South Korea’s presidential office is considering designating April eleventh as a temporary national holiday to commemorate the centennial of the establishment of Korea’s provisional government during Japanese colonial rule.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Han Jung-woo said on Wednesday that a presidential panel for building a provisional government memorial hall proposed the idea.
Han added that the proposal is under review in order to gauge public opinion.
Following the 1919 March First Independence Movement, a group of independence fighters declared a provisional charter on April eleventh, 1919 including the sovereign name the "Republic of Korea" and the political system "Democratic Republic."
The fighters then established an exiled de-facto government in Shanghai, China.
Since taking office in May 2017, President Moon Jae-in has repeatedly stated the Constitution upholds the legal traditions of the provisional government and that the establishment of the government marks the foundation of Korea as a sovereign state.
An official at the presidential office said the review for the designation of a temporary national holiday reflects the administration's intent to once and for all end disputes over the country's foundation ahead of the movement’s 100th anniversary.