To mark the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation, VANK has launched a campaign inspired by Ahn Chang-ho’s vision of democracy and national sovereignty. The initiative encourages active citizen participation in policymaking through two platforms—‘Woollim’ for policy engagement and ‘Yeollim’ for national communication.
Ahn Chang-ho, a key figure in Korea’s independence movement, emphasized in his 1920 New Year’s address that “all power belongs to the people.” Published on the front page of the Shanghai Independent newspaper, his words laid the foundation for Korea’s democratic ideals and later influenced Article 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution: “All power comes from the people.”
VANK highlights Ahn’s statement, “The people are the emperor,” as a powerful expression of his democratic ideals—an idea still relevant today. As Korea faces growing political and historical debates, his vision offers a unifying principle beyond ideological divides.
Through ‘Woollim’ and ‘Yeollim,’ VANK seeks to create a structural foundation for direct public participation in governance. These platforms allow citizens to evaluate government policies and propose new initiatives, reinforcing the principle of national sovereignty enshrined in the Constitution of Korea.
In line with this campaign, VANK has released a poster urging citizens to embrace Ahn Chang-ho’s vision: “Let’s follow the spirit of Ahn Chang-ho as our guiding compass and make people’s sovereignty a reality!” The poster, available for download on the VANK official website and Flickr, aims to inspire widespread participation.
Park Ki-tae, director of VANK, emphasized that in today’s complex social and political climate, Ahn’s philosophy remains both relevant and actionable. By fostering platforms for direct civic engagement, VANK hopes to uphold democratic values and pave the way for a more participatory society.
Youth Researcher Seong Hye-seung echoed this sentiment, stating, “True democracy is realized when citizens are not passive recipients of policy but active contributors to national governance. On this 80th anniversary of liberation, we aim to make that vision a reality.”