 ▲ 윤준병 의원. ©브레이크뉴스 |
윤준병 더불어민주당 의원실(원내 부대표. 전북 정읍시·고창군, 국회 농해수위)은 9월21일자 보도자료에서 “21일, 2차 동학농민혁명 참여자에 대한 독립유공 인정 근거를 담은 「동학농민혁명 명예회복법(동학농민혁명 참여자 등의 명예회복에 관한 특별법) 개정안의 소위 통과 관련 국가보훈부 입장문에 대해 '독립유공 인정자격에 이중잣대를 들이대며, 도 넘은 사실왜곡을 하는 국가보훈부를 강력히 규탄한다'고 비판했다.”고 알렸다.
지난 19일 국회 문화체육관광위원회 문화예술법안심사소위원회에서 윤준병 의원이 대표 발의한 「동학농민혁명 명예회복법」개정안이 더불어민주당 단독으로 의결됐다. 법안 의결에 국가보훈부는 9월20일 “보훈 관련 법안을 무시하고 형평성도 간과한 과도한 특혜를 주는 포퓰리즘 법안”이라는 입장을 냈다.
윤준병 의원은 “2차 동학농민혁명 참여자 독립유공 인정자격 부여에 대한 국가보훈부의 입장은 독립운동가인 홍범도 장군 흉상 이전 논란으로 나타난 윤석열 정부의 왜곡된 역사관을 보여주는 또 다른 예”라며 동학농민혁명에 대한 이중잣대와 사실 왜곡으로 참여자와 그 유족들의 명예를 실추시키고 있는 국가보훈부를 비판했다.
보도자료에 따르면, 윤준병 의원은 “지난 2004년 제정된 「동학농민혁명 명예회복법」에서 2차 동학농민혁명 참여자는 ‘일제의 침략으로부터 국권을 수호하기 위해 항일무장투쟁을 전개한 농민 중심의 혁명 참여자’로 규정되어 있다”면서 “독립유공자예우법(독립유공자예우에 관한 법률)에 따라 일제로부터 조국의 자주독립을 위해 공헌한 독립유공자로 인정받을 자격이 있음에도, 독립유공자로 인정받은 사람은 단 한 명도 없다”고 지적했다. 또한 윤준병 의원은 「독립유공자예우법」 제4조에서 적용대상자를 ‘일제의 국권 침탈 전후부터’로 명시하고 있는 것과 관련 “국가보훈부는 당초의 1905년 을사늑약에서 1895년 을미의병 참여자까지 유공자로 인정하면서 그 외연을 넓혀가고 있다”며 “하지만 1894년 7월 일본군에 의해 경복궁이 점령된 직후인 같은 해 9월 발발한 2차 동학농민혁명은 같은 항일무장투쟁인 1895년의 을미의병과 1년밖에 차이가 나지 않는데도 독립유공자로 인정받지 못하고 있는 현실은 국가보훈부의 이중잣대로 밖에 설명할 수 없다”고 비판했다. 윤준병 의원은 국가보훈부가 「동학농민혁명 명회회복법」개정안에 대해서 사실과 다르게 호도하고 있다고도 지적했다.
개정안은 문화체육관광부 장관이 위원회의 심의·의결을 거친 2차 동학농민혁명 참여자를 그 공적에 따라 상훈법에 따른 서훈 중 건국훈장·건국포장 또는 대통령 표창 대상자로 추천할 수 있고, 이에 따라 건국훈장·건국포장 또는 대통령 표창을 받은 자는 받은 날로부터 「독립유공자예우법」 제6조에 따른 등록을 신청한 것으로 본다고 규정하고 있다.
윤준병 의원은 “개정안에서 건국훈장·건국포장의 서훈 또는 대통령 표창을 추천할 수 있는 대상자는 ‘동학농민혁명 참여자로서 공적이 뚜렷한 사람’이고, 위원회의 심의·의결을 거쳐 결정된다고 명시하고 있다”며 “그런데도, 혁명 참여자 모두가 독립유공자가 된다고 주장하는 것은 본질을 흐리는 것”이라고 지적했다. 이어 “개정안은 상훈법에 따라 서훈과 표창을 받은 경우 받은 날로부터 「독립유공자예우법」 제6조에 따라 등록을 신청한 것으로 간주할 뿐, 국가보훈부 장관의 요건 확인과 보훈심사위원회의 심의·의결 등을 거쳐야 한다”면서 “그럼에도 불구하고, 국가보훈부는 ‘대상자를 심사 절차 없이 무조건 유공자로 인정하는 것’이라고 사실을 왜곡하고 있다”고 꼬집었다.
윤준병 의원은 “국가보훈처는 반대를 위한 반대가 아닌, 2차 동학농민혁명 참여자의 실질적인 명예회복을 위한 전향적인 검토·심의에 나설 것을 촉구한다”고 강조했다.
*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>
Rep. Yoon Jun-byeong strongly criticizes the Ministry of Veterans Affairs for imposing double standards on qualifications for recognition of meritorious independence.
“Despite the same anti-Japanese armed struggle, the Eulmi Volunteer Army in 1895 was recognized as a contributor to independence, and in 1894, participants in the 2nd Donghak Peasant Revolution were eligible to be recognized.”
-Reporter Park Jeong-dae
In a press release dated September 21, the Democratic Party of Korea's office (Deputy Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Jeongeup-si and Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do, National Assembly Agriculture and Fisheries Committee) said in a press release dated September 21, "On the 21st, the Donghak Peasant Revolution Honor Restoration Act (Donghak), which contains the basis for recognition of independence merit for participants in the 2nd Donghak Peasant Revolution, was passed." Regarding the position statement of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs regarding the so-called passage of the amendment to the Special Act on Restoration of Honor of Participants in the Peasant Revolution, etc., they criticized the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, saying, 'We strongly condemn the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, which imposes a double standard on the qualification for recognition of independence merit and goes too far in distorting the facts.' .” he announced.
On the 19th, at the Culture and Arts Bill Review Subcommittee of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of the National Assembly, the amendment to the “Donghak Peasant Revolution Honor Restoration Act” proposed by Representative Yoon Jun-byeong was passed by the Democratic Party of Korea alone. Upon passing the bill, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs stated on September 20, “It is a populist bill that ignores veterans-related legislation and gives excessive preferential treatment while overlooking equity.”
Rep. Yoon Jun-byeong said, “The position of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs on granting the participants of the 2nd Donghak Peasant Revolution qualifications for recognition of independence merit is another example of the Yoon Seok-yeol government’s distorted view of history, which was revealed by the controversy over the relocation of the bust of independence activist General Hong Beom-do.” He criticized the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs for tarnishing the reputation of participants and their bereaved families through double standards and distortion of facts.
According to the press release, Rep. Yoon Jun-byeong said, “In the ‘Donghak Peasant Revolution Honor Restoration Act’ enacted in 2004, participants in the 2nd Donghak Peasant Revolution are ‘participants in the peasant-centered revolution who carried out an anti-Japanese armed struggle to protect national sovereignty from Japanese invasion. “Although they are eligible to be recognized as independence contributors who contributed to the country’s independence from Japanese colonial rule in accordance with the Act on Treating Independence Meritorious Persons, there is not a single person who has been recognized as an independence contributor.” “There is none,” he pointed out. In addition, Rep. Yoon Jun-byeong said, regarding Article 4 of the Act on Honoring Meritorious Persons for Independence, which specifies the subject of application as ‘before and after Japan’s invasion of national sovereignty’, “The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs recognizes as persons of merit from the 1905 Eulsa Treaty to the 1895 Eulmi Volunteer Army. “However, the 2nd Donghak Peasant Revolution, which broke out in September of the same year, immediately after the occupation of Gyeongbokgung Palace by the Japanese army in July 1894, was only one year apart from the Eulmi Volunteer Army of 1895, the same anti-Japanese armed struggle.” “The reality of not being recognized as a person of independence merit even though there is no difference can only be explained by the double standards of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs,” he criticized. Representative Yoon Jun-byeong also pointed out that the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs is misleading people contrary to the facts about the amendment to the Donghak Peasant Revolution's Restoration Act.
The amendment allows the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to recommend participants in the 2nd Donghak Peasant Revolution, which have been deliberated and resolved by the committee, as eligible for the National Foundation Merit Medal, National Foundation Medal or Presidential Citation among the awards and decorations under the Awards and Awards Act, depending on their merits. It is stipulated that a person who has received the National Foundation Medal or Presidential Citation shall be deemed to have applied for registration pursuant to Article 6 of the Act on Treating Persons of Merit for Independence from the date of receipt.
Rep. Yoon Jun-byeong said, “In the amendment, it is specified that those who can be recommended for the National Foundation Medal, National Foundation Medal, or Presidential Citation are ‘persons who have made outstanding achievements as participants in the Donghak Peasant Revolution,’ and the decision is made through deliberation and resolution by the committee.” “Nevertheless, claiming that all participants in the revolution are contributors to independence is distracting from the essence,” he pointed out. He continued, “The amendment states that if you have received an award or commendation pursuant to the Awards and Awards Act, you are deemed to have applied for registration pursuant to Article 6 of the Act on Honoring Persons of Independence for Meritorious Service from the date of receipt, and require confirmation of requirements by the Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and deliberation and resolution by the Veterans Affairs Review Committee. He pointed out, “Nevertheless, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs is distorting the facts by saying, ‘The recipients are unconditionally recognized as meritorious without any screening process.’”
Representative Yoon Jun-byeong emphasized, “We urge the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to undertake a proactive review and deliberation to restore the actual honor of the participants in the 2nd Donghak Peasant Revolution, rather than opposing for the sake of opposition.”
