By Lee Jon-young

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee invited 158 independence fighters and bereaved families to the President’s Guest House for a luncheon on Aug. 9. 

On the 78th anniversary of Liberation Day, which falls on Aug. 15, the luncheon was prepared to put into practice the President's usual idea that "the state is responsible for sacrifices for the country to the end."
The South Korean military honor guard and military band welcomed independence fighters and their bereaved families who attended the luncheon with the best protocol.

Patriot Kim Young-kwan; Kim Mi, Kim Koo Foundation Chairman; Yoon Joo-kyung, Yoon Bong-gil's granddaughter; Song Sang-hyun, Seoul National University Honorary Professor; Kim Hwang-sik, chairman of the Ahn Jung-geun Association; and Lee Taek-sun, a research professor at Myongji University, among others , were invited.

With the start of the event, the President and his wife entered the luncheon venue with Patriot Kim Young-kwan, who is 99 years old this year. Governor Kim is one of the nine surviving patriots who was forcibly drafted by the Japanese military in 1944 and escaped, joined the Liberation Army in January 1945 to fight against Japan. 

After liberation, when the Korean War broke out, he voluntarily enlisted and fought a war to keep his original intention of "doing everything for his country." The government awarded Kim the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1990 to honor his achievements.

The President, along with patriot Kim, went to the luncheon head table to greet the participants and expressed his gratitude for attending the event. At the head table, patriot Kim Young-kwan, Liberation Chairman Lee Jong-chan, and Kim Mi, chairman of the Kim Koo Foundation, Kim Hwang-sik, chairman of Ahn Jung-geun's Memorial Association, and singer Sean sat with the President and his wife.

"Our independence movement was not intended to return to a monarchy, nor to become a communist totalitarian state," the President said in a luncheon welcome. "Our independence movement was a founding movement to create a free democratic state where the people were the owners." 

The President engraved the meaning of the independence movement, saying, "Our independence movement was universal and just from the perspective of mankind as a whole beyond our people."

The president also said, "Our independence movement spirit is now leading to a global backbone national vision that fulfills responsibility and contribution to the international community. We will make Korea a country that actively contributes to freedom, peace, and prosperity for all mankind."

On behalf of the participants, Patriot Kim Young-kwan said, "I appreciate the President's invitation despite the heavy work," adding, "We will also try to change our minds and make the people say that the descendants of the independence movement are different."

When Liberation Chairman Lee Jong-chan said, "I thank the President for promoting the Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs," participants applauded together and thanked the government for its will to veterans. Chairman Lee then offered a toast, saying, "Korea, be forever."

At today's event, there was also a presentation of the participants' impressions. Singer Sean, who started a fundraising campaign called "815 Run," which began in 2020 to support the descendants of independence fighters, explained, "I think it is a duty that all of us living in Korea must practice to the end."

Yang In-jip, a member of the National Veterans Committee, the grandson of patriot Yang Woo-jo, who served as a Korean Liberation Army and was awarded the Order of Independence, said, "I always have the spirit of my predecessors in mind."

At the luncheon, a special event was also held in which First Lady Kim presented "Mugunghwa Embroidered Hansan Mosi Red Ginseng" as a gift to Patriot Kim Young-kwan, wishing him good health. 

The Hansan ramie fabric presented is a ramie made by Bang Yeon-ok, the 14th important intangible cultural property of Hansan ramie weaving, registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. For patriots who could not attend the luncheon due to health reasons, Hansan ramie blankets will be delivered separately.

Meanwhile, the luncheon menu attracted the attention of participants, including assorted jeon and seolleongtang, which were enjoyed by independence fighters, and beef tteokgalbi and abalone, food of the head family of Andong Kwon, who devoted themselves to the independence movement. 

In addition, during the luncheon, the Historical Children's Choir, which is active under the banner of love for the country, love for history, and love for singing, performed songs for independence fighters and bereaved families, including "Taegukgi" and "Beautiful World."