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| Participants of an event to reenact the March 1 Independence Movement take selfies at Hyochang Park in Yongsan, Seoul, Thursday, a day before the 1919 movement's 100th anniversary. A dozen ceremonies commemorating the centennial will take place in Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap |
By Kim Jae-heun
Many parts of Seoul will be filled with shouts of "manse" (short for long live Korea), Friday, as various events marking the 100th anniversary of the 1919 March 1 Independence Movement will be held alongside reenactments of independence rallies.
A celebration hosted by the central government will be held from 11 a.m. at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, participated in by President Moon Jae-in and around 10,000 people, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Seoul Metropolitan Government, Thursday.
The event will look back at the achievements of independence fighters against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea and their sacrifices in the name of freedom.
It will begin with the arrival of people in two rally re-enactment marches, one coming from Dongnimmun, or Independence Gate, in Seodaemun-gu, and the other from the Daehan Gate of Deoksu Palace in Jung-gu.
Thirty-three people will march with a military honor guard at Gwanghwamun. They will represent the past, present and future of Korea, including living patriots, family members of independence fighters, victims of sexual slavery and forced labor by the Japanese military, Vietnam War veterans and bereaved families of pro-democracy activists.
The participants will also read the Proclamation of Independence, which was read out by 33 cultural and religious leaders on March 1, 1919.
The government will bestow the Republic of Korea Medal, the highest national order of merit, posthumously to Yu Gwan-sun, a renowned female independence fighter who took part in the March 1 movement and died in jail in September 1920.
Fifty drones will be flown over the city displaying the national flag at noon.
More marches, performances and concerts will also be held at Seoul Plaza and Seodaemun Prison History Hall among many other places.
A bell-ringing ceremony is slated for 11:30 a.m. at the Bosingak Pavilion. The bell ringers will include Yu's nephew Yu Jang-bu and Lee Chun-sik, a surviving victim of Japan's forced labor.
Traffic in central Seoul will be controlled for almost the whole day.
All roads between Gwanghwamun and Deoksu Palace, as well as the road in front of Gwanghwamun will be closed to vehicles from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
"Besides the ceremonies organized by the central and city governments, mass rallies are expected at Seoul Station, Namdaemun and Euljiro 1-ga. It is better for celebration participants and the public to use public transportation or detour around the event areas," the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said.
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