Jeonnam Naju City successfully concluded the ‘29th Naju Citizens' Day Ceremony’ at 10 a.m. the previous day at the Naju Culture and Arts Center.
According to the city on the 31st, the ceremony, attended by about 600 citizens and hometown residents, was held under the theme ‘The Path to Independence Opened by Students, the Yeongsangang Era to be Opened with Citizens,’ fostering unity and friendship among 120,000 citizens through various commemorative performances, award ceremonies, and celebratory events.
Along with the citizens, the main protagonists of the day, the ceremony was filled with attendees including Yoon Byung-tae, Mayor of Naju; Shin Jeong-hoon, Member of the National Assembly for Naju-Hwasun; Lee Sang-man, Chairperson of the City Council; local provincial and city council members; heads of various institutions; and social organization leaders from all 20 towns, townships, and neighborhoods.
Notably, Kim Dong-chul, who was inaugurated last month as the 22nd President of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), attended the Citizens' Day ceremony for the first time as KEPCO president and delivered a congratulatory speech, receiving great applause.
The ceremony opened with a pre-ceremony performance by the ‘Together Yet Apart Orchestra 16,’ composed of executives and employees from 16 relocated public institutions, followed by an opening performance by ‘Mirme Taekwondo.’
The opening performance, themed on the Naju Student Anti-Japanese Movement which sparked the Gwangju Student Independence Movement, delivered powerful background music and visuals reminiscent of a musical, along with a dynamic Taekwondo performance that captivated the audience without a moment’s distraction, evoking deep emotion and excitement.
Set against the backdrop of the Naju Student Anti-Japanese Movement that broke out on October 30, 1929, at the old Naju Station, actors holding the Taegeukgi flag in both hands shouted ‘Long live Korean independence!’ at the top of their lungs, to which the citizens responded with applause and cheers, collectively recalling the spirit of Naju as a city of righteous patriotism.
Following the performance, the main ceremony proceeded with the screening of a commemorative video showcasing the vision of the 8th elected administration, commemorative speeches and congratulatory messages, reading of the Citizen’s Charter, and award presentations.
Mayor Yoon Byung-tae stated in his commemorative speech, “Naju, as the center of Honam, has never hesitated to be at the forefront of national crises through militia activities, independence movements, and democratization movements. The spirit of Naju, which united in adversity and turned crises into opportunities, will now become the driving force symbolizing the shining Yeongsangang era of Naju.”
Governor Kim Young-rok of Jeonnam Province; An Se-young, national badminton representative from Naju; Larry Hogan, former governor of Maryland, USA, and honorary citizen of Naju, along with Mrs. Yumi Hogan; Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, Seoul; and Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, among other heads of domestic and international sister cities, congratulated Citizens' Day through video messages.
The stage also hosted an award ceremony recognizing citizens who contributed in various fields such as filial piety, as well as students who won prizes in the Citizens' Day week literary creation contest.
The ‘Art Performance,’ which concluded the ceremony as a congratulatory event, once again moved the audience following the opening performance.
Three artists each sketched on three canvases, and when the lights shone, a single completed artwork appeared, featuring Naju City’s key visions such as ‘City of 5 Million Tourists,’ ‘Energy Hub City,’ and ‘Premium Education City,’ eliciting awe from the audience.
After all proceedings concluded, 120,000 Naju citizens sang the ‘Citizen’s Song’ together, wishing for each other’s well-being.
Naju = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yuk-bong baekok@asiae.co.kr
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