A ceremony was held to mark the repatriation of the remains of three Koreans who devoted their lives for Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule.

The ceremony was held on Tuesday at Incheon International Airport for the late Kang Young-kak, Kim Tae-yeon and Lee Jae-soo with some 600 people in attendance, including bereaved family members. The event came as South Korea is set to mark the centennial of the establishment of Korea’s provisional government in China on Thursday. 

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon delivered a speech and said the sacrifices of the patriots should be remembered in opening a new century. 

Kang had supported Korea’s independence movements for some 20 years from North and South America. He also took part in sponsoring the provisional government while residing in Honolulu in 1925. 

Kim had worked in the temporary legislative branch of the provisional government in Shanghai in 1919 and was a member of an independence movement organization that was founded there.

Lee was involved in independence activities in California and provided funds for such activities on several occasions between 1917 and 1944. 

A total of 139 independence fighters who were active overseas have been posthumously repatriated to South Korea.