The 68th Memorial Day, Honoring National Heroes Across Gyeongnam

The 68th Memorial Day Commemoration Ceremony was held simultaneously at 10 a.m. on the 6th at the Chung-hon Towers in all cities and counties across Gyeongnam Province, in sync with the nationwide siren.

This year, the event was held under the theme "Great Devotion, Forever in Our Hearts" to honor and remember the spirits of the patriotic martyrs and war heroes.

Gyeongnam Governor Park Wan-su is offering incense at the Changwon Memorial Tower to honor the patriotic martyrs and national heroes.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

At the Changwon Chung-hon Tower, about 1,000 people gathered, including Governor Park Wan-su, Provincial Superintendent of Education Park Jong-hoon, veterans' organizations, independence activists, and war veterans.

They began with a moment of silence, followed by the national ceremony, flower offering and incense burning, memorial speeches, poetry recitation, and singing of the Memorial Day song together.

The memorial poem titled "Again, in June," was recited by Kim Hyo-kyung, the daughter-in-law of the late Private Lee Jong-tae, a Korean War casualty, and the president of the Changwon Recitation Literature Association.

Public institutions and companies throughout the province encouraged flying the Taegeukgi at half-mast and promoted Memorial Day campaigns to allow voluntary visits to local Chung-hon Towers.

At the 68th Memorial Day Ceremony held at the Chung-hon Tower in Changwon, Gyeongnam, attendees are saluting the national flag.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

Governor Park wrote in the guestbook, "We will inherit the patriotic spirit of the war heroes and make Gyeongnam a proud province."

He also delivered a memorial speech saying, "It is our duty to honor the contributions of our ancestors and uphold their honor, and those who dedicated themselves to the country deserve proper respect. To pass on a hopeful future to the next generation, Gyeongnam Province will strive to build a proud Republic of Korea."

In celebration of June as the Month of National Defense and Veterans, Gyeongnam Province plans to visit and comfort national veterans currently receiving inpatient treatment due to sacrifices for the country, and to hold pilgrimage events to war sites for Korean War veterans and bereaved families of fallen soldiers.