The 106th Anniversary 3·1 Movement Commemoration Ceremony Held at Sungui Women's University, a Site of Independence Movement History

About 1,200 People Including Descendants of Independence Activists and Citizens Attend
Choi Sang-mok, Acting President: "The March 1st Movement Is Our Life and Lesson"

The 106th anniversary of the March 1st Movement commemorative ceremony was held on the 1st.

Prime Minister and Acting President Choi Sang-mok, Minister of Economy and Finance, Lee Jong-chan, President of the Liberation Association, Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly, and others are singing the March 1st Movement song at the 106th March 1st Independence Movement Day ceremony held at Sungui Women's University in Jung-gu, Seoul on March 1, 2025. 2025.3.1 Photo by the Presidential Office Press Photographers Group Yonhap News

Under the theme "The united cry of that day, the united Republic of Korea today!" the event held at Soongui Women's College in Jung-gu, Seoul, was attended by about 1,200 people including descendants of independence activists, political and government officials, foreign diplomats in Korea, representatives from various social sectors, citizens, and students.

Soongui Women's College, the venue for the ceremony, is a place that holds the history of the independence movement. The predecessor of Soongui Women's College, Soongui Girls' School, was established in Pyongyang in 1903 by American missionaries and played a pivotal role in women's education. In the mid-1930s, when the Japanese colonial government forced shrine worship, the school refused and voluntarily closed in 1938. It was rebuilt in 1954 at the foot of Namsan, where the Japanese colonial Keijo Shrine once stood.

The ceremony began with a media art video featuring the Taegeuk symbol and the sound of cheers. The Declaration of Independence was read by actors portraying people from various social classes at the time and by Lee Jong-chan, chairman of the Liberation Association. The theme video reflected on the noble sacrifices of the patriots for independence and the significance of the March 1st Movement, conveying a message of hope and unity to continue the legacy of the patriots' spirit and uphold the status of the Republic of Korea as a leading nation in the world.

Choi Sang-mok, Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of Strategy and Finance, emphasized in his commemorative speech that "The March 1st Movement is our life and lesson," and stated, "The future we will create on this land, which our patriots protected with their lives, is a free, peaceful, and prosperous Republic of Korea." He added, "We must achieve sustainable growth based on economic development, social stability, and national unity, and lead the international community. Let us build a country that gives hope to the youth and attracts people worldwide."

Figure skating representative Cha Jun-hwan, who won a gold medal at this year's Harbin Winter Asian Games, along with descendants of independence activists and other attendees, recalled the noble spirit of the March 1st Movement and shouted the three cheers of "Manse" together.

On the occasion of the 106th anniversary of the March 1st Movement, a total of 96 people were selected as recipients of awards for independence merit. At the ceremony, five descendants of independence activists, including the late Oh Chang-geun, were awarded honors such as the Patriotic Medal and the National Foundation Medal.

Meanwhile, in addition to the government commemorative ceremony hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on this day, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, and others held cultural events commemorating the March 1st Movement. Approximately 120,000 people participated in local government commemorative ceremonies, bell-ringing events, and reenactments of the Manse movement.

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