Fifty-nine years ago,...on April 19th, 1960, thousands of demonstrators, mostly college students, took to the streets of Masan, Gyeongsangnam-do Province,… to rise up against Korea's then-military dictatorship led by Rhee Syng-man. To commemorate the historic day, a ceremony is being held at the April 19th Memorial Cemetery.
To learn more about the day and the event,... we have our Kim Da-mi on the line.
Dami, tell us more.
Hi Ji-yoon, as you mentioned, April 19th here in Korea is commemorated as one of the foundations of Korea's democracy movements.
In 1960, citizens' protests for freedom were violently suppressed by the government,... 180 citizens were killed and thousands were wounded,... fighting for Korea's civil society and democracy.
To remember their brave sacrifice, around 25-hundred people including the leaders of the country's ruling Democratic Party and opposition parties gathered at the April 19 Memorial Cemetery on Friday.
Under the event's theme of 'Democracy, the Path We Walk Together,'...South Korea's Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon emphasized that the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea shall reside in the people, and all state authority shall come from the people.
And at this year's ceremony, the descendants of 40 honorees who sacrificed their lives during the movement have received awards on the honorees' behalf?
Right, the honorees have finally been recognized with awards for the first time in 7 years,... after files related to another democratic movement on March 15th were revealed in 2016.
March 15, 1960 was the date of another massive demonstration in Masan city,...in response to corrupt elections.
So from 1960 to today,... a total of one-thousand one-hundred and 21 honorees have received awards.
In addition to the ceremony in central Seoul, the commemorations will take place nationwide including in the cities of Busan and Gwangju,...along with ceremonies and cultural events. That's all from me, Ji-yoon.