🇰🇷 March 1st Movement Day (3.1절 Samiljul) 🇰🇷
Today is the 3.1절(삼일절, Samiljul) March 1st Movement Day(Independence Movement Day) in Korea! Samilijul is the day to commemorate the 3.1 운동(March 1st Movement), the major revolt against Japanese colonialism. Today's post will be about the March 1st Movement, on how it started, spread, and influenced the society.
What led to the break out of the March 1st Movement?
Japanese Empire had colonized Korea since 1910 when the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty was signed. Under Japanese forced occupation, Koreans had to suffer greatly. Military police system(헌병 제도) deprived Koreans of their freedom. Through land ownership investigation(토지 조사 사업) and Oriental Development Company(동양 척식 주식회사), Koreans lost the ownership of the land that had been possessed by their family for generations unfairly and had to become tenant farmers. Koreans also lost the freedom of assembly and association. The newspapers published in Hangul were banned.
#Right of “self-determination” and 2.8 Declaration of Independence
After the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the right of national “self-determination”(민족 자결주의) at the Paris Peace Conference. Self-determination, highlighting the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status without any interference, aroused the independence activists. Influenced by Wilson’s speech, Korean students studying in Japan published a statement demanding freedom from colonial rule on February 8th 1919(2.8 선언). Although the 2.8 Declaration of Independence was restrained by Japanese police, it encouraged 3.1 Declaration of Independence. Meanwhile, Lenin of Russia proclaimed to support independence movements of colonies.
On January 21st 1919, the former emperor of Korea, Emperor Gojong died. Along with grief, a rumor that the emperor had been poisoned to death became pervasive. Koreans suspected Japan of the murder. It was rather a plausible suspicion since Japan's previous attempts to kill the Emperor were well known and Japan had already killed the queen of Korea. The national funeral of Gojong were to be held on early March. Having expected a massive crowd to gather on the day of the funeral, some activists began to prepare for the independence declaration.
How did the Movement start and spread?
#Declaration of Independence
On March 1 1919, the 33 National Representatives(민족 대표 33인) were supposed to deliver the Korean Declaration of Independence(독립선언서) out loud and start the Man-se demonstration at the Tap-gol Park(탑골 공원). However, worrying that the Man-se demonstration might turn into a violent riot, they decided to meet at the nearby restaurant instead. After reading the Korean Declaration of Independence by themselves, they called the Chosun Government-General(조선총독부) to inform them of their actions. The Representatives were soon publicly arrested.
Baffled by the unexpected change of location, the students decided to deliver the Korean Declaration of Independence to the public on their own. Students received the Korean Declaration of Independence from the representatives and a student of Gyeongshin School(경신학교) 정재용 read aloud the Declaration of Independence to the people. This was the first line of the Declaration:
“오등은 자에 아 조선의 독립국임과 조선인의 자주민임을 선언하노라.” (Original)
“우리는 이에 우리 조선이 독립한 나라임과 조선 사람이 자주적인 민족임을 선언한다.” (Modern interpretation)
“We herewith proclaim the independence of Korea and the liberty of the Korean people.”
After the speech, the students started the Man-se demonstration on the streets. People who came to participate in the demonstration along with the crowd that came from all around Korean peninsula to attend the national funeral of Gojong joined the Man-se demonstration. Soon millions were participating. Sound of "Man-se!" echoed in the streets.
#Korea Independence Man-se!
The slogan of the demonstration was “대한 독립 만세!” It can be translated into “Long live the Korean Independence!” People waved the Korean national flag(태극기), their hats or piece of cloths as they shouted the slogan.
After the Declaration of Independence at the Tap-gol Park, the students and citizens started a peaceful Man-se demonstration in Seoul. At the same time, the peaceful demonstration also took place in major cities including Pyeongyang(평양), Jinnampo(진남포), Wonsan(원산). Despite the violent suppression of Chosun Government-General and the Japanese police, the demonstration didn’t stop. Rather, they developed immensely. Along the railways and trunk roads, the demonstration spread rapidly to nearby cities and to rural areas. Students like 유관순 played the key roles in the spread, gathering people in the areas and drawing Korean national flag for the demonstration. As the demonstration prevailed nationally, the participation of laborers and farmers skyrocketed. Late March and early April was the peak of the Movement. Over 1.2 million Koreans participated in around two thousand demonstrations.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary, KBS(a Korean broadcast station) created a site named the Man-se Map(만세 지도) where they displayed a map of Korean peninsula marked with the locations of Man-se demonstration day by day from March 1st. It is astonishing to see how many demonstrations took place all around Korea. Click here to check it out!
Japan tried to suppress the movement harshly. They subdued demonstrations with guns and swords. Many Koreans died of the severe repression. Massacres like Jaeamri Massacre(제암리 학살), where Japanese locked villagers in a church and burned them into ashes, were done. Several thousands were recorded to be massacred by the Japanese police force and army.
What were the impacts of the Movement?
#Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
The movement was the catalyst for the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. After the Movement, Koreans grew increasingly aware of the need for an integrated Korean government. During this period a lot of Korean governments were established but many of them didn't have much power. Three of the most influential governments united to create the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea(대한민국 임시정부) in Shanghai in April 1919. The Government, though it struggled with internal disagreement as the time passed, led many other independence movements.
#국외 영향
Not only did March 1st Movement affect Korea and Japan, but it also influenced other independence movements internationally. The 5.4 Movement of China was triggered by the March 1st Movement. It is assumed that the March 1st Movement had influence on the independence movements of India. Some American newspapers published articles of the Movement, criticizing Japan for their cruel repression and massacres.
The Movement was truly the manifestation of Koreans’ undying will for freedom from Japan. Last year, 2019 was the 100th anniversary of the March 1st Movement and this year is the 101st. No matter how much time pass, the spirit of independence activists will lie within our heart.
시위 demonstration, protest
독립 운동 independence movement
독립 운동가 independence activist
일제 강점기 Japanese forced occupation period
-Written and edited by Admin Yu
