The government has held a ceremony in central Seoul to mark the 100th anniversary of the March First Independence Movement.

Around ten-thousand citizens attended the event that kicked-off  at 11 a.m. on Friday at Gwanghwamun Square, the symbol of Korean history and democracy.

The ceremony began with the arrival of two separate parades reenacting the street rally cries of “Manse,” or “Long Live Korean Independence.” 

The descendants of independence activists and citizens, including students, read out the Declaration of Independence that was shouted by Korean activists in the historic rally against Japanese imperialism.  

Later, a total of 334 people were given rewards for their patriotic acts. President Moon Jae-in posthumously conferred the first-grade Order of Merit for National Foundation to Yu Gwan-sun, a female activist who played a key role in the March First movement. 

A series of bell-ringing and Manse reenactment events were also held throughout the country to commemorate the independence movement.