Memorial Day (South Korea)

Memorial Day or Hyeonchungil (Korean현충일) is a South Korean public holiday on the sixth day of June by article 2, subparagraph 8. of 'Regulations On Holidays Of Government Offices'[1] that commemorates all the Koreans who have contributed or died while serving the Republic of Korea.

Memorial Day
Observed bySouth Korea
DateJune 6
Next time6 June 2024 (2024-06-06)
FrequencyAnnual
Memorial Day
Hangul
현충일
Hanja
Revised RomanizationHyeonchungil
McCune–ReischauerHyŏnch'ungil

Background edit

On this day, a memorial ceremony is held in Seoul National Cemetery, first started in 1956. At 10 a.m. on Memorial Day, a siren rings all over the country, and people have silent prayers for one minute. The South Korean flag is flown at half-staff.[2] Usually, President of South Korea, Prime Minister, Speaker of the National Assembly, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Korea, President of the Constitutional Court of Korea, and Chairperson of National Election Commission join this Memorial Day as heads of highest constitutional institution in South Korea.[3] In every year this annual day of 10 a.m., they give a silent prayer and remember the Righteous army, Korean Liberation Army and Republic of Korea Armed Forces.[4][5]

Celebration edit

On Sunday 7 June 2020, President of South Korea Moon Jae-in celebrated the 100th anniversary of victorious day in Battle of Bongoh Town and announced "This battle was first of greatest victory for Korean Independent Army".[6][7][8][9][10] Also, he announced the "Greatest leader of Korean Independent Army Hong Beom-do's remains stay in Kazakhstan. So, I will do this hero's remains return to South Korea and will promise to make the most honorable man in South Korea for Hong Beom-do".[11][12][13][14][15]

References edit

  1. ^ "Regulations On Holidays Of Government Offices". elaw.klri.re.kr. Korea Legislation Research Institute, Korea Law Translation Center. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
  2. ^ Flag flying information from Korea.net
  3. ^ 백, 승렬 (2017-06-06). "현충일 추념식…文대통령 "애국으로 대한민국 통합"" (in Korean). Yonhapnews. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  4. ^ "'애국' 22회 언급한 문 대통령 현충일 추념사에 시선 집중". 6 June 2017.
  5. ^ "현충일 문 대통령 옆자리엔 '지뢰사고 부상군인'". 6 June 2017.
  6. ^ "文대통령, 봉오동 전투 100주년 맞아…"승리와 희망의 역사"". 7 June 2020.
  7. ^ "文대통령 "봉오동전투 100주년...국민 위대함 가슴에 새겨"". 7 June 2020.
  8. ^ "[속보]문대통령 "봉오동 전투 100년…평범한 국민의 위대한 힘"". 7 June 2020.
  9. ^ "文대통령 "봉오동전투, 코로나 극복… 평범한 국민의 위대한 힘"".
  10. ^ "문재인 "봉오동 전투 100주년, 평범한 국민의 위대한 힘"". 7 June 2020.
  11. ^ "文대통령 "홍범도 장군 유해 모셔와 최고 예우할 것"". 7 June 2020.
  12. ^ "[청와대M부스] 문 대통령 "홍범도 장군 유해 봉환…독립군 기억은 국가의 책무"". 7 June 2020.
  13. ^ "'봉오동 전투' 100주년…"홍범도 장군, 조국으로"". 7 June 2020.
  14. ^ "봉오동 전투 100년…文대통령 "홍범도 장군 유해 모셔올 것"". 7 June 2020.
  15. ^ "文대통령 "홍범도 장군의 유해 조국으로...최고 예우로 보답"". 7 June 2020.