South Korea Acting President: "Commemorating the Provisional Government Establishment, We Must Reflect on Lessons of Hope, Unity, and Overcoming Crisis"

Commemorative Speech for the Establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
Active Promotion of the "Korea Memorial Road"

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Acting President, delivers a commemorative speech at the 106th anniversary ceremony of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea held at the National Provisional Government Memorial Hall in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on the 11th. Photo by Yonhap News

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Acting President of the Republic of Korea, emphasized on the 11th, "As we commemorate the establishment of the Provisional Government, we must reflect on the lessons of hope, unity, and overcoming crises."

Acting President Han stated this in his commemorative speech at the 106th anniversary ceremony of the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea held at the Provisional Government Memorial Hall.

Quoting a passage from Baekbeom Ilji, "Not the freedom to pluck flowers in the park, but the freedom to plant flowers in the park," Han said, "We must plant the flowers of coexistence that open the future to make Korea a beautiful and prosperous community."

He continued, "Just as our ancestors overcame the dark and bleak colonial rule and regained the light of Korea through liberation, let us move forward together to pass on a free, peaceful, and prosperous Korea to future generations."

Acting President Han explained, "On April 11, 1919, the aspiration for independent sovereignty ignited by the March 1st Movement united to establish the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. The name 'Daehan Minguk' (Republic of Korea) was first created by choosing 'Daehan' to continue the Korean Empire and 'Minguk' to signify that the people hold sovereignty."

He also evaluated, "It was our history’s first democratic republic government, embodying the will of each citizen to become the master of themselves and reclaim the lost country. The Provisional Government fulfilled its role as the backbone of the nation by overcoming countless hardships and adversities until the moment of liberation."

Acting President Han promised, "Because we were able to protect the spirit of our homeland through the noble sacrifices of our independence patriots, we could stand tall as a proud nation in the world. We will do our best to inherit the sacred spirit of independence and ensure it is fully passed down to our descendants."

Furthermore, he added, "We will sincerely honor the independence patriots and their families, and expand the discovery and recognition of independence patriots. We will also promote the repatriation of the remains of independence patriots resting in foreign lands so that they may rest in the embrace of their homeland, and actively develop the 'Korea Memorial Road,' where various activities can be experienced at independence movement historic sites."