Koreans on Wednesday celebrated National Foundation Day. Legend has it that the god-king Dangun founded the nation in the year 2,333 BC.

To mark the occasion, various events were held throughout the country including a ceremony at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Seoul, with some 3,000 people in attendance.

Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik vowed to stand firm against any attempts to take away territories that Koreans have defended for the past 5,000 years. He noted that tensions remain high in Northeast Asia due to the recent territorial squabbles.