106th Anniversary of the March 1st Movement... Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongnam, "Properly Honoring Hidden Independence Heroes"

At 10 a.m. on the 1st, a three cheers of Manse erupted at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government Office auditorium, where the 106th anniversary 3.1 Movement Day commemorative ceremony was held.

Gyeongnam Province held the commemorative ceremony attended by about 400 people including families of independence patriots, Governor Park Wan-su, heads of major institutions, and residents of the province.

The ceremony proceeded in the order of ▲singing the national anthem ▲introducing 355 independence patriots ▲reporting on the progress of the 3.1 Movement ▲reading the Declaration of Independence ▲awarding government honors ▲commemorative speech ▲'Stories of Independence Heroes' honored by the bereaved families ▲performance of the creative musical 'Immortal Song' by the provincial art troupe ▲singing the 3.1 Movement Day song ▲and three cheers of Manse.

At the 106th March 1st Movement Anniversary Ceremony held at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government Auditorium, attendees wave the Taegeukgi and shout "Manse." Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government

Governor Park said in his commemorative speech, “The spirit of national self-respect (自存) and national self-strengthening (自强) of our ancestors, who said that the fate of each nation is determined by the nation itself, has been inherited by the resilience of the people of Gyeongnam. Gyeongnam has become the cornerstone of democratization in the Republic of Korea and has transformed into a global mecca of the defense industry beyond self-defense.”

He continued, “However, there are still many hidden heroes who have not yet received historical recognition,” and emphasized, “Gyeongnam Province annually discovers unawarded independence activists. In 2023, 24 people and last year 52 people were nominated for awards, and this year, 55 more independence activists will be additionally discovered to properly honor those who devoted themselves to the safety of the nation and local community.”

Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do, is delivering a commemorative speech at the 106th March 1st Movement Anniversary Ceremony. Photo by Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government

Gyeongnam Province stated that the commemorative ceremony was prepared to honor the spirit of independence of the patriotic martyrs and to allow residents to reflect on the historical significance of the 3.1 Movement.

Photos and activities of 355 independence patriots were introduced, and residents who contribute to the local community such as sanitation workers and social workers took the lead in reading the Declaration of Independence.

Awards were presented to Jeon Si-eun (son), Jo Hyun-jung (daughter), and Yang Sang-young (grandson), the bereaved families of the late Jeon Byeong-yeol (Order of Patriotism), the late Jo Pan-chul (Order of Founding of the Nation), and the late Yang Myeong-ho (Presidential Citation).

Kim Il-kwon, Jeon Seong-hyeon, and Lee Jae-won received the Governor’s Citation for their contributions to the promotion of the independence movement.

The meaning of March 1st was deepened through the 'Stories of Independence Heroes' segment, where families of independence patriots introduced the independence activities of their ancestors and precious relics.

Kim Il-gwon, who contributed to the promotion of the independence movement, is receiving a commendation from Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do. Photo by Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government

The provincial art troupe’s creative musical 'Immortal Song,' which dealt with the Manse movement that spread throughout Gyeongnam starting from the Yeongae Market in Chilbuk, Haman on March 9, 1919, vividly reenacted the history of the Manse movement in the Gyeongnam region and expressed the sacrificial spirit of ancestors who did not give up their desire for independence despite Japanese oppression.

In addition, the province prepared various side events such as an exhibition at the Gyeongnam Archives, displays of independence movement-related records around the commemorative ceremony venue, production of banners honoring award recipients, and operation of photo zones. The provincial government office and each city and county also raised the Taegeukgi flag to reflect on the meaning of the 3.1 Movement Day.

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