[Anchor]
Marking the 81st Liberation Day, commemorative events were held across downtown Seoul. Citizens took time to reflect on the value of their freedom by visiting independence movement historic sites and making Taegeukgi, the South Korean national flag.
Reporter Jeong Jiyeon captures how citizens spent Liberation Day.
[Reporter]
Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
Families visiting the park with their children are visible everywhere in honor of Liberation Day.
Embarking on a tour of independence movement historic sites, they attached Taegeukgi-patterned pinwheels to their bags and explored downtown Seoul spots such as Tapgol Park, where the March 1st Independence Declaration of 1919 was read, and the site of Taehwagwan, where the independence declaration ceremony was held, reflecting on the noble spirit of the independence activists.
[Yoo Young-woo, Yoo Ji-sol, Cho Woo-joo / Gangseo-gu, Seoul: We wanted to learn and appreciate how our country was able to become so prosperous thanks to the hard work of the independence activists...]
[Oh Jung-eun, Woo Ji-min, Woo Ji-a / Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul: We were curious about history and had new things we wanted to know, so we want to learn more specifically about the historical figures.]
Gathered in front of Seungdong Church, a major base for the independence movement, the children shouted, "Long live Korean independence!"
["Long live Korean independence! Long live Korean independence!"]
They also enjoyed participating in an experience where they copied out the Proclamation of Korean Independence at the site of Taehwagwan, which features a commemorative marker reading "Site of the March 1st Independence Declaration."
At Seoul Children's Grand Park, a hands-on event was held to make the Taegeukgi using colored wooden stick pieces.
With their small hands, the children crafted the Taegeuk pattern and the four trigrams, symbols of independence.
[Shim Ye-seo / Seodaemun-gu, Seoul: Making the Taegeukgi is fun. I'm going to hang it up at my house.]
At Bosingak in Seoul, the 81st Liberation Day bell-ringing ceremony took place.
Nine descendants of independence activists and other attendees rang the bell a total of 33 times, followed by joint cheers wishing for the prosperity and peace of the Republic of Korea.
Citizens commemorated the meaning of Liberation Day today (August 15) in their own unique ways.
(Video filming: Lim Dong-guk | Video editing: So Ji-hye | Footage courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government)
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