Jeonnam Province Honors the Contributions of 55 West Sea Defenders

The 10th West Sea Defense Day Ceremony Held
Vow to "Remember the Heroes Who Defended the West Sea"

Jeollanam-do Governor Kim Youngrok is attending the 10th West Sea Defense Day Ceremony held at Mokpo Memorial Park on the morning of the 28th, offering incense. Provided by Jeonnam Province

On the 28th, Jeollanam-do held a commemorative ceremony at Mokpo Memorial Park to honor the contributions of the 55 heroes who gave their lives defending the West Sea against North Korean provocations, marking the 10th West Sea Defense Day.

Approximately 250 people attended the ceremony, including Kim Yungrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, Beom Yongsu, Acting Head of the Jeollanam-do Branch of the Korea Disabled Veterans Organization, heads of veterans' organizations, Lee Guseong, Commander of the 3rd Fleet, and others.

Under the slogan "Heroes Who Defended the West Sea, Names to Be Remembered Forever," the event began with a military band pre-ceremony, followed by the national ceremony, floral tribute and incense offering, commemorative address, and a joint performance by the Navy 3rd Fleet and Mokpo City Choir.

Awards were also presented to three soldiers from the Navy 3rd Fleet and two members of the Korea Disabled Veterans Organization who contributed to raising security awareness.

The commemorative performance, "Becoming the Star of the West Sea," is an original piece created for West Sea Defense Day. The song, reflecting the Navy and Marine Corps' determination to defend the West Sea, was led by the Navy 3rd Fleet military band and Mokpo City Choir, with all attendees joining in.

In particular, to remember the dedication of the 55 West Sea Defense heroes, two student representatives from Mokpo Yeonghwa Middle School held a roll call, reading the names of the 55 heroes one by one against a backdrop of their photos, moving the attendees to tears.

In his commemorative address, Governor Kim stated, "Thanks to the patriotism of the West Sea Defense heroes who gave their lives for the nation, the freedom and peace of this land have been preserved," and added, "We will widely promote the noble spirit of our patriotic ancestors and fallen heroes and devote even greater respect to their memory."

West Sea Defense Day has been observed annually on the fourth Friday of March since 2016 to commemorate the national heroes who sacrificed their lives defending the West Sea against North Korean provocations such as the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, the Cheonan sinking, and the Yeonpyeong shelling, and to strengthen public awareness of national security.