Kim Dong-yeon Visits Suwon's March 1st Independence Monument and Pledges to Create 'Opportunities for the Vulnerable'

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Park No-hoon] Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon visited the '3·1 Independence Movement Monument' located on Paldal Mountain in Suwon on the occasion of March 1st Independence Day and pledged to create 'opportunities for the vulnerable.'

Governor Kim Dong-yeon said through SNS on March 1st, "There are far too many obstacles blocking greater opportunities and more equitable opportunities in our society," and continued, "Injustice and privilege, and the vested societal structures such as the recent 'dad's chance' (favoritism) of the nominated head of the National Investigation Service are prime examples."

He further stated, "While we speak eloquently of fairness, it is merely 'fairness for the strong.' Gyeonggi Province will create not 'fairness for the strong' but 'opportunities for the vulnerable.' I believe this is the path to continuing today the cry of our entire nation 104 years ago," he said.

Below is the full text of Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon's SNS post.

<We will remember the past. We will move forward into the future.>

Today marks the 104th March 1st Independence Day.

Early this morning, I visited the '3·1 Independence Movement Monument' on Paldal Mountain in Suwon. It is a meaningful monument built in 1969, the 50th anniversary of March 1st, through donations from citizens.

We held the March 1st Independence Day commemoration ceremony at 'Dodamso' with the families of independence patriots and residents of the province. There was also a meaningful short play with descendants of independence patriots in attendance and a performance by an orchestra of people with disabilities.

In my commemorative address, I spoke about the past we must not forget. I honored the memory of Oh Hui-ok, an independence patriot who is uniquely still living in Gyeonggi Province, Grandmother Kim Sung-ju, a victim of forced labor during Japanese colonial rule, and victims of 'Seongan School,' a state violence that began during Japanese colonial rule.

While discussing the future we will move toward, I emphasized the vision of 'Opportunity Capital Gyeonggi.'

However, there are far too many obstacles blocking greater opportunities and more equitable opportunities in our society. Injustice and privilege, and the vested societal structures such as the recent 'dad's chance' of the nominated head of the National Investigation Service are prime examples.

While we speak eloquently of fairness, it is merely 'fairness for the strong.'

Gyeonggi Province will create not 'fairness for the strong' but 'opportunities for the vulnerable.'

I believe this is the path to continuing today the cry of our entire nation 104 years ago.