The PEACE ROAD 2022 Gyeongsangnam-do Unification March Commemoration Event was held. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] PEACE ROAD 2022 was held on the 4th at the main auditorium of the new building of Gyeongnam Provincial Government.
Peace Road is based on the 'International Peace Highway' project proposed at the 10th International Scientific Unification Conference in 1981.
According to the organizing committee, it started in 2013 as a 3,800 km Korea-Japan bicycle cross-country route, and in 2014 involved 14 countries, 120 countries in 2015, 125 countries in 2016 and 2017, and from 2018 to last year, citizens from 130 countries around the world participated.
This year, 400,000 citizens from 160 countries worldwide are expected to participate.
This year, while reflecting on the meaning of peaceful unification, it also commemorates the spirit of sacrifice of soldiers from 22 countries who participated in the Korean War on its 72nd anniversary.
Attending the event were Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongnam Province; Kim Jin-bu, Chairman of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council; Kang Ki-yoon, National Assembly member; and Park Pan-do, former chairman of the provincial council and co-chairman of the Gyeongnam Joint Executive Committee.
Superintendent of Education Park Jong-hoon, along with National Assembly members Kang Ki-yoon, Kim Young-sun, Kim Tae-ho, Yoon Han-hong, Lee Dal-gon, Jeong Jeom-sik, Jo Hae-jin, Choi Hyung-doo, and Ha Young-je, sent congratulatory messages.
Governor Park said, “Through the Peace Road 2022 Gyeongnam Unification March, it will be an opportunity for the people to connect their hearts and passion for peace and to renew awareness of inter-Korean unification and world peace,” adding, “We will join in the hopes and passion for the security of the Republic of Korea and world peace.”
Chairman Kim said, “Experts say inter-Korean relations will cool further, but this march is a meaningful event that raises the will for Korean Peninsula unification and the true will for peace,” and added, “The provincial council will also support the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
Chairman Park said, “The unification of the Korean Peninsula, the only divided country in the world, is the cornerstone of world peace,” and added, “Let’s spread this fact starting from Gyeongnam to draw support and cooperation from the international community.”
The Peace Road Gyeongnam Executive Committee announced that starting from June 19 in Geoje, Gyeongnam, a bicycle cross-country ride involving 3,000 participants from each city, county, and district in Gyeongnam will continue until the 15th.
After the event, about 150 members of the cross-country team belonging to the Living Bicycle Riding Association will depart from the Gyeongnam Provincial Government, pass through the rotary in front of Changwon City Hall, and march by bicycle to Changwon Homeplus, Myeonggok Rotary, and Changwon Meeting Square.
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