At a ceremony for the occasion today, President Moon Jae-in expressed thanks on behalf of the nation to the patriots who fought for the country's independence, which was finally won 73 years ago.
He also laid out his plans for the two Koreas,... saying that better relations between them will ultimately lead to complete denuclearization.
Shin Se-min reports.
Korea is celebrating its independence from Japanese imperial rule at the end of the Second World War 73 years ago on August 15th.
For the first time, the official ceremony was held in what President Moon called the "heart of Seoul," Yongsan-gu District -- a place long home to the U.S. military's main base in South Korea, and a large part of which was not administered by the Korean government but by its ally, the United States.
There, President Moon Jae-in expressed his hope of finding the remains of those who sacrificed themselves for the freedom of their country.

"Just as Yongsan was lost to us for so long, the history of the independence movement and its heroes still awaits us."

The President noted that over the past year, the government has been awarding national merits to those freedom fighters, many of them posthumously.
And he promised that everyone -- without distinction to gender or what role they played -- will get the praise and respect they deserve.
Korea's independence movement will reach fruition,... he said,... once the remains of the independence fighters are found and excavated.

"Though political unity may still be far away, true liberation for us will come when there are free exchanges between the two Koreas through the establishment of peace and the forming of a joint economic community."

The President then said that peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula is a promise made to the world by the leaders of South and North,... noting that his trip to Pyongyang will also help continue improving their ties.
The President then laid out his plan for the two Koreas,... saying that his government will begin to physically build cross-border railways and roads by this year.
And he proposed that the South and the North,... along with with the U.S. and four other Asian nations form a "Northeast Asian railroad community."
He did not specify the other four countries,... but they are believed to include China, Russia and Japan.
Shin Se-min, Arirang News.