President Moon: "Ready for Dialogue with Japanese Government at Any Time... Future-Oriented Development" (Comprehensive)

102nd Anniversary of the March 1st Movement Commemoration Held at Tapgol Park
"Hope for North Korea's Participation in the Northeast Asia Quarantine Cooperation Body"

[Asia Economy, Reporter Ryu Jungmin] On March 1, President Moon Jae-in delivered a speech commemorating the March 1st Movement, stating, "Our government is always ready to sit down with the Japanese government and engage in dialogue." He added, "We must resolve issues of the past as they are, while focusing even more on future-oriented development."

President Moon said, "Korea's growth has benefited Japan's development, and Japan's growth has benefited Korea's development. This will continue in the future as well." He further emphasized, "The only obstacle we must overcome is that, at times, we fail to separate past issues from future challenges, and by conflating them, we hinder future progress."

On the morning of March 1, President Moon attended the 102nd anniversary ceremony of the March 1st Movement at Tapgol Park in Seoul, the birthplace of the movement, pledging to overcome national crises.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The theme of this year's ceremony is "Let the World Know" (Segyemanbang-e Gohaya). According to the Blue House, this theme embodies the resolute spirit of the March 1st Movement, which declared to the world that the Korean people, having freed themselves from Japanese colonial rule, are an independent nation and a people of self-determination, and that independence is essential for world peace and the common prosperity of humanity.

President Moon especially drew attention by highlighting the active participation of medical students in the March 1st Movement. He said, "Despite harsh medical conditions, medical students were among the most active participants in the March 1st Independence Movement," emphasizing the efforts of healthcare professionals.

President Moon also remarked, "In the context of today's COVID-19 situation, the efforts of our forebears to care for our own patients and to establish our own medical system resonate deeply. It is a source of great pride that the strength with which we are overcoming COVID-19 today stems from the dedication and sacrifice of our healthcare professionals a hundred years ago."

While commending the hard work of medical staff in overcoming COVID-19, President Moon pledged, "The government will do its utmost to maintain thorough quarantine measures and will ensure that every single citizen is safe from COVID-19 through comprehensive vaccination efforts. We will achieve herd immunity by November, as we enter the next winter."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Moon also expressed his ambition to build a leading Korea based on overcoming COVID-19. He said, "A hundred years ago, we were blocked at the threshold of the Paris Peace Conference, but now we are a confident nation invited to the G7 Summit. Through our participation in this year's G7 Summit, we will establish a clear milestone for the launch of 'Leading Korea,' building on our achievements in politics, economy, society, and culture."

Regarding the Korean Peninsula, President Moon stated, "In December last year, we launched the 'Northeast Asia Quarantine and Health Cooperation Body' together with the United States, China, Russia, and Mongolia. Japan is also considering participation, and we hope that North Korea will join as well." He added, "We will continue our efforts toward denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula."

President Moon expressed hope, "With North Korea's participation in the 'Northeast Asia Quarantine and Health Cooperation Body' as a starting point, we hope that North Korea will cooperate and interact with countries in the region. This will be a driving force for coexistence and peace on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, this year's ceremony was hosted by Lee Jaehwa, a member of the External Cooperation Team at Dongwon Industries and a descendant of an independence activist, and announcer Jang Yewon. Taking into account social distancing measures due to COVID-19, the ceremony was attended by about 50 people, including independence patriots, members of the Liberation Association, descendants of independence activists, and key government officials.

The Pledge of Allegiance to the national flag was recited via video by baseball player Ryu Hyunjin, who is active in Major League Baseball (MLB). The national anthem was sung in a video featuring about 170 athletes.

The reading of the Declaration of Independence was conducted by a group of seven people, including descendants of independence activists, a sign language interpreter, and a representative multicultural celebrity. At this year's March 1st Movement ceremony, 275 individuals were awarded government honors for their contributions to independence. President Moon presented the Order of Merit for National Foundation and the Presidential Citation to seven independence activists during the ceremony. As the final part of the ceremony, the "Manse Samchang" (three cheers for independence) was led by a prospective medical professional.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.