A send-off ceremony for the Busan Liberation Expedition is held at Busan City Hall on Wednesday. [Busan city government]
A send-off ceremony for the Busan Liberation Expedition is held at Busan City Hall on Wednesday. [Busan city government]

Busan city announced Wednesday it will operate the "2026 Busan Liberation Expedition," sending descendants of local independence fighters and youth to visit historical sites tied to the Korean independence movement in Central Asia, marking the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation.

A send-off ceremony was held at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the main conference room of Busan City Hall, drawing about 70 attendees, including expedition members, the head of the Korean Liberation Association's Busan chapter and the chair of the committee pushing to build an independence movement history museum.

The Busan Liberation Expedition was first launched in 2024 with the aim of visiting historically significant sites of the independence movement, carrying on the spirit of sacrifice shown by independence fighters, deepening awareness of patriotic service among young people, and fostering civic pride. This year marks its third edition.

For the first time, the expedition has expanded beyond its previous focus on China to include Kazakhstan in Central Asia, tracing the history of the forced deportation of Koryo-saram — ethnic Koreans in the former Soviet Union — and the footprints of the independence movement.

The city selected 37 people, including descendants of independence fighters, on the recommendation of the Korean Liberation Association's Busan chapter and the committee promoting the construction of the Busan Independence Movement History Museum, along with eight history majors from local universities including Pusan National University, Dong-A University and Pukyong National University, forming a 45-member expedition.

From Aug. 3 to Aug. 8, the expedition will spend six days and five nights in and around Almaty and Ushtobe in Kazakhstan, following the traces of ethnic and national identity that Koryo-saram preserved through the hardship of forced deportation, as well as the legacy of the independence movement.

The itinerary covers four categories of sites: the Kazakhstan National Academic Korean Theater and the Koryo Ilbo newspaper, both landmarks of Koryo-saram cultural preservation; the Association of Koreans in Kazakhstan and the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan, where the group will engage with today's Koryo-saram community; Ushtobe Station, Bashtobe Hill, a Koryo-saram memorial monument and a Koryo-saram memorial park, all tied to the first settlement after the forced deportation; and the Koryo-saram History Museum, the site of the old dugout shelters and the original Korean Theater, and the K-Park construction site, where participants will explore the history of Koryo-saram migration and the independence movement.

Mayor Jeon Jae-soo said visiting Kazakhstan for the first time this year would be a meaningful occasion to reflect not only on the independence spirit of Korea's forebears, but also on the resilience and community spirit shown by the Koryo-saram. He added that the city was on track to complete the Busan Independence Movement Memorial Hall in early 2027, pledging to pass on the proud history of Busan's independence movement to future generations.


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com