Muan-gun Holds the 42nd Joint Memorial Ceremony for Freedom Protection Victims

Published 19 Oct.2022 11:27(KST)

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Oh Hwan-joo] Muan County, Jeollanam-do, held a joint memorial service to honor the residents of Haeje who were victims during the Korean War.

On the 18th, Muan County announced that it held the 42nd Joint Memorial Service for the Victims of the Defense of Freedom, organized by the Muan County branch of the Korean Freedom Federation, at the Seungdal Culture and Arts Center.

About 400 people, including Kim San, the governor of Muan County, heads of institutions and social organizations, bereaved families, and members of veterans' organizations, attended the memorial to console the spirits of those who were innocently sacrificed and to honor their noble spirit.

The memorial service proceeded in the order of lighting the ceremonial fire, religious rites, memorial speeches, tributes from bereaved families, rifle salute, flower offering, and incense burning.

The Joint Memorial Service for the Victims of the Defense of Freedom has been held since 1985 to console and commemorate the souls of the residents of Cheonjang-ri, Haeje-myeon, who were collectively massacred by North Korean troops as they retreated during the Korean War and drowned in the nearby sea.

In particular, 43 members of the Korean Freedom Federation Gyeongnam Uiryeong County branch, which has a sisterhood relationship with Muan County, attended annually to join in the memorial.

Governor Kim San said in his eulogy, “We will never forget the noble sacrifice of the innocently sacrificed spirits and the tears of grief of the remaining bereaved families, and we pray for their eternal rest. Please take the lead in instilling a correct sense of history and patriotism in the growing descendants so that this painful history will not be in vain.”