March 30, 2026

As part of its Indo-Pacific Strategy, the Canadian government is dispatching an unprecedentedly large Team Canada Trade Mission to Seoul to strengthen economic cooperation with Korea in key sectors such as defense, mobility, and artificial intelligence. Following the Korea-Canada Economic Cooperation Forum held in Toronto on March 18, the "Team Canada Trade Mission to the Republic of Korea" takes place in Seoul from March 30 to April 2, with dozens of Canadian companies visiting Korea to seek new partners. This schedule effectively turns the entire first week of April into a "Korea-Canada Economic Cooperation Week."

March 31–April 1, 1919

The cries of March 1919 began in Seoul but spread northward, reaching across the border. During this era, one Canadian we must remember is Dr. Robert G. Grierson (February 15, 1868 – May 8, 1965), who served as a medical missionary in Seongjin, North Hamgyong Province (present-day Kimchaek City). On the tense night transitioning from March 31 to April 1, as the independence demonstrations reached their peak, Japanese military police opened fire on unarmed civilians. Countless bleeding students and Christians were rushed to Grierson's hospital. Hailing from Halifax, Canada, he did more than simply practice medicine. He meticulously documented the atrocities committed by the Japanese imperialists and telegraphed them to the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. "They shot children and burned churches." His testimonies acted as a 'lens' that compelled the international community to face the reality of Joseon at the time. Though a blue-eyed stranger, Grierson willingly became one with us on Joseon soil, sharing in our pain.

April 3, 1948

This date marks the beginning of the 'Jeju 4.3 Incident,' one of the most tragic events in modern Korean history. In recent years, there has been an active movement within the Toronto Korean community to remember this day, when tens of thousands of Jeju residents were sacrificed in a storm of ideological conflict. This aligns perfectly with the values of 'Truth and Reconciliation' that Canada strives for. It is evolving into a 'day of solidarity' that reflects upon the universal value of human rights.

April 5, 1951

April 5 is Arbor Day in Korea. It is the day the country began planting trees on bare mountains devastated by the war. An interesting fact is that Canadian forestry technology and tree species later had a profound impact on Korea's reforestation efforts. Canada spared no support, providing various resources to Korea, including pine seeds. The very Canadians who climbed those mountains with guns in hand in April 1951 ultimately helped turn those same mountains green after the war ended. Today, when walking through the forests of Ontario and breathing in the fresh air, one might take a moment to reflect on the now-lush forests of Korea.