Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo's March 1st Speech: "We Will Achieve Economic Independence from Japan"

March 1st, Gyeongnam Province Holds 102nd Anniversary Ceremony for the March 1st Movement

Governor Kim Kyung-soo attended the '102nd Anniversary of the March 1st Movement Ceremony' on the morning of the 1st at the new building auditorium of the provincial government office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Kim Kyung-soo, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, stated in his March 1st Independence Movement Day commemorative speech, "We will surely achieve complete economic independence with our own strength and technology."

At the '102nd March 1st Independence Movement Day Commemoration Ceremony' held at the provincial office on the 1st, Governor Kim said, "In an era where Japan's provocations against our country are unpredictable, without economic and technological independence from Japan, we cannot become a truly independent nation."

Starting his speech with gratitude to the patriotic martyrs and their descendants, Governor Kim expressed, "Without the sacrifices of the patriots who gave their lives during the March 1st Movement, the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea would have been impossible," and added, "The Republic of Korea has inherited the spirit of sacrifice and indomitable will of the March 1st Movement, as well as the legal legitimacy and independence spirit of the Provisional Government, which enabled us to achieve the current peace and prosperity."

Governor Kim strongly criticized the Japanese government’s behavior, stating, "Japan is facing a global backlash as it attempts historical distortion regarding the Japanese military comfort women instead of showing remorse."

He also recalled the 2019 export restrictions imposed by the Japanese government on key semiconductor materials, saying, "Companies that depended on imports of core materials and parts from Japan had to face difficulties," and added, "This incident painfully made us realize that without breaking away from an economic structure dependent on Japan, we cannot call it true independence."

He continued, "The government has been intensively promoting the development of the materials, parts, and equipment industry for Korea’s complete economic independence," introducing that five regions nationwide, including Changwon National Industrial Complex in Gyeongnam, have been designated as 'Materials, Parts, and Equipment Specialized Complexes.'

Following his determination for 'de-Japanization and complete economic independence,' Governor Kim conveyed his commitment to discovering independence movements and honoring merit recipients.

"We will continue to uncover the history of independence struggles that have yet to be fully revealed so that future generations will surely remember them," he emphasized, "We will faithfully commemorate this history not as something stuck in the past but as lessons for the present and future, and we will not neglect teaching it to our children."

He pledged to continue the 'Gyeongsangnam-do Independence Movement History Investigation and Research' without interruption, promising, "We will steadily discover, systematically manage, and commemorate the anti-Japanese independence activists and independence struggle history of our Gyeongnam region."

Governor Kim raised pride by stating, "Since regaining our country from Japanese colonial rule, Korea has not only overcome poverty and dictatorship and achieved democracy but is also the only country leading the world in culture and arts through K-Hallyu."

He concluded his speech by saying, "As we have done so far, we will unwaveringly work with the residents to create a greater Gyeongnam and a greater future."

At the ceremony, a presidential citation was presented to the child of the late independence activist Lee Chun-geun (Lee Min-tae, born 1935).

Encouragement funds were given to two others: the child of the late independence activist Kang Jong-wan (Kang Chi-yong, born 1949) and the grandchild of the late independence activist Sung Do-il (Sung Seo-young, born 1952).

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