the 7th floor.

The symposium was organized to examine the relationship between Christian socialists who operated in the Incheon and Ganghwa regions during the Japanese colonial period and Juksan Cho Bong-am, as well as to shed new light on the historical significance of their activities in shaping Cho's ideology and political practice.

Cho, a native of Ganghwa, served seven years in prison for his independence activities during the Japanese colonial period before starting his activities in Incheon in 1939.

Following liberation, he was elected as a member of the Constitutional Assembly from Incheon and dedicated himself to improving people's livelihoods and developing democracy, notably laying the groundwork for land reform as the country's first Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.

At the event, Choi Tae-yuk, a research professor at Sungkonghoe University, delivered the keynote presentation. The panel discussion featured Kim Ching-u, editor-in-chief of the Incheon Ilbo; Oh Yu-seok, a research professor at Kyungpook National University; Lee Taek-sun, a professor at Myongji University; Lee Hee-hwan, an editorial board member of the quarterly Hwanghae Culture; and Jung Gye-hyang, a research professor at Ulsan University.

In his congratulatory remarks, Representative Lee said, "If anyone asks me who my most respected politician is, I dare say it is Cho Bong-am." He added, "Whenever I read books about Cho Bong-am, I am amazed at how he could engage in politics with such progressive ideas and policies for that era."

He continued, "Cho Bong-am's ideology and policies do not stop at land reform. If we were to put his spirit and policies into practice today, the Republic of Korea could become a much better country."

Lee expressed hope that "the issue of awarding National Foundation Meritorious Honors will be resolved moving forward, and that Cho Bong-am will solidify his position as a more respected politician in South Korea." He added, "I expect this symposium to serve as an opportunity to widely publicize Cho Bong-am's spirit and translate it into practical action to build a better world."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.