망우리 열전

4.19 Revolution Catalyst: The 3.15 Fraudulent Election and Vice President's Election. Listed in the Pro-Japanese Collaborators Dictionary for involvement in organizations like the Joseon Imjeon Bogukdan. Catalyst for the 4.19 Revolution.

Mansong Lee Ki-bung (1896~1960) and Park Maria (1906~1960) – 65th Anniversary of Their Passing

Among the burial sites in Mangwoo History and Culture Park, the one with the most post-mortem stories is the family plot of Lee Ki-bung. Although the family cemetery no longer exists, the gossip continues incessantly.

2020 marked the 60th anniversary of the 4.19 Revolution. In 2019, I accompanied reporter Kim Tae-wan, who serializes 'Descendants of the Noble Families' in 《Monthly Chosun》, twice, and once in 2020, on research trips related to Mangwoo History and Culture Park, traversing the 'Path of Contemplation'. Through interviews with individuals related to Mangwoo History and Culture Park, such as Ahn Seok-yeong's two daughters, Na Woon-gyu's eldest grandson, Choi Shin-bok's younger sister Choi Soon-ae and Lee Won-soo's two daughters, Park In-hwan's son, and Kim Gyu-jin's granddaughter, the articles written provided me with much information for my exploration and research of Mangwoo History and Culture Park.

I played the role of connecting reporter Kim with the descendants. When reporter Kim interviewed the eldest daughter and second and third sons of Choodam Heo Yeon, the third son and third daughter of Youngrang Kim Yun-sik, Kim Yi-seok's wife Park Soon-nyeo, Jang Hyeong-du's second son and his wife, Ham Se-deok's sister's daughter, Kang So-cheon's only son, Ham Yi-yeong's eldest daughter, Guk Chae-pyo's second son, and Seol Tae-hee's third son, poet Seol Jeong-sik's second and third sons, I was also present. Through precious anecdotes that only family members could share, we were able to understand the true nature of these individuals.

On March 30, 2020, the location for the final farewell to poet 구준회, a university colleague and peer, was changed from Byeokje Crematorium to Seoul Memorial Park Seungwhawon in Yangjae-dong. I only attended the funeral service at the National Medical Center and then drove to a private park in Goyang City in reporter Kim's car.

The family burial ground of 이기붕 and 박마리아 was spacious and well-maintained. At the bottom were the graves of their daughter 이경희 and sons 이강석 and 이강욱, while the graves of the couple 이기붕 and 박마리아 were located at the top.

On the front upper part of the couple's tombstone, it read '國會議長 晩松李起鵬先生墓 夫人朴瑪利亞女史祔左'. The last character '부좌' (fùzuò) suggested that it was not a joint burial tomb at Mangwoo History and Culture Park. 이기붕's mother and mother-in-law did not come along when their graves were relocated, and the five ill-fated family members each had their own tombstones moved.

I slowly read the epitaph of 이강희, who died young from heart disease while taking a midterm exam in the second semester of her second year at Ewha Girls' Middle School in 1949, as it poignantly expressed the feelings of her parents before they gained power.

Front of the tombstone: '+李康姬之墓'. Back: '강희야 귀한 강희야 어두운 밤 무서워말고 눈보라 빗바람에 떨지 말고 천사 너를 직히리니 여기 고히고히 잘 쉬여라 요단강 건너가 다시 만나자 一九四九年十一月二十二日 애닮은 아빠 李起鵬 엄마 朴마리아' (Kanghee, precious Kanghee, do not be afraid of the dark night, do not tremble in the snowstorm and rain, angels will protect you, rest here peacefully. Let us meet again across the Jordan River. November 22, 1949, your sorrowful father 李起鵬 and mother 朴마리아).

At that time, the funeral contributions, along with approximately 35 million won collected by alumni parents, led to the establishment of the 'Lee Kang-hee Memorial Scholarship Foundation'. It is said that they helped poor talented students with tuition fees and also supported graduates with admission fees.

*Photo 151 Lee Ki-bung family cemetery

Front of the tombstone: The Tomb of Lee Kang-seok. Back: Because he had a burning sense of justice, we know that he willingly and smilingly went with his parents and younger siblings. 李康石君一九六0年四月二十八日二十四歲로散花함 (Lee Kang-seok scattered his flowers at the age of 24 on April 28, 1960)

Front of the tombstone: The Tomb of Lee Kang-wook. Back: It is truly pitiful that a young bud, just beginning to bloom, was struck by an untimely frost and withered before it could blossom. 李康旭君一九六0年四月二十八日二十歲로散花함 (Lee Kang-wook scattered his flowers at the age of 20 on April 28, 1960)

It can be seen that the tragic end of the Lee Ki-bung family's life and the establishment of their graves in Manguri was decided because the tombs of his parents, mother-in-law, and daughter Lee Kang-hee were located there. Below Kang-hee's grave, the graves of his two younger brothers were placed below his parents.

The graves of the Lee Ki-bung family in Manguri Public Cemetery were relocated to a private park cemetery in Goyang City on April 17, 1976, by the Manman Club, a social gathering related to Lee Ki-bung.

On April 28, the 60th anniversary memorial service for Lee Ki-bung was held at the Lee Ki-bung family cemetery in a park cemetery in Goyang City, centered around the Jeonju Lee clan's Hyoryeongdaegun branch, and was simpler than in previous years due to the impact of COVID-19.

Based on the words of Lee Ki-bung's closest 7th-degree nephew and the clan chairman, the process of managing the Lee Ki-bung family's graves has been as follows.

Until last year, Kang-wook's friends and, until three or four years ago, a woman who was Kang-seok's girlfriend attended. Kang-seok's girlfriend is a young woman who frequently visits Lee Kang-seok's grave in Manguri Park.

The current burial site was also created 12 years ago by that woman, who, instead of getting married, received the cost of marriage from her father, who was from Jangseong. It is said that when the body was reinterred in 1976, the division commander at the time brought it by helicopter at night.

The person who manages the Choi Hak-song burial site in Manguri Park said that he helped with the reinterment at the time. The burial site was about 500 pyeong, and he recalled that there were not many tombstones.

When the protesting crowds entered and destroyed the home of Lee Ki-bung, which is now the 4.19 Library, and took away furniture and belongings, a nephew who was present at the scene testified that watermelons were found in the refrigerator, and many tropical fruits and rolls of woolen fabric received as gifts were piled up.

It was reported that Lee Ki-bung had several opportunities to give up everything due to his illness, but due to the excessive ambition of Mrs. Park Maria, it devolved into a tragic family.

During the 4.19 Revolution, on two occasions, the discourse of 'I will give up everything' was changed and announced as 'I will consider everything' due to the influence of Mrs. Park Maria. Therefore, he regretted that it spread uncontrollably and inevitably led to this outcome.