Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to Hold 131st Anniversary Donghak Peasant Revolution Commemoration Ceremony

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on May 9 that, together with the Donghak Peasant Revolution Memorial Foundation, it will hold the "131st Anniversary Donghak Peasant Revolution Commemoration Ceremony" at 11:00 a.m. on May 11 at the Donghak Peasant Revolution Memorial Park in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province.

The Donghak Peasant Revolution, which took place in 1894, was a historic event in which peasants suffering under the old feudal system independently resisted unjust realities and foreign invasions. The Donghak Peasant Revolution Commemoration Ceremony is held every year as a government event on May 11, the anniversary of the Hwangtohyeon Victory, when the Donghak Peasant Army achieved its first victory against government forces and the Japanese army. Hwangtohyeon Victory Day was designated as a national memorial day in 2019.

This year’s ceremony, under the theme "The Cry of the Nokdu Flower, A World Where We Live Together," will bring together about 500 people, including descendants and related parties of the Donghak Peasant Revolution participants, as well as members of the public, to shed new light on the historical significance of the Donghak Peasant Revolution. The event will feature a themed video utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and a ceremony to deliver notifications to the descendants of the revolution’s participants. In addition, representatives of the descendants will read the Mujang Proclamation, which outlines the background and objectives of the Donghak Peasant Revolution, and traditional musician Kim Juri will perform a Korean dance and sing "Saeya Saeya Parangsaeya," a song symbolizing the Donghak Peasant Revolution.

Since the enactment of the "Special Act on the Restoration of Honor to Participants in the Donghak Peasant Revolution" in 2004, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has registered 3,913 participants and 13,761 descendants of the Donghak Peasant Revolution. The ministry plans to continue discovering and promoting initiatives to honor the spirit of the Donghak Peasant Revolution and restore the honor of its participants and their descendants.

Minister Yoo In-chon stated, "The spirit of equality and dignity embodied by the Donghak Peasant Revolution has, to this day, served as the source of strength that enables all Korean people to overcome crises with indomitable will and allows the Republic of Korea to advance to a higher level," adding, "The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will do its utmost to ensure that the noble spirit of the Donghak Peasant Revolution continues to live on in our daily lives and culture."