문재인정부의 보훈정책: 보훈이념의 가치와 국가정체성을 중심으로

Abstract

This article is to analyze Mun Jae-in Administration’s Policy for Patriots with a focus on the values embedded in the spirit of rewards for patriots and national Identity. It is based on ‘pluralism of the value embedded in the spirit of rewards for patriots’ which menas 3 values- national independence, defence of nation, and democratic development- are included in policy for patriots. Korean national identity is composed of three elements such as ethnic identity, anti-north Korea identity, and democratic identity coming from three values, national independence, defence of nation, and democratic development, respectively. There is no priority among 3 values, and they should be respected and treated in balance by policy toward patriots to attain national integration, the aim of policy for patriots. Mun Jae-in Administration reinstated and strengthened the value of ethnic identity by removing ‘the theory of State-building in 1948’ when UN-recognized ROK government was established and claiming that State-building was completed in 1919 when Shanghai Korean Provisional Government was established after March First Uprising in which Korean Independence was declared by all Korean people. However, Mun Administration infringed on the anti-North Korean identity, one of the Korean national identities by allowing national independence fighters involved in contribution to the establishment of North Korean regime to be ROK national patriots. Mun Jae-in Administration also reinstated and strengthened the value of democratic development by allowing ‘The March for Thou- the symbol of Korean democratic movement’ for the commemorative ceremony of the May 18 Democratic Movement to be sung by those present, which was prohibited by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans’ Affairs and by submitting the bill of investigation of May 18 Democratic Movement whose character was distorted and dotted by the claim that the movement was steered by North Korean spies. But Mun Administration undermined the value of democratic development by allowing democratic movement fighters to be buried in National Cemetery and prohibiting long-term military service soldiers to be buried there. Mun contributed much to the normalization of irrational policies of the two former conservative administrations. But, judging from the two mistakes made by Mun Administration, it should readjust its rewards policy for patriots.