Kazakh minister pays tribute to General Hong Beom‑do in Korea
In line with a directive from President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Culture and Information, Arman Kyrykbayev, visited the memorial complex in Daejeon, where Korea's legendary independence fighter, General Hong Beom‑do, is buried, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Kyrykbayev is part of the official delegation accompanying the Head of State on his visit to South Korea.
The minister laid flowers at the memorial in tribute to those who dedicated their lives to independence and national defense, and paid respects to General Hong Beom‑do.
Daejeon is one of South Korea’s most significant memorial complexes, where about 150,000 people of outstanding national merit are buried.
General Hong Beom‑do’s memory is significant for Kazakh‑Korean ties. He spent the final years of his life in Kazakhstan and was buried in Kyzylorda. In 2021, with Kazakhstan’s assistance, his remains were returned to his homeland and reinterred at the Daejeon Cemetery.
This year marks five years since the transfer of Hong Beom‑do’s remains from Kyzylorda to South Korea. His story has become a key chapter in the shared historical memory linking the two nations.
At the conclusion of the visit, Kyrykbayev left an entry in the Book of Honorary Guests.
The ceremony was seen as a gesture of respect for the historical heritage of both countries and a step toward further strengthening Kazakh-Korean relations.
In 2021, the President of Kazakhstan handed over a casket containing soil from the burial site of General Hong Beom‑do, along with other commemorative items, to then‑President of South Korea Moon Jae‑in.
