The National Liberation Day of Korea is a public holiday celebrated annually on 15 August in both North Korea and South Korea. It commemorates the day when Korean Peninsula was liberated by the Allies in 1945 from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule. The day also coincides with the anniversary of the founding of South Korea in 1945.[1] Liberation Day is the only political holiday that is celebrated in both North and South Korea.[2][3][4]
In North Korea,it is known as Chogukhaebangŭi Nal (조국해방의날;lit.Liberation of the Fatherland Day).[5]
In South Korea,it is known as Gwangbokjeol (Korean:광복절;lit.The Day the Light Returned).[6] 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.[7]
Korean Peninsula 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 of which the People's Republic of Korea was established by the Committee for the Preparation of the National government (조선건국준비위원회). The negotiations on August 15th between Lyuh Woon-hyung and Endou Ryuusaku[ja],the representative of Nobuyuki Abe,the Governor-General of Chōsen 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.[8]
United States troops landed in mid-September and occupied the Southern part of the country,declaring the provisional government as invalid.
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.[6][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 Seoul Olympic Stadium and Olympic Park,Seoul are taken down and replaced with flag of South Korea.[7]
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.[6]
The official "Gwangbokjeol song" (광복절노래) is sung at official ceremonies. The song's lyrics were written by Jeong In-bo (정인보) and the melody by Yoon Yong-ha[ko] (윤용하).[6] 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]
↑ 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
↑ Toimela, Markku; Aalto, Kaj (2017). Salakahvilla Pohjois-Koreassa: Markku Toimelan jännittävä tie Pohjois-Korean luottomieheksi (in Finnish). Jyväskylä: Docendo. p.40. ISBN978-952-291-369-2.
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