Honoring Those Who Resisted Injustice... Gyeongnam Province Holds 3.15 Uprising Commemoration Ceremony

The 64th anniversary ceremony of the March 15th Movement was held on the 15th at the 3.15 Art Center in Changwon City, Gyeongnam.

This year's ceremony was held under the theme "Created a dazzling great spring," quoted from the commemorative poem by poet Woo Mu-seok at the 60th anniversary ceremony.

The 64th anniversary ceremony of the March 15th Movement was held at the 3.15 Art Center in Changwon, Gyeongnam.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

A moment of silence was observed for the patriotic martyrs, national heroes, and victims of the March 15th Movement, followed by the reading of commemorative speeches, commemorative performances, and the singing of the March 15th Movement song.

About 700 people attended the ceremony, including the bereaved families of the March 15th Movement victims, Governor Park Wan-su, Mayor Hong Nam-pyo of Changwon, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, and Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kang Jeong-ae.

Prime Minister Han said, "Democracy is a great legacy cultivated by the hands of each and every citizen," adding, "The government will not forget their dedication and will do its best to honor the merits of the contributors."

He continued, "Gyeongnam is emerging as the center of national strategic industries and possesses global competitiveness in nuclear power, aerospace, and defense industries," adding, "We will support Gyeongnam to develop into a future industrial mecca."

At the 64th Anniversary Ceremony of the March 15th Movement, attendees are pledging allegiance to the national flag while looking at the Taegeukgi.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

Governor Park said, "Today's Republic of Korea exists because of those who devoted themselves to the country," and added, "We will unite our strength to carry on the spirit of the March 15th Movement in everyone's hearts."

Before the ceremony, Governor Park, along with Mayor Hong, Prime Minister Han, and Minister Kang, paid respects at the 3.15 National Cemetery, where 56 graves of 12 victims including martyr Kim Ju-yeol, the injured, and contributors are interred, commemorating the fallen heroes.

At the 3.15 National Cemetery in Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongnam Province (far left), is honoring the victims of the March 15 Movement.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

The March 15th Movement was a large-scale protest by the citizens and students of Masan City on March 15, 1960, against rigged elections, regarded as Korea's first bloody democratization movement.

Shortly after the movement, martyr Kim Ju-yeol, who had gone missing, was found dead on April 11 of the same year in the sea off Masan with a tear gas canister lodged in his eye, shot by the police. This incident spread the protests nationwide and became the catalyst for the April 19 Revolution.

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