Wando County Holds "Anti-Japanese Movement Memorial Ceremony" on Soando Island

National Student Literary Contest Also Held

Wando County in South Jeolla Province announced on June 19 that it held the "34th Soan Anti-Japanese Movement Memorial Ceremony" and the "16th National Student Essay Contest and Youth Culture Festival" at the Soan-myeon Anti-Japanese Movement Memorial Square on June 17.

This year's event was organized by the Soan Anti-Japanese Movement Memorial Association to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Liberation, with the participation of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, South Jeolla Province, Wando County, and the South Jeolla Provincial Office of Education.

Wando County held the "34th Soan Anti-Japanese Movement Memorial Ceremony" and the "16th National Student Essay Contest and Youth Culture Festival" at the Soan-myeon Anti-Japanese Movement Memorial Square on the 17th. Provided by Wando County

In order to honor the history of Soando, known as the "Island of Anti-Japanese Resistance," and to pass on the spirit of independence to future generations, more than 800 participants, including youth from across the country, attended the event, adding to its significance. The memorial ceremony was solemnly conducted with offerings of flowers and incense to the fallen patriots, commemorative speeches, and memorial performances. The event has established itself as a place for intergenerational historical education, going beyond a simple commemorative gathering.

Soando is recognized as one of the "three main sites of the anti-Japanese movement," along with Dongnae in Busan and Bukcheong in Hamgyeong Province, as all its residents participated in the independence movement during the Japanese colonial period. To date, 22 individuals from this area have been recognized as independence patriots.

In particular, the highlight of the event was a special performance of "Goryeo Arirang" by a choir of second-generation Koryoin youth, which deeply moved the audience. The choir delivered a heartfelt performance expressing the pain of their grandparents' generation during the Japanese occupation and their longing for their homeland.

In the afternoon, the National Student Literary Contest was held, with more than 500 elementary, middle, and high school students from across the country participating. The contest was themed "We Will Not Forget! The Cry of Soan," and included categories for book reports and UCC (User Created Content) works. Students demonstrated their creativity on topics such as "Soando, the Island Embracing Songs" and "The People Who Protected Soan, Independence Activists I Have Met."

This year's contest recognized a total of 89 winners, including awards from the Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the Gwangju Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the Governor of South Jeolla Province, the Superintendent of the South Jeolla Provincial Office of Education, and the Mayor of Wando County. A total of 10.6 million won in prize money was awarded, and the winning works will be compiled into a collection to be distributed nationwide in September. The subsequent Youth Culture Festival featured a variety of performances, including dance, acoustic guitar, magic shows, fusion Korean traditional music, and performances by second-generation Koryoin youth, which received enthusiastic responses from students and local residents.

County Mayor Shin Woochul stated, "Soando is a place where the passionate anti-Japanese spirit of our nation is still alive," and added, "We will deeply honor the noble will of our forebears and continue to carry on the spirit of patriotism with future generations."

Meanwhile, the county plans to continue expanding projects to inherit the spirit of the independence movement by combining historical education with culture and the arts in cooperation with the Soan Anti-Japanese Movement Memorial Association.