Hwaseong City Holds Memorial Ceremony for Jeam-ri and Goju-ri Martyrs... "Honoring the Noble Sacrifice of 29 Patriots"

Hwaseong City Holds 107th Anniversary 4.15 Memorial Ceremony

On April 15, Hwaseong Special City in Gyeonggi Province held the "107th Anniversary 4.15 (Jeam-ri and Goju-ri Patriotic Martyrs) Memorial Ceremony" at the Hwaseong Independence Movement Memorial Hall.

Yoon Sungjin, the First Deputy Mayor of Hwaseong Special City, is paying tribute by offering flowers to the patriotic martyrs. Provided by Hwaseong City

The 4.15 memorial ceremony is an annual event to honor the 29 patriotic martyrs who lost their lives as a result of atrocities committed by the Japanese military on April 15, 1919. At that time, as retaliation for the March 1st Movement, the Japanese authorities gathered residents of Jeam-ri at Jeam Church, opened fire on them, and set fire to the church and the village. Afterwards, they moved to the nearby Goju-ri and murdered independence activist Kim Heungyeol and his family.

Approximately 150 people attended the memorial ceremony, including the families of the martyrs from Jeam-ri and Goju-ri, Yoon Sungjin, Acting Mayor (First Deputy Mayor) of Hwaseong Special City, Bae Jeongsu, Chair of the Hwaseong Special City Council, provincial and city council members, members of veterans' organizations, and citizens, all paying tribute to the noble spirit of sacrifice of the martyrs.

The event began with a wreath-laying and tribute at the Jeam-ri Martyrs' Cemetery. This was followed by the unveiling of the "Goju-ri Six Martyrs Memorial Monument" and a wreath-laying and tribute at the Independence Movement History Park of the Hwaseong Independence Movement Memorial Hall. The main memorial ceremony was then held in the auditorium of the memorial hall.

In particular, a memorial video about the Jeam-ri incident and a requiem dance performance by the Hwaseong City Dance Association provided an opportunity to reflect on the tragedy and comfort the victims. The musical performance "The Heart of Joseon" by Play Star Musical deeply resonated with the audience and drew empathy from those in attendance.

Yoon Sungjin, Acting Mayor (First Deputy Mayor) of Hwaseong Special City, stated, "We prepared this memorial not only to remember our painful history, but also in the hope that these memories will serve as a catalyst for peace," adding, "It is meaningful to reflect on the spirit of sacrifice of our martyrs and to pass it down correctly to future generations."

On this day, the venue’s walls were adorned with AI-generated images depicting peaceful spring scenes in Jeam-ri and Goju-ri villages, further enhancing the atmosphere of remembrance.

Meanwhile, the special exhibition hall of the memorial hosted the opening ceremony of the special exhibition, "Forgotten Independence Hero, Monk Shin Sangwan of Yongjusa Temple." The exhibition will run until August 30, with expanded citizen participation through activity booklets for children.

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