Lee Jae Myung attends event marking 100th anniversary of ROK provisional government site in Shanghai

SHANGHAI, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday visited the historic site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai, marking the 100th anniversary of the site's establishment.

"We cannot talk about the history of the ROK's independence movement without mentioning China," Lee said. "Nearly half of the historic sites related to the struggle are located in China, indicating that China was the main stage of our independence movement."

From 1910 to 1945, the Korean Peninsula was under Imperial Japan's colonization. In the year 1919, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was established in Shanghai. The building, constructed in 1925, housed the provisional government from 1926 to 1932.

During his visit, Lee viewed historical photos, documents and maps, and paid tribute to a statue of ROK independence leader Kim Koo, as 2026 also marks his 150th birth anniversary.

Lee expressed his gratitude to China for restoring the historic site and preserving it over the past three decades. Since its opening in 1993, a year after the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the ROK, the site has welcomed millions of visitors and become an important bridge for bilateral exchanges.

"I hope that today's event serves as a precious opportunity for us to jointly review the sacrifices and contributions made by our martyrs a century ago, and to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the ROK and China," said Lee.

Lee paid a state visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday. ■