The Ministry of Interior and Safety announced on the 2nd that it will hold a memorial ceremony for the 4.3 victims in Jeju on the 3rd.
The government designated the 4.3 memorial day as a national holiday in 2014 and has been holding the memorial ceremony on April 3 each year.
The Jeju 4.3 incident refers to a tragic event where innocent Jeju residents were victimized during the government's military suppression of leftist forces that caused a collective disturbance after an armed uprising by the South Korean Labor Party in Jeju.
About 20,000 people, including surviving victims and their families, are expected to attend the memorial ceremony.
The memorial ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. with a moment of silence to honor the 4.3 victims. It will continue with flower offerings, incense burning, commemorative speeches, a poetry reading on peace, and family stories.
Family stories will introduce the tales of the third generation of the 4.3 incident victims. This includes the story of Kim Gwang-ik, who was 4 years old at the time, and his grandfather, the late Kim Hee-sook, whose remains were identified through DNA testing after 70 years.
Acting Minister of the Interior and Safety, Ko Gi-dong, noted, "Through this memorial ceremony, the government will strive to transform the painful memories of the Jeju 4.3 incident into the values of reconciliation and coexistence and to embrace the suffering of the victims and their families."