[Full Text] President Yoon Suk-yeol's 104th Anniversary 3·1 Movement Day Commemorative Address

President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the 104th March 1st Movement Anniversary Ceremony on the 1st and stated, "Japan has transformed from a militaristic aggressor of the past into a cooperative partner that shares universal values with us and collaborates on security, economy, and global agendas." President Yoon emphasized, "If we fail to read the changing currents of world history and properly prepare for the future, it is evident that the misfortunes of the past will be repeated."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are leading the national anthem at the 104th March 1st Movement Anniversary Ceremony held at the Yu Gwan-sun Memorial Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 1st.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

▲The following is the full text of President Yoon's speech at the March 1st Movement Anniversary Ceremony.

Respected citizens,

Today marks the 104th March 1st Movement, a day for 7.5 million overseas Koreans and independence patriots. First, I pay tribute to the patriotic martyrs and activists who sacrificed and devoted themselves for the freedom and independence of our homeland. I sincerely thank the independence patriots and their families.

The March 1st Movement 104 years ago was an independence movement to establish a nation where the people are the masters, a free democratic country, as seen in the Korean Declaration of Independence and the Provisional Government Charter. It was a historic day that showed what kind of world we, who longed for new change, aspired to. Now, 104 years later, we must reflect on our past when we lost national sovereignty and suffered because we were not properly prepared for changes in world history.

We must consider how to overcome the current global complex crises, the severe security threats including North Korea's nuclear threat, and the crises of division and polarization in our society. Here, it is clear that if we fail to read the changing currents of world history and properly prepare for the future, the misfortunes of the past will be repeated. Furthermore, we must never forget the patriots who, in the pitch-dark times when no one could imagine independence in their era, threw everything away for the freedom and independence of the homeland. Without properly remembering those who devoted themselves to the country, there is no future for us.

Respected citizens,

A century after the March 1st Movement, Japan has transformed from a militaristic aggressor of the past into a cooperative partner that shares universal values with us and collaborates on security, economy, and global agendas. In particular, cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan to overcome complex crises and serious security threats such as North Korea's nuclear threat has become more important than ever. We must unite and cooperate with countries that share universal values to contribute to the expansion of freedom for global citizens and the common prosperity of the world. This is no different from the spirit that cried out for the freedom and independence of the homeland 104 years ago.

Citizens,

The prosperity we have achieved today is the result of relentless efforts to protect and expand freedom and a belief in universal values. We must never stop those efforts for even a moment. That is the proper way to repay the patriots who sacrificed and devoted themselves for the freedom and independence of the homeland. Whether it is a glorious history or a shameful and sorrowful one, history must not be forgotten. It must be remembered. This is to protect and prepare for our future. Today is a day to remember the patriots who devoted themselves to the homeland, to reflect on the unfortunate past of our history, and to think about what we must do for future prosperity.

Respected citizens,

Let us all inherit the spirit of the Korean Declaration of Independence and create a future of freedom, peace, and prosperity. Thank you.