Superintendent Lim Taehee: "History Is a Process of Finding What to Preserve, Discard, and Change"

Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education Shares Results of "Learning Our History Correctly, Exploring Independence Movement Sites in China"
Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Liberation: Engraving Independence on the 800km Path of Memory
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The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Taehee) announced on November 1 that it had shared the results of the first session of the "Understanding Our History Correctly, Exploring Independence Movement Sites in China," which took place over five days from October 28 to November 1.

Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education shared the results of the first session of the "Understanding Our History Correctly, Exploring Independence Movement Sites in China," which took place over five days from October 28 to November 1. Participants are taking a commemorative photo in front of the Ahn Junggeun Memorial Hall in Harbin, China. Provided by Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education.

This exploration program, themed "Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Liberation: Engraving Independence on the 800km Path of Memory," was organized as a history education project related to the independence movement, planned and led by students in connection with the curriculum.

The first session was held from October 28 to November 1, covering two regions-Harbin, Yanji, Dalian, and Shanghai/Nanjing-where participants visited major independence movement sites in China. The exploration is scheduled to take place in a total of five sessions, with 617 students and teachers participating.

During the five-day journey, students directly experienced historic sites and gained a deeper understanding of the independence movement and the spirit of sacrifice of their forebears. They visited various sites, including the Ahn Junggeun Memorial Hall, the Unit 731 Site, the former Yanji Prison, the Provisional Government Building in Shanghai, and Kim Koo's refuge, reflecting on historical insights and reaffirming the values of peace and freedom.

On the first day of the Harbin region tour, October 28, participants visited the Ahn Junggeun Memorial Hall and Zhaolin Park to learn about the history and significance of the independence movement. On October 29, they held a flower-laying ceremony at the Unit 731 Site in memory of the victims. On October 30, they visited the birthplace of Yun Dongju, the monument commemorating the 150,000-won theft, and the former Yanji Prison, taking time to reflect on the spirit of the independence movement.

Students attending the "Understanding Our History Correctly, Exploring Independence Movement Sites in China" program conducted by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education are giving a presentation in front of the birthplace of Yun Dongju in Yanji (Yongjeong). Provided by Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education

The provincial office of education evaluated that this exploration went beyond a simple historical experience, serving as an opportunity for students to deeply appreciate national pride and the importance of peaceful values.

Jung Dayoon, a student from Taejang High School who participated in the Harbin region tour, said, "Through this exploration, I remembered the sacrifices in history and realized the values of peace and freedom." Choi Euna, a teacher from Korea Animation High School, also shared, "It was an opportunity for students to directly witness what they had learned from textbooks, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of history education."

Superintendent Lim Taehee encouraged the students, saying, "There is a saying that reading is a journey while sitting, and traveling is reading while walking. I hope you will deepen the meaning of learning by seeing and feeling the history you have learned from books firsthand."

Students are taking a commemorative photo at Guandong Court District in Dalian, China. Provided by Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education

He added, "History is a process of deciding what to preserve, what to discard, and contemplating what needs to be changed. I hope this exploration has been a journey for you to reflect on the intentions of our predecessors, understand history on your own, and grow."

Students are taking a commemorative photo at Guandong Court District in Dalian, China. Provided by Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education

The provincial office of education plans to expand educational support so that, through this exploration of independence movement sites, students can grow into global citizens who put peace and freedom into practice based on historical lessons.

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