"Learning the Strength to Overcome Crisis"... Gwangju Holds Provisional Government Establishment Ceremony

106th Anniversary Ceremony of the Provisional Government Held at Sungil High School in Gwangju

At the 106th Anniversary Ceremony of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea held on the morning of the 11th at Sungil High School in Buk-gu, attendees are shouting three cheers of "Manse." Photo by Min Chanki

The Gwangbokhoe Gwangju Branch announced on the 11th that it held a ceremony commemorating the 106th anniversary of the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, honoring the legitimacy and historical significance of the Provisional Government, which forms the foundation of the Korean government.

The ceremony, held in the morning at Sungil High School in Buk-gu, was attended by Ko Gwangwan, Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs; Choi Seungbok, Deputy Superintendent of Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education; Kim Seokki, Director of the Gwangju Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; members of Gwangbokhoe; Sungil High School faculty and students; and about 700 other participants.

Marking the 80th anniversary of liberation, the ceremony, sponsored by the Gwangju Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and Gwangju City, proceeded with the national ceremony, a report on the history of the establishment of the Provisional Government, commemorative speeches, the proclamation of the Provisional Charter of the Republic of Korea, and three cheers of "Manse." Following this, a special history lecture was held for Sungil High School students on the topic "The March 1st Movement, the Provisional Government, and the Independence Movement in Honam."

Ko Gwangwan, Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs, stated, "We must learn the power to overcome crises and the spirit of unity from the history of the Provisional Government and the dedication of our forebears," and added, "We will carry on the spirit of solidarity and cooperation that our forebears risked their lives to protect."

Park Heebok, Principal of Sungil High School, said, "We held this ceremony to establish the spirit of the national community, foster national consciousness through the history of the independence movement, and lay the foundation for unification," and added, "This event is especially meaningful at our school, which boasts a 118-year history and was a center of the anti-Japanese movement to reclaim our nation in the past."