Daejeon marks Liberation Day with special merch and events

Home > National > Social Affairs

Daejeon marks Liberation Day with special merch and events

Published: 15 Aug. 2025, 15:24

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Bakery chain Sungsimdang's ″Liberation Day Bread,″ jointly developed by the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, is seen at a Sungsimdang branch in Daejeon [KOREA MINTING AND SECURITY PRINTING CORPORATION]

In celebration of the 80th anniversary of Korea’s Aug. 15 Liberation Day, products and events commemorating the occasion and honoring veterans are drawing attention in Daejeon.

One of the most popular is “Liberation Day Bread.” Jointly developed by the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, headquartered in Daejeon, and the city’s famous bakery chain, Sungsimdang, the bread will be sold at all Sungsimdang locations through Sunday.

The limited-edition item comes in a box decorated with the “Denny Taegeukgi” and Liberation Day slogans, containing four of Sungsimdang’s madeleines. Each box is priced at 5,000 won ($3.60).

The Denny Taegeukgi was initially owned by Owen N. Denny, an American who served as a diplomatic adviser to King Gojong from 1886 to 1890. Denny’s descendants later donated it to Korea, and it was designated a treasure. Produced before 1890, it is known as the oldest existing Taegeukgi.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of Sungsimdang’s “Liberation Day Bread” will be donated to the Daejeon Regional Veterans Affairs Office to support the living expenses of descendants of independence fighters in the Chungcheong region who are in financial difficulty.

“Although we haven’t tallied the exact figure yet, it looks like sales reached about 100 million won between the launch and Thursday,” a Sungsimdang official said.

On Friday, Sungsimdang was as busy as ever with citizens and tourists purchasing bread and cakes. The “Liberation Day Bread” counter, in particular, drew middle-aged customers and families, with some parents explaining the meaning of the day to their children and other customers filling carts with multiple boxes.

The Denny Taegeukgi, initially owned by Owen N. Denny, an American who served as a diplomatic adviser to King Gojong from 1886 to 1890, later donated by Denny's descendants to Korea [NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA]

Kim Nam-soo, a resident of Yuseong District, Daejeon, said, “This year marks the meaningful 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule. When I heard about the ‘Liberation Day Bread,’ I wanted to come and buy some myself.”

Another noteworthy product is the “Manse for Korea 80th Anniversary Savings” (translated) account, launched in June by Hana Bank in collaboration with the Daejeon Regional Veterans Affairs Office. The account offers a maximum annual interest rate of 8.15 percent.

Yang Joon-young, grandson of independence fighter Yang Ki-tak, who served as a member of the Provisional Government’s State Council, became the first account holder in the nation during the launch event in Daejeon.

The “Veterans Trail Walk” challenge, held every August by the Daejeon National Cemetery, is also popular as a way to honor veterans in daily life. Participants walk through the cemetery and its surrounding trail to pay tribute to fallen patriots and soldiers, and those who complete the course receive a commemorative gift.

The ″Veterans Trail″ inside the grounds of the Daejeon National Cemetery [JOONGANG ILBO]

The trail, construction for which started in 2007 and was completed in 2017, spans 10.04 kilometers (6.24 miles) and is known as “The Path Angels Walk.” It was designed to preserve the surrounding natural environment as much as possible.

Along the trail are features such as colonies of ox-eye daisies, metasequoia-lined paths, bamboo groves, crape myrtle paths, clay paths, maple tree paths, the presidential burial site and the Memorial Railroad Memorial Hall.

“Since we first began the trail walk challenge in 2023, more than 7,000 people on average complete the course each year, and the number of participants who walk only part of the route is also increasing annually,” said a Daejeon National Cemetery official.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM BANG-HYUN [[email protected]]