Seven Independence Activists Meet on 'Suwon Independence Movement Trail'

The 81st Liberation Day celebration ceremony was held as a memorial event for the creation of the citizen-initiated 'Suwon Independence Movement Trail.'

The 'Suwon Independence Movement Trail' Promotion Committee held the 81st Liberation Day memorial ceremony on the 15th at the Kim Se-hwan Hall of Maehyang Girls' Information High School (Samil Girls' School during the Japanese colonial period), a school founded on nationalist principles. The event was attended by about 500 citizens, including Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun and Suwon City Council Speaker Kim Mi-kyung.

At the ceremony, Kim Min-seo and Lee Na-young, representing the 6th-grade Class 3 of Dasol Elementary School, recited and delivered 'letters of gratitude' to family members including Yoon Sol and Yoon Cham, great-great-grandchildren of independence activist Kim Se-hwan, and Lim Byung-mu, a poet and grandson of independence activist Lim Myeon-su, among seven Suwon independence fighters.

Beginning with the promotion committee's launch in June last year, the city brought together more than 1,000 citizen promoters, and 33 organizations and businesses along with over 250 citizens contributed to raising approximately 50 million won in funds. Donors participating in the citizen fundraising for the 'Suwon Independence Movement Trail' presented the funds to Lee Ju-hyun, chairperson of the promotion committee.

Mayor Lee Jae-jun awarded certificates of completion to three citizen docents of the 'Suwon Independence Movement Trail': Kang Shin-o, Oh Ha-bin (6th grader at Gwanggyo Elementary School), and multicultural docent Zhang Lingling.

The memorial ceremony concluded with the 'Independence Army Patriotic Song' and three cheers for independence. The group then moved to the wall of Maehyang Girls' Information High School for the unveiling of a massive 4-meter-high, 50-meter-long mural titled 'Suwon Independence Movement Trail' by artist Leo Dab, with explanations of the work.

Prior to the memorial event, the Gyeonggi Youth Choir performed a musical depicting the story from the March 1st Movement in 1919 to Korea's liberation on August 15, 1945, earning applause from citizens.

Starting from Yeonmudae, where the 1919 independence movement demonstrations took place, and extending approximately 4 kilometers to Hwaseong Haenggung Palace along 17 key independence movement sites, visitors can encounter traces of the noble lives and fierce anti-Japanese activities of seven representative Suwon independence activists, including Kim Se-hwan and Lim Myeon-su.

From September onward, the city will deploy 61 citizen docents to share stories of the independence movement found throughout the trail. In preparation for Suwon's designation as a tourism destination for 2026-2027, Suwon City plans to provide full support so that visitors to the city can encounter the city's proud history of independence movements along this trail.

Lee Ju-hyun, chairperson of the 'Suwon Independence Movement Trail' Promotion Committee, said in his remarks, "During the March 1st Independence Movement, Suwon was at the center of independence activism against Japanese imperial rule, with participation ranging from merchants and students to kisaeng entertainers and farmers." He added, "It is true that these great historical footprints have been buried under rapid urban development and have faded from our collective memory."

Mayor Lee Jae-jun stated in his remarks, "Suwon has the legacy of King Jeongjo, including his spirit of reform and caring for the people, and also the legacy of independence movements during the Japanese colonial period. We must now preserve the memory of seven Suwon independence activists such as Kim Se-hwan and Kim Hyang-hwa, record their traces, and pass them on to future generations."