President Lee Jae Myung ordered the government to consider revoking a late Army colonel's designation as a person of national merit. 

The presidential office said Monday that Lee had instructed the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to consider revoking the title from Park Jin-kyung, who has come under fire recently for his role in the violent suppression of the Jeju April 3 Uprising in 1948.

In October, the ministry approved a request from one of Park's bereaved family members to recognize him as a person of national merit, citing a military decoration he had received for combat merit. 

However, the designation sparked public outcry, with critics arguing that Park, who was appointed commander of the Ninth Regiment stationed in Jeju in May 1948, directed the forceful suppression of civilians.

Following strong backlash from April 3 organizations and Jeju residents, Veterans Affairs Minister Kwon Oh-eul visited Jeju last week to offer an apology.