Ceremony set for Monday afternoon at Itaewon Bugundang History Park
Citizens invited to lay flowers and offer incense in tribute to the independence spirit
Seoul's Yongsan-gu will hold the 106th memorial ceremony for independence martyr Yu Gwan-sun on Monday at 2 p.m. at Itaewon Bugundang History Park (37 Noksa pyeong-daero 40da-gil).
Now in its 12th year, the ceremony was established to honor Yu's spirit of sacrifice and her dedication to the independence movement, and to carry that legacy forward for future generations.
The program will open with a formal declaration, followed by a national ceremony, the reading of commemorative addresses, a flower-laying and incense-offering ritual, and a memorial performance.
About 100 people are expected to attend, including Yongsan-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-dae, the speaker of the Yongsan-gu Council, the head of the Seoul Regional Veterans Affairs Office, descendants of Yu Gwan-sun, representatives of the memorial association, and local residents.
The ceremony is open to the general public, and anyone is welcome to attend. After the official program concludes, citizens will have the opportunity to lay flowers and offer incense in tribute to the martyr.
The memorial performance will feature mezzo-soprano Lim Jeong-suk performing two Korean art songs, "Janhyang" and "Bimok." The district said it hopes the performance will serve as a meaningful occasion to reflect on Yu's spirit through music.
"The sacrifice and independence spirit of Yu Gwan-sun, who was interred at Itaewon Cemetery, is a precious piece of history and a source of pride for our Yongsan," District Mayor Kim said. "Through this ceremony, we will reflect deeply on her patriotic spirit and continue our efforts to promote historical awareness so that future generations can carry on the right sense of history."
The district erected a memorial monument inside Itaewon Bugundang History Park in 2015 to commemorate the fact that Yu was buried at Itaewon Cemetery after her death, and has held an annual memorial ceremony on the anniversary of her passing ever since.
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