Japan colonizing Korea
Japan had colonized Korea from 1910 to 1945, about 35 years. Japan collected the land to extend their influence, they wanted to show their powers worldwide.
Japan is located in the ocean, but Korea is located in the land. So Korea was
really important to Japan, when they needed to go to the land. That's why Korea was
the first country of their plan.
Japan is located in the ocean, but Korea is located in the land. So Korea was
really important to Japan, when they needed to go to the land. That's why Korea was
the first country of their plan.
Behavior of Japanese
(Japanese government-general of Korea)
Japanese established the Japanese government-general of Korea and colonized Korea. Japanese imposed to change Japanism name, they forced to use only Japanese,and taught Japanism education. Japanese troops took the people to jail and tortured them, such as clouted with whip and bat, inflicted electricity to the body, and did a medical experiment on a living body. We called this horrible experiment Maruta experiment. Also Japanese made comfort women for Japanese army for sexual desire.
(Tortured and Comfort Women )
How did the Korean Independence struggle begin?
(provisional government of the Republic of Korea)
In 1918, Thomas Woodrow Wilson who was the president of
America announced an agreement about principle of self-determination of people's attention. It included that each nation could decide their politics and other countries could not interfere in it. It means, powerful nation should recognize their rights to self-determination. This agreement spread out worldwide, and it produced Independence for many countries. It was spread out in Korea also, many people decided to join the Independence Movement. In 1919,Korea established provisional government of the Republic of Korea to make Independence Movement active. Many people who worked for Independence acceded to this organization and worked actively.
America announced an agreement about principle of self-determination of people's attention. It included that each nation could decide their politics and other countries could not interfere in it. It means, powerful nation should recognize their rights to self-determination. This agreement spread out worldwide, and it produced Independence for many countries. It was spread out in Korea also, many people decided to join the Independence Movement. In 1919,Korea established provisional government of the Republic of Korea to make Independence Movement active. Many people who worked for Independence acceded to this organization and worked actively.
Where did Korean Independence movement start
<Declaration of Independence on February 8th>
February 8,1919,Korean students who lived in Japan to study gathered in a church. They heard about Wilson's self-determination and they decided to demand Independence from Japan. So, they wrote declaration of Independence and they tried to send memorial to Japan to announce Korea is Independent country. Japanese troops oppressed this movement, so it ended in failure, but produced the other Independence Movement.
(Korean student who lived in Japan to study)
(Korean student who lived in Japan to study)
<Independence Movement on March 1st>
During colonial rule, Korean was really angry about Japanese colonial laws. Koreans wanted to show their spirit of Independence and they wanted to prove their powers. So they protested through the Independence Movement. March 1, 1919, many Koreans gathered in Pagoda Park. At that time everybody had Korean flags and wore white clothes. Suddenly, one student went up to the platform and declared about declaration of Independence, and then everybody yelled that declaration of Independence for their Independence. Also everybody waved the Korean flag. Soon, Japanese troops reached that place and oppressed that Independence Movement. They killed the people,took the people to jail, and they burnt stores and houses.
(Independence Movement on March 1st)
(Independence Movement on March 1st)
Who were the people leading Korean Independence?
Ahn Jung-geun
Ahn Jung-geun (September 2, 1879 – March 26, 1910) was a Korean independence activist, nationalist, and Pan-Asianist. He worked first in education, later joining the armed resistance against the Japanese colonial rulers.He is known for having cut off several parts of his fingers and using the resulting blood to write "Korean Independence" on the Korean national flag. Ahn Jung-geun assassinated Ito Hirobumi, on the railway platform in Harbin, Manchuria in 1909. After firing upon Hirobumi, he is said to have yelled for Korean Independence and waved the Korean flag. Afterwards a Japanese colonial court sentenced him to death.
Ryu Kwan Soon
Ryu Kwan Soon participated in the protest that took place on 1st March, 1919 in Seoul at the age of 16. The Japanese took her along with her brother because she had participated in the Independence Movement. She had judgment in a Japanese court house. During the judgment, she threw a chair at a prosecutor in court. She was tortured day and night until her death. They forced her to eat rice mixed with sand and debris of iron. They painted coal tar on her hair, pulled them and skinned them off. They burnt her hair in the armpits and the private part with a soldering iron. Moreover, they cut nose and ears with a shaving knife and rid her of all fingernails and toenails. On 28th September 1920, she passed away.
Effect of Independence Movement
Through the Independence Movement,many Koreans had expected and power to continue this movement.Another Independence Movement occurred elsewhere .Also Korea announced to the world that Korea is an Independent country.