1919 Independence Movement Had Global Implications

By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter

As Korea marks the 90th anniversary of its March 1 Independence Movement, scholars at home and abroad are increasingly seeking to interpret the nation's earliest protests against Japanese occupation in a global context.

Kim Hee-gon, a Korean history professor at Andong National University, is emphatic about the importance of assessing the global circumstances surrounding the eventful year of 1919 in coming to terms with the true roots and legacy of the movement.

During an interview with The Korea Times, the historian stressed that the 1919 movement bears several significant implications that give it a unique presence in modern world history.
First, the movement was on e of the first demonstrations of mass resistance from an occupied nation against the sweeping tide of imperialism amid mounting military tension among the imperial powers to expand their colonies, he said.

``As a frontrunner in the anti-imperialist independence campaign, the movement made an important contribution to promoting the universal ideals and goals of mankind, such as democracy.'' Kim noted.

The crusade eventually led to the founding of the Provisional Government of Korea in Shanghai later in the same year. While the historic and constitutional status as well as its role in ultimately achieving independence from Japan has invited contending views over the years, Kim nevertheless asserts that the Provisional Government left behind an unprecedented example in the history of liberation movements worldwide. ``No country under colonial rule had organized its own central government and used it as a pivot to consistently implement independence activities for such a lengthy period of time,'' Kim added.

``It has been a general practice of history scholars to neglect the international background of a specific domestic issue. This is on e of the reasons why the movement has so far been largely interpreted in a local and nationalistic perspective,'' Kim explained.

Kim makes a compelling case that the March 1 Movement should be perceived as a part of worldwide independence efforts that took place in countries such as Ireland, Indonesia, Vietnam, Poland and elsewhere directly following the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918.

``The year 1919 was a critical time for imperialist nations as well as for colonized countries. The end of World War I and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles led to a new world order. It's also important to remember that the movement played a critical role in bringing the issue of colonial independence to the fore at the Paris Peace Conference,'' Kim said.

First convened in January 1919, the conference assembled intermittently in the following years to discuss peace terms following WWI. A Korean delegate named Kim Gu-shik was present to make Korea's case for independence from Japan. Korean independence activists at the time were greatly moved by President Woodrow Wilson's proclamation of the right for national ``self-determination'' at the conference.

``The movement had an impact on China and other Asian countries seeking to make territorial claims against Western powers. There was much relevant press coverage in China around the time it was organizing the May 4 Movement of 1919.'' Also, it was the movement that raised awareness of Korean communities overseas of the issue of independence.

One of the most significant outcomes of the movement is that it laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai in April 1919. ``Over the course of history, it is extremely rare to find an example of a colonized nation systematically implementing independence activities under government initiatives. Although it was a temporary government body, the Provisional Government of Korea in Shanghai dedicated 24 critical years to achieving national independence.''

Though Kim's ideas shed new light on the global significance of the movement, the potential for domestic or overseas appeal of his perspectives has yet to be determined. Korea has generally been negligent of the global context behind the movement, often tilting toward sentimental aspects of the issue.

``Even our own history textbooks don't sufficiently elaborate on the global status and implications of the movement. This must change,'' says Kim. Western scholars tend to be just as careless, says Kim, as they often opt to research historical, cultural and economic legacies of imperial powers on ly. ``Furthermore, Korean historians usually have a hard time in sharing their views with overseas colleagues because of the language barrier,'' he added.

Triggered by the repressive policies of the Japanese occupation that began in 1910, the movement refers to the series of demonstrations that erupted nationwide, beginning March 1, 1919, with 33 core organizers gathering at a Seoul restaurant and officially declaring: ``We herewith proclaim the independence of Korea and the liberty of the Korean people. We tell it to the world in witness of the equality of all nations and we pass it on to our posterity as their inherent right.''

Massive crowds craving freedom assembled to listen. It took the Japanese as long as 12 months to suppress the series of protests in which two million Koreans participated. Though more than 7,000 of them were killed during the course of the movement, it did result in major changes to some of the most oppressive Japanese imperial policies toward Korea.

jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr

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