102nd Anniversary of the Provisional Government Establishment... Opposition Party "Expecting Politics of Unity," "History Must Not Be Forgotten"

Bae Jun-young, Spokesperson for the People Power Party (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Bo-ryeong] On the 11th, marking the 102nd anniversary of the establishment of the Provisional Government, the opposition parties expressed their expectation for 'politics of unity.'

Bae Jun-young, spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a commentary on the day, "On the 102nd anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Korea Provisional Government, we look forward to politics of unity."

Spokesperson Bae explained, "The charter of the Provisional Government contains the spirit of unity," adding, "The reason the 'Provisional (臨時)' Government could remain our 'eternal' government was precisely because of the 'power of unity.'"

He continued, "The Moon Jae-in administration should now leave behind 'divisive politics' and return to 'politics of unity,'" emphasizing, "This is the mandate of the people shown in the recent by-elections."

Spokesperson Bae also addressed President Moon Jae-in, saying, "He must respect the opposition and restore cooperation. Although we have been physically distanced due to COVID-19, our hearts must become even more united," adding, "Only then can we join forces to overcome the national crisis posed by COVID-19."

He also mentioned respect for the National Assembly and the people's human rights. Bae said, "The President must respect the National Assembly. The Provisional Government charter placed the role of the legislative body and the spirit of separation of powers at the forefront," and added, "The President must respect the human rights of the people. The Provisional Government charter also innovatively emphasized fundamental rights, including human rights."

Meanwhile, the People's Party stressed the importance of never forgetting history on the same day. Ahn Hye-jin, spokesperson for the People's Party, said, "'A nation that forgets its history has no future,'" adding, "We must never forget the bleak history that forced the establishment of the Provisional Government in Shanghai, China, to escape the harsh oppression of Japanese imperialism."

Spokesperson Ahn continued, "Despite Japanese colonial rule, the sacrifices of independence activists who continuously resisted through diplomacy, military efforts, and righteous struggles to reclaim our homeland were very noble. We have a mission to correctly face history, set it right, and enlighten our future descendants."