– Jeju 4‧3 Peace Foundation is receiving donor applications from February to late March

An initiative has been prepared to plant camellia flowers, the symbol of Jeju 4‧3, in the Jeju 4‧3 Peace Park in order to promote the park as a scenic spot and publicize the value of peace, a lesson learned from Jeju 4‧3.

The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Jeju 4‧3 Peace Foundation announced Jan. 29 their plan to start the “Jeju 4‧3 Peace Park Camellia Tree Planting Campaign” under the slogan “A tree of camellia flowers, a step toward peace.”

The campaign is sponsored by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office of Education and the Association of the Bereaved Families of Jeju 4‧3 Victims. From February to late March of this year, Jeju residents may apply to donate their camellia trees.

Trees eligible for donation should be native Jeju camellia trees aged 10 years or older, and the transplanting expenses will be covered by the Jeju 4‧3 Peace Foundation.

The tree planting ceremony will be held in March, with major local institute heads and key donors in attendance. During the 71st Jeju 4‧3 Memorial Ceremony, South Korea’s Prime Minister will be invited for an additional planting event.

Anyone who wishes to donate a tree may visit the Jeju 4‧3 Peace Foundation website (https://jeju43peace.or.kr/) and download the application form from the “Notice” section. Applications are accepted either in person or over the phone. The donated trees will be planted in the Jeju 4‧3 Peace Park after an on-site inspection of the trees and consultation with the donors.

Camellia flowers are recognized as the symbol of Jeju 4‧3 because the souls of the Jeju 4‧3 victims fell to the cold ground as silently as the red camellias.

Last year, the Jeju 4‧3 Peace Foundation produced 700,000 camellia flower badges in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Jeju 4‧3 and distributed them across the nation.