81st Liberation Day ... Gyeongsangnam-do Pledges to 'Remember and Pass On Every Independence Activist'

Gyeongsangnam-do has pledged to uphold the spirit of Liberation as it commemorates the 81st Liberation Day.

On August 15, Gyeongsangnam-do held the 81st Liberation Day Commemoration Ceremony in the Convention Hall of the Changwon Convention Center (CECO).

Over 500 people attended the ceremony, themed 'Names to Remember, Tomorrow to Continue,' including descendants of independence activists, veterans’ association leaders, Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongsangnam-do, Council Chairman Park Jun, and local residents.

In the event lobby, various exhibits were organized: records on the independence movement preserved by the Gyeongsangnam-do Records Center, a presentation on 'Daeja Kindergarten,' which continued the tradition of national education during the Japanese colonial period, a memorial display listing the names of 1,521 independence activists from Gyeongsangnam-do, and a hands-on event to recreate the Korean Liberation Army-signature Taegukgi.

The 81st Liberation Day celebration ceremony was held at the Changwon Convention Center in Seongsan District, Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Province]

The ceremony followed this program: screening of a thematic video, presentation of government awards, a congratulatory address, commemorative performance, singing of the Liberation Day song, and the traditional three cheers for independence.

In particular, the family of the late Jeong-rak Kwon was awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, while the families of the late Okdong Hwang, Guiyong Kim, and Joon Lee each received the Presidential Citation.

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will separately deliver the Presidential Citation to the family of the late Ingok Lee, who was unable to attend the ceremony.

On the occasion of the 81st Liberation Day, the family of the late independence activist Kwon Jung-rak was awarded the National Foundation Medal, and the families of the late Hwang Okdong, Kim Gwiryong, Jo Juni, and Lee Ingok received the Presidential Citation.
[Photo provided by Gyeongnam Province]

Jeong-rak Kwon joined Heungeopdan in Daegu in 1921 to raise funds for the independence movement, while Okdong Hwang participated in the March 1st Movement in 1919 in Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do, his hometown.

Guiyong Kim and Joon Lee, who worked as fishermen in Donghae-myeon, Goseong-gun in 1918, resisted the economic exploitation by Japanese fishermen. Ingok Lee joined the 'Korean Independence Blood Alliance Group,' formed in Kyoto, Japan in 1940 by Gwi-bok Yu and others, to support the independence movement.

Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongsangnam-do is delivering a congratulatory address at the 81st Liberation Day celebration.
[Photo by Gyeongsangnam-do]

In his congratulatory address, Governor Park said, "Liberation Day is not only the day the nation was reclaimed but also a day to remember those who devoted themselves to the country," adding, "Now is the time to restore and remember the names that have been forgotten."

He stressed, "We will continue to identify, remember, and pass on the names of each and every independence activist to future generations."

He further stated, "It is our responsibility today to carry forward the intentions of our forebears and build a better Republic of Korea and Gyeongsangnam-do. We will long remember the sacrifices and dedication of independence activists, and I will fully fulfill my duties so that their spirit is passed down to future generations."

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