National Foundation Day of South Korea

SOUTH Korea yesterday celebrated is Gaecheonjeol (National Foundation Day) in South Korea. It commemorates the legendary formation of the first Korean state of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by Tangun (alternately, Dangun or Tan-gun) which is why it also known as Tangun Day.

One legend has it that Tangun, the son of a god and a bear-woman, was the first leader of the Korean people. Tangun created a system of government that instituted laws and moral codes of behavior and provided his people with opportunities to acquire and develop skills in the arts, medicine, and agriculture. He is believed to have ruled Korea for over 1,000 years before becoming a mountain god. Thus, every year, on National Foundation day, a ceremony to honor Tangun is held at the Chamseongdan altar. This altar is said to have been built by Tangun and is itself a legendary place of worship and sacrifice favored by ancient kings throughout Korean history.

The Republic of Korea is located in East Asia, on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is mostly surrounded by water. To the west is the Yellow Sea, to the south is the East China Sea, and to the east is Ulleung-do and Liancourt Rocks in the East Sea. To the north is North Korea.

The Philippines and Korea have a long history of bilateral relations that dates back to March 3, 1949, when the Philippines became the fifth country to recognize this sovereign state and the first ASEAN country to establish relations with South Korea. The Philippines welcomes Korean companies to be part of the Philippine government’s aim to “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure, and the Philippines’ march towards greater prosperity. The Republic of Korea has an embassy in Taguig City, while the Philippines has an embassy in Seoul and consulate general office in Busan.

Koreans have enriched the culture of Filipinos, with the continued popularity of Koreanovelas that have become staples in most Filipino televisions. It seems likely that these will loved Korean dramas, along with the popular Korean pop (K-Pop) music and Korean cuisines will continue to occupy a special place in the hearts of Filipinos in the next decades.

We congratulate the People and Government of the Republic of Korea led by President Moon Jae-in, on the occasion of their National Foundation Day.