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The March First Movement, or the Samil Movement, was one of the earliest displays of Korean independence movements during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The name refers to an event that occurred on 1 March 1919, hence the movement's name (literally meaning "Three-One Movement" in Korean). It is also sometimes referred to as the Mansei Demonstrations. During the series of demonstrations that began that day and spread throughout Korea, 7,000 people were killed by Japanese police and soldiers.

Background

The inspiration for the Samil Movement came from the repressive nature of Japanese policies under its military administration of Korea following 1905, and the "Fourteen Points" outlining the right of national "self-determination" proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference in January 1919. After hearing news of Wilson’s speech, Korean students studying in Tokyo published a statement demanding Korean independence. When this statement reached the underground nationalist movement in Korea (which included 33 Cheondogyo, Buddhist and Christian leaders including Son Byong-Hi), the leadership decided that the time to act was nearing. Secret plans were drawn up and information disseminated by word of mouth throughout the towns and villages of Korea.

The uprising was scheduled for two days before the funeral of Emperor Gojong, the last reigning Emperor of the Joseon Dynasty.

Events

At 2 PM on the 1 March 1919, the 33 nationalists who formed the core of the Samil Movement convened at Taehwagwan Restaurant in Seoul, and read the Korean Declaration of Independence that had been drawn up by the historian/writer Choe Nam-seon and the poet Manhae, also known as Han Yongun. The nationalists initially planned to assemble at Tapgol Park in downtown Seoul, but they chose a more private location out of fear that the gathering might turn into a riot. The leaders of the movement signed the document and sent a copy to the Japanese Governor General, with their compliments. They then telephoned the central police station to inform them of their actions and were arrested afterwards.

Despite the nationalists' concerns, massive crowds assembled in the Pagoda Park to hear a student, Chung Jae-yong, read the declaration publicly. Afterwards, the gathering formed into a procession, which the Japanese police attempted to suppress.

Coinciding with these events, special delegates associated with the movement also read copies of the independence proclamation from appointed places throughout the country at 2 PM on that same day, but the nationwide uprisings that resulted were also brutally put down by the Japanese police and army.

However, these protests continued to spread, and as the Japanese national and military police could not contain the crowds, the army and even the navy were also called in. There were several reports of atrocities. In one notable instance, Japanese police in the village of Jeam-ri herded male protesters into a church, locked it, and burned it to the ground.

Before the Japanese finally suppressed the movement twelve months later, approximately 2,000,000 Koreans had participated in the more than 1,500 demonstrations, and 7,000 had been killed by Japanese police and soldiers.

According to Han-huk tongnip undong chihyolsa (한국독립운동지혈사, 韓國獨立運動之血史, The Bloody History of the Korean Independence Movement) by Park Eunsik, 7,509 killed, 15,849 wounded, and 46,303 arrested. During March 1 to April 11, Japanese officials reported that 553 people were killed with over 12,000 arrested while 8 policemen and military policemen were killed and 158 were wounded.

Effects

The March 1st movement resulted in a major change in Japanese imperial policy towards Korea. Japanese Governor-General Hasegawa Yoshimichi accepted responsibility for the loss of control (although most of the repressive measures leading to the uprising had been put into place by his predecessors) and was replaced by Saito Makoto. Some of the aspects of Japanese rule considered most objectionable to Koreans were removed. The military police were replaced by a civilian force, and limited press freedom was permitted under what was termed the 'cultural policy'. Many of these lenient policies were reversed during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II.

The March 1 Movement was a catalyst for the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai in April 1919.

On May 24, 1949, March 1st was designated a national holiday in South Korea.

References

• Cumings, Bruce. Korea’s Place in the Sun: A Modern History. New York: W.N. Norton and Company, 1997.
• Han, Woo-keun. The History of Korea. Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press, 1988.

1. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050797?query=March%20First%20Movement&ct=
2. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050797?query=March%20First%20Movement&ct=

See also

• List of Korea-related topics

External links

• Full text of Samil Proclamation of Korean Independence
• Further explanation including Japanese actions and photographs
• Torture Murder of a Teenage Girl, Yu Kwan-soon
• The Jeam-ri Massacre

• Korean independence movement
• History of Korea
• 1919
• Korea under Japanese rule