Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Parties celebrate 100th anniversary of colonial-era provisional government in Shanghai
A Lawmakers and Assembly delegation poses for a group photo in department store Wing On in Shanghai, Thursday, where the Provisional Assembly and its members had taken a group photo in 1921. / Yonhap
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
The floor leaders of five political parties held ceremonial events in Shanghai, Thursday, to mark the centenary of the establishment of the provisional legislative body during Japan's 1910-45 occupation of the Korean Peninsula. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea opened its Provisional Assembly there on April 10, 1919.
On Wednesday, the first day of a four-day trip to China, floor leaders of the political parties and the delegation re-enacted the first meeting of the Provisional Assembly at the Korean Culture Center which was held in Shanghai 100 years earlier.
On Thursday, they reportedly held several ceremonial events including planting trees with descendants of independence fighters and Chinese government officials.
The five parties are the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party, the minor opposition Party for Democracy and Peace and minor progressive Justice Party.
The move came after the parties clashed over fixing the schedule for the April extra Assembly session. They embarked on the trip amid expectations they may come up with plans to resume legislative activities.
Today, the political leaders will travel to Guangzhou where meetings with Korean residents and businesspersons are planned.
Meanwhile, the DPK's leadership body led by Chairman Rep. Lee Hae-chan visited the Seoul National Cemetery and Hyochang Park in Seoul, Thursday, to pay tribute to members of the provisional government and independence fighters buried in the cemetery.