Only 3 researchers assigned to collect historical records linked to Korea's independence movement

The veterans ministry has assigned only three personnel to collect and review materials related to Korea's independence movement against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, data showed Friday, raising concerns over a shortage of personnel to sift through the vast amount of historical records. Only three of the 37 personnel in the ministry's Patriots and Veterans Archives Management Division are tasked with collecting and managing records on the country's independence movement, the ministry told Yonhap News Agency. "We typically collect some 300,000 records over the course of a year," a ministry official said, suggesting a possible disparity between the workload and the number of personnel assigned for the task. Put simply, this means each researcher is responsible for handling some 100,000 historical records a year. The revelation comes after the ministry earlier announced plans to honor more than 600 independence activists who have not previously been recognized by the state this year, up from 502 in 2025. Separate data submitted to Rep. Kim Joon-hyung of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party show