Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, "Today's Prosperity Is Thanks to Our Elders"

The 26th Senior Citizens' Day Ceremony and Silver Sports Festival

At the 26th Senior Citizens' Day ceremony, Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, welcomes the athletes participating in the Silver Sports Competition.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] “The reason Gyeongnam Province and the Republic of Korea are enjoying their current prosperity is thanks to the sweat, passion, and efforts of our elders.”

Gyeongnam Governor Park Wan-su said this at the 26th Senior Citizens' Day commemorative ceremony.

October 2nd, Senior Citizens' Day, was established in 1997 as a legal commemorative day to promote filial piety and respect for the elderly, continuously showing interest in seniors and reaffirming respect for them.

At the commemorative ceremony and Silver Sports Festival held on the 5th at the Masan Indoor Gymnasium in Changwon City, Governor Park, Changwon Mayor Hong Nam-pyo, Shin Hee-beom, Chairman of the Korea Senior Citizens Association Gyeongnam Federation, Kim Ho-il, Chairman of the Korea Senior Citizens Association, and over 3,000 elders from the province attended.

Gyeongnam Province organized the commemorative event to celebrate Senior Citizens' Day and promote the health and harmony of the elderly.

The event included the reading of the Senior Citizens' Pledge and the Charter of Filial Piety, commemorative speeches and congratulatory addresses, and a parade of participating teams in the Silver Sports Festival by city and county.

There were also performances showcasing the talents of the elders, such as gymnastics competitions, Hangung (Korean archery) tournaments, and Silver Song Contests.

On this day, Gyeongnam Province awarded commendations to those recognized for their contributions to the promotion of senior welfare.

Elder Kim Jin-ok received the Presidential Citation, Elder Gu Ji-ho received the Prime Minister's Citation, and Elder Lee Cheon-jong received the Minister of Health and Welfare Citation, among 17 awardees honored.

Governor Park said, “We will strive to revive the honor of Gyeongnam by revitalizing the local economy and further strengthening welfare for our elders.”

He added, “Our Gyeongnam is making great strides as a center for aerospace, defense, and nuclear power industries. If our elders unite in purpose, I expect Gyeongnam to stand tall nationwide.”