FEBC-Korea honors 80th Liberation Day with patriotic concert
Spectators pack Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon, Friday, to watch the Children’s Choir Patriotic Concert performed by FEBC-Korea’s children’s choir. Courtesy of FEBC-Korea
A moving and powerful performance by the nation’s leading Christian radio network Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC)-Korea's children's choir marked the 80th anniversary of Korea's Liberation Day on Friday.
The annual Children’s Choir Patriotic Concert, held at the Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon, brought together about 6,000 attendees to celebrate a series of significant anniversaries — 80 years since liberation from Japanese colonial rule, 140 years since the introduction of Protestantism's arrival in Korea and the 75th anniversary of the Incheon Landing Operation during the 1950-53 Korean War.
The concert, featuring 700 children from FEBC-Korea's regional choirs across the country, was held in Incheon to honor its historical importance as the city where FEBC-Korea first began broadcasting in 1956.
Rev. Billy Kim, chairman of FEBC-Korea, said the concert was an opportunity for the next generation to reflect on the joy of liberation and the importance of peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The two-hour concert was a dramatic and dynamic journey through Korean history, presented in five thematic stages. The program, filled with performances by the children's choir, traced the nation's journey from the late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) to present day.
The concert received an emotional response from the audience, with many expressing deep gratitude and admiration for the children's performance.
"Our next generation is performing in a way that gives me confidence in our nation's future," said one attendee from Jeju Island.
"I was expecting something like a school recital, but it was beyond my imagination. I couldn't take my eyes off the stage for two hours,” another audience member from Incheon said. “Their performance is something the whole country should be proud of."
Members of FEBC-Korea’s children’s choir perform at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon, Friday. Courtesy of FEBC-Korea
Choir members shared that preparing for the concert deepened their appreciation for the peace they enjoy today and sparked a greater interest in the issue of unification.
Parents of the young performers also expressed gratitude for the opportunity their children received to develop a stronger sense of patriotism and historical awareness.
In his congratulatory remarks, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok expressed his hope that the concert would inspire a firm and lasting peace, just as the Incheon Landing Operation brought freedom to the land.
"The children are the starting point for a great harmony for the Republic of Korea, which is suffering from division and conflict," he said.
FEBC-Korea President Maeng Joo-wan also praised the children's dedication and hard work.
"The future of the Republic of Korea will be bright because of these children. I was deeply moved by the sight of the young choir members, who are the stars of today's performance, passionately practicing with a patriotic spirit at such a young age,” he said.