Gyeonggi-do to Hold This Year's March 1st Movement Commemoration Event at Dodamso

Gyeonggi Provincial Government Gwanggyo New Office Building

Gyeonggi Province will hold a commemorative event on March 1st at 10 a.m. at Dodamso in Paldal-gu, Suwon (the former governor's residence) to mark the 104th anniversary of the March 1st Movement. This is the first time that a March 1st commemorative event will be held at Dodamso.

The ceremony will be attended by about 100 people, including Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon, Hwang Ui-hyung, head of the Gyeonggi branch of the Liberation Association, heads of city and county branches, Yeom Jong-hyun, chairman of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council, the head of the Korea Veterans Southern Gyeonggi Office, and heads of local veterans organizations. The program will proceed with a commemorative video, opening performance, reading of the Declaration of Independence, awards for independence patriots, commemorative speeches, singing of the March 1st Movement song, three cheers for independence, and a commemorative performance.

The commemorative video and opening performance will be a comprehensive show combining interviews with descendants of independence patriots, a one-act play reenacting the March 1st Movement, and a choir performance by the History Children's Choir.

Following this, Hwang Ui-hyung, head of the Gyeonggi branch of the Liberation Association, will read the Declaration of Independence, and Governor Kim Dong-yeon will award 10 independence patriots and others. After Governor Kim's commemorative speech, all attendees will sing the March 1st Movement song together, followed by three cheers for independence led by Hwang Ui-hyung.

Additionally, there will be a commemorative performance by the orchestra for people with developmental disabilities, the Dasoni Chamber Orchestra, followed by lunch and a meeting.

Before attending the ceremony, Governor Kim Dong-yeon will pay respects at the March 1st Independence Movement Memorial Tower located on Paldal Mountain in Suwon at 9 a.m. on the same day.

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province is home to one surviving patriot (96-year-old Oh Hee-ok) and has 2,157 members of the Liberation Association, including 2,156 bereaved families.

In his Liberation Day speech last August 15, Governor Kim Dong-yeon wished for the recovery of patriot Oh Hee-ok, who is battling illness, and hoped she could join the event; however, it is known that she will not be able to attend this event due to her health condition.

In addition, about 60 Liberation Association members who have been unable to participate in events for a long time due to COVID-19 have been specially invited to this commemorative ceremony to add significance to the March 1st Movement event.