President Lee Jae Myung has urged the people to work together to safeguard democracy, saying the “light regained through liberation” from Japan’s colonial rule must never be taken again and the “light defended against dictatorship and insurrection” must never fade again. 

The president made the remarks on Friday in a congratulatory speech at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul, at a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 35-year colonial rule.

Lee said that as the great spirit of the March First Movement during colonial times carried over to the provisional government, the nation regained its light in the end, adding that pro-democracy movements such as the April 19 Revolution and the May 18 Democratic Uprising illuminated the country’s democratization.

The president also said two unprecedented bloodless and peaceful revolutions showed the world that South Korea is a democratic republic where the people’s sovereignty thrives, referring to the presidential impeachments in 2016 and last year.

President Lee also stressed the importance of honoring independence activists and veterans of national merit.

Lee said the government will faithfully document and preserve the history of the independence movement, extend due honors to independence activists, expand compensation for their bereaved families, and actively work to bring back the remains of those who fought for the nation’s independence but died overseas.