On the 8th, the '2·8 Independence Declaration 106th Anniversary Ceremony' Held in Tokyo

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs announced on the 6th that the ‘106th Anniversary Ceremony of the February 8 Independence Declaration’ will be held at 11 a.m. on the 8th at the Korean Cultural Center of the Zainichi YMCA Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

The ceremony, hosted by the Zainichi Korean YMCA, will be attended by about 250 people including Oh Jin-young, Director of the Veterans Culture Policy Office at the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; Lee Jong-chan, President of the Liberation Association; Kim Hyun-sook, Consul General at the Embassy in Japan; as well as Oh Young-seok, Chairman of the Zainichi Korean YMCA, its members, and Korean residents in Japan. The event will proceed in the order of the national ceremony, commemorative speeches, scripture reading and prayer, reading of the February 8 Independence Declaration, and three cheers for independence.

The February 8 Independence Declaration was an event in which 11 representative members including Choi Pal-yong, Song Gye-baek, Kim Do-yeon, and Kim Sang-deok signed on behalf of the ‘Joseon Youth Independence Corps’ formed by Korean students residing in Japan. On February 8, 1919, in Tokyo, over 600 Korean students residing in Japan gathered to proclaim the independence of their homeland to the world. At the scene, 17 people were arrested. The February 8 Independence Declaration became the catalyst for the March 1 Movement in Korea and paved the way for the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.

Kang Jeong-ae, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, stated, “The passionate and righteous cry that began in Tokyo, Japan, ignited the flame of the entire nation’s desire for the independence of the homeland and became the spark for the March 1 Movement, lighting the torch of independence throughout the Korean Peninsula.” She added, “This year marks the 80th anniversary of liberation, which the patriotic martyrs of the February 8 Independence Declaration so earnestly wished for. We will wholeheartedly strive so that all citizens can remember and inherit the history of the independence movement and achieve national unity.”

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