The An Jung-geun Memorial Society on Saturday held a memorial service marking the 109th anniversary of the freedom fighter's death.

The service held near his tomb in Seoul's Hyochang Park was attended by hundreds of people, including students, citizens, patriotic figures and the memorial society's president, Catholic priest Ham Se-ung.

An died on March 26th but the service is annually held on the prior weekend so that more members of the general public can attend.

North Korea's Catholic association delivered a commemorative message to South Korea's memorial society on Tuesday, saying that An who gave his life for the country is a pride of the Catholic church.

It urged to uphold and continue his patriotic spirit and implement inter-Korean declarations through unity and solidarity.

An was executed by the Japanese at a prison in China in 1910 after he assassinated Hirobumi Ito, a four-time prime minister of Japan and the first resident-general of Korea in 1909.