Prime Minister Han Duck-soo visited one of the oldest surviving independence fighters on his 101st birthday Wednesday, saying he thanks him for his service and wishes him good health, according to the prime minister’s office.

Oh Seong-gyu, born Aug. 21, 1923, in North Phyongan Province in what is now North Korea, took part in the fight against Japanese colonial rule from Manchuria before enlisting in the Korean Liberation Army based in Anhui, China.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (L) congratulates independence fighter Oh Seong-gyu on his 101st birthday at a veterans’ nursing home in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 21, 2024. (Yonhap)

In the months before Korea’s Aug. 15, 1945, liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Oh was trained as a commando for the U.S. Office of Strategic Services. He returned to Korea briefly upon liberation but left for Japan soon after due to difficulty adjusting amid ideological battles at home.

In August last year, Oh returned to South Korea after expressing his w
ish to spend the remainder of his life in his home country and has since lived at a veterans’ nursing home in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul.

“Thank you for your service in dedicating yourself to our independence,” Han told Oh while holding hands. “I wish you continued good health, so that you can remain at our side for a long time.”

Four interns working for the Office for Government Policy Coordination accompanied Han on the visit with a birthday cake designed like the flag of the Korean Liberation Army. Together, they gave a deep bow before Oh.

Oh is one of six registered surviving independence fighters. Lee Ha-jeon, who resides in the United States, is the oldest among them at 103, followed by Oh.

In 1990, Oh received the National Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation from the South Korean government for his service.

Source: Yonhap News Agency