National Liberation Day of Korea

National Liberation Day of Korea
Korean people celebrating their liberation in 1945
Official name	조국해방의 날 (Chogukhaebangŭi Nal) (North Korea) 광복절 (Gwangbokjeol) (South Korea)
Observed by	North Korea South Korea Koreans
Type	National
Significance	Commemorates Victory over Japan Day, when Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule and the establishment of South Korea
Celebrations	Civilian and military parades, political rallies
Date	15 August
Frequency	Annual

National Liberation Day of Korea
North Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl	조국해방의 날
Hancha	祖國解放의 날
Transcriptions Revised Romanization Jogukhaebangui Nal McCune–Reischauer Chogukhaebangŭi Nal
South Korean name
Hangul	광복절
Hanja	光復節
Transcriptions Revised Romanization Gwangbokjeol McCune–Reischauer Kwangbokchŏl

The National Liberation Day of Korea is a public holiday celebrated annually on 15 August in both South and North Korea. It commemorates the day when Korea was liberated from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule by the Allies in 1945. The day also coincides with the anniversary of the founding of South Korea in 1945.^[1]

Etymology

In South Korea, it is known as Gwangbokjeol (Korean: 광복절; lit. The Day the Light Returned).^[2] In North Korea it is known as Chogukhaebangŭi Nal (조국해방의 날; lit. Liberation of the Fatherland Day).^[3]

The name Gwangbokjeol uses the term “restoration” (복; bog) instead of “independence” (독립; dongnip) to emphasize that Korea had been independent for years prior to Japanese rule.^[4]

History

American soldiers lowering the Japanese flag at the former Japanese General Government Building, Seoul on 9 September 1945.

The day marks the annual anniversary of the announcement that Japan would unconditionally surrender on August 15, 1945. All forces of the Imperial Japanese Army were ordered to surrender to the Allies,^[2] with the last Japanese occupation troops leaving southern Korea by the end of September 1945. The USA and USSR agreed on a 3-year trusteeship during which they would oversee the establishment of two different national governments for Korea.

Korea came for the first time in history under control by a foreign power in 1910, followed by a 35 year long occupation period, which oversaw the attempt at eradicating the Korean culture and language. On the 1st of September a provisional government was established by the Committee for the Preparation of the National government (조선건국준비위원회). The negotiations on August 15th between Yeo Un-hyeong and Endou Ryuusaku, the representative of the Governor-General agreed on the release of all prisoners and the transfer of administrative and judicial control to Korean authorities in turn for the guarantee of safe passage of Japanese citizens.^[5]

American troops landed in mid-September and occupied the Southern part of the country, declaring the provisional government as invalid.

August 15 is celebrated by many countries as Victory Over Japan Day, the day Japan's emperor announced the country's surrender. The United States, however, commemorates this day in September when the Japanese formally signed a declaration of surrender.^[4]

Liberation Day is the only political holiday that is celebrated in both North Korea and South Korea.^[6][7][8]

North Korea

Liberation Day poster in Pyongyang, North Korea

In North Korea, it is typical to schedule weddings on the holiday.^[9][10]

The holiday is often celebrated with a military parade on Kim Il-sung Square on jubilee years (ex: 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th anniversaries) with the attendance of the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of North Korea. The first parade was held in 1949 at Pyongyang Station. It was held again in 1953, and then conducted every year until 1960, when it took a pause until the early 2000s.^[11]

2015 North Korea timezone change

On 5 August 2015, the North Korean government decided to change its timezone back to UTC+08:30 effective 15 August 2015, and said the official name would be Pyongyang Time (PYT).^[12][13] The government of North Korea made this decision as a break from 'imperialism'; the time zone change went into effect on the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Korea.^[14] North Korea reversed the change in May 2018.^[15]

South Korea

Public holiday

In South Korea, many activities and events take place on the holiday, including an official ceremony attended by the President of the Republic either at the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan or at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.^[2][16] During the celebration, the flags of different countries around the world hung in the middle of the road around the Jamsil area of Seoul between the Olympic Stadium and Olympic Park are taken down and replaced with South Korean national flags.^[4]

All buildings and homes are encouraged to display the South Korean national flag Taegukgi. Not only are most public museums and places open free of charge to the descendants of independence activists on the holiday, but they can also travel on both public transport and intercity trains for free.^[2]

The official "Gwangbokjeol song" (광복절 노래) is sung at official ceremonies. The song's lyrics were written by Jeong Inbo (정인보) and the melody by Yoon Yongha (윤용하).^[2] The lyrics speak of "to touch the earth again" and how "the sea dances", how "this day is the remaining trace of 40 years of passionate blood solidified" and to "guard this forever and ever".^[17]

The government traditionally issues special pardons on Gwangbokjeol.^[18][19]

Assassination attempt

See also: Yuk Young-soo § Death

At 10:23 a.m., 15 August 1974, Mun Se-gwang, a Zainichi Korean and North Korean sympathizer, attempted to assassinate President Park Chung Hee at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul during a Gwangbokjeol ceremony; Park was unharmed but his wife Yuk Young-soo, the First Lady of South Korea, was killed.^[20][21]

See also

• Independence Hall of Korea
• Seodaemun Prison

References

1. 김, 경제, "광복절 (光復節)", 한국민족문화대백과사전 [Encyclopedia of Korean Culture] (in Korean), Academy of Korean Studies, retrieved 19 April 2024
2. (in Korean) Gwangbokjeol at Doosan Encyclopedia
3. Seol Song Ah (7 December 2015). "Kim Jong Un's birthday still not a holiday". Daily NK. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
4. "National Liberation Day of Korea (Gwangbokjeol) – Celebration of Independence". 22 March 2016.
5. 윤, 상현, "조선건국준비위원회 (朝鮮建國準備委員會)", 한국민족문화대백과사전 [Encyclopedia of Korean Culture] (in Korean), Academy of Korean Studies, retrieved 15 August 2024
6. Defector from North Korea describes (in Japanese) differences in attitudes and emphasis. 金, 柱聖. "反日沸騰の韓国と大違い？北の8月15日". YouTube. Fuji News Network. Retrieved 17 August 2020.^{[dead YouTube link]}
7. "8월 15일 한국만 독립한 거 아냐…또 어디? – 머니투데이". news.mt.co.kr. 15 August 2013.
8. "北, 공화국 창건 역사 살펴보기". 통일뉴스. 7 September 2014.
9. Toimela, Markku; Aalto, Kaj (2017). Salakahvilla Pohjois-Koreassa: Markku Toimelan jännittävä tie Pohjois-Korean luottomieheksi (in Finnish). Jyväskylä: Docendo. p. 40. ISBN 978-952-291-369-2.
10. "North Korea Liberation Day". Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
11. "North Korean military parades: 70 years of propaganda, intimidation and unity". Los Angeles Times. 8 September 2018.
12. "North Korea to introduce new timezone this month". BNO News. 7 August 2015. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
13. "North Korea's new time zone to break from 'imperialism'". BBC News. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
14. Mathis-Lilley, Ben (7 August 2015). "North Korea Invents New Time Zone, 'Pyongyang Time'". Slate.
15. "The brief history of North Korea's time zone". Washington Post. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
16. (in Korean) Gwangbokjeol ceremony, Yonhap News, 15 August 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2010
17. (in Korean) Gwangbokjeol Song Archived 10 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine at the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs
18. (in Korean) Gwangbokjeol pardons, Asia Today 11 August 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2010
19. (in Korean) Gwangbokjeol pardons, YTN 11 August 2009.Retrieved 19 June 2010
20. Keon, Michael (1977). Korean Phoenix: A Nation from the Ashes (Hardback). Prentice-Hall International. p. 199. ISBN 978-013-516823-3.
21. Jager, Sheila Miyoshi (2013). Brothers at War: The Unending Conflict in Korea (Hardback). London: Profile Books. p. 415. ISBN 978-1-84668-067-0.

Further reading

• South Korea Independence Day Archived 29 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine at Holidays around the World

External links

• Media related to National Liberation Day of Korea at Wikimedia Commons
• Works related to Proclamation of Korean Independence at Wikisource
• The Independence Hall of Korea
• Gwangbokjeol Song at the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (in Korean)