[Photo] Unveiling a statue of peasant leader Jeon Bong-jun

An unveiling ceremony will be held outside the Youngpoong Bookstore on Apr. 24 for a statue of Donghak Peasant Revolution leader Jeon Bong-jun, 123 years after his execution. About US$250,000 were raised from private citizens from the beginning of last year in order to fund the statue’s creation. The 1.4m statue was cast by Kim Su-hyun, a professor emeritus at Chungbuk National University.

The Donghak Peasant Revolution occurred in 1894 after a group of peasants led by Jeon rose in an armed uprising against a local magistrate in Jeolla Province over the imposition of heavy taxes. The government requested the help of the Chinese Qing Dynasty in putting down the rebellion, which in turn led to a Japanese expeditionary force invading the Korean Peninsula, sparking the Sino-Japanese War. After the defeat of the rebels, Jeon was captured and sentenced to death. He was executed by hanging at 2am on Apr. 24, 1895. (by Noh Ji-won, staff reporter)