Korean Declaration of Independence

English version of the Proclamation of Korean Independence, displayed in Tapgol Park in Seoul

The Declaration of Independence is the statement adopted by the 33 Korean representatives meeting at Taehwagwan, the restaurant located in what is now Insa-dong, Jongno District, Seoul on March 1, 1919, four months after the end of World War I, which announced that Korea would no longer tolerate Japanese rule.

As reported by the New York Times in 1919, "Korea has proclaimed its independence. What was formerly the Hermit Kingdom, in this, the 4,232 year of its existence, declares through a document signed by thirty-three citizens the liberty of the Korean People"

This was the beginning of the March 1st Movement, which was violently suppressed by Japanese authorities, as well as the cornerstone of the establishment of the Korean Provisional Government one month later. Nearly thirty years later, Korea's true independence came after the surrender of the Empire of Japan at the end of World War II.

Drafting and Development

The development of a Korean Declaration of Independence started after the heads of the Christian and Chondokyo independence movements combined their efforts for Korean Independence out of solidarity that it was something that concerned the entire Korean race. Initially, the Christian leaders elected to write a petition of two or three hundred influential persons to send to the Japanese government as they felt that the Korean people may not view them as qualified individuals to declare independence. However, when the movements were combined, it was decided both a petition and Declaration of Independence would be developed to help portray a stronger expression of their desire for self-determination, an idea from the Paris Peace Conference that played a role in the declarations content.

The Christian leaders from the outset recognized the difference between a declaration of independence and a petition. A declaration of independence presented the Japanese government with a fait accompli. The Japanese government had to accept it, which was problematical, or reject it and arrest the authors as presumptuous traitors

— Frank P. Baldwin, "The March First Movement: Korean Challenge and Japanese Response"

The leaders in the creation of the declaration realized that this had not been the first attempt at a Korean Declaration of Independence, as students in Tokyo had recently published the February 8 Declaration of Independence.

The first page of the February 8 Declaration of Independence Written by students and presented in Tokyo.

The February 8 Declaration focused heavily on the outrage and frustrations of Koreans by primarily focus on the deceits and lies that led to Korea’s annexation as well as presenting a long history of deceptions committed by Japan against Korea. Ideas relating to liberty, justice, and peace would carry over directly to the Korean Declaration of Independence developed for the March 1st Movement. The biggest difference that the drafters wanted to establish between the two, however, would be that the Korean Declaration of Independence would be a lot more moderate and emotionally detached in the presentation of its content.

The February 8 declaration notably was drafted by students and served as a motivating factor for the March 1 declaration. Son byong-hi requested that Choe Nam-seon draft the text of the March 1 declaration moderately, in contrast of the February 8 Declaration which was more provocative and revolutionary in wording because it was drafted by young students

— Sarah Kim, "Resistance in Tokyo encouraged the March 1st Movement", Korea JooAng Daily (February 17, 2019)

Choe Nam-seon was the primary drafter of the document. He believed that the document had to be moderate in content and peaceful in its appeal in order to be successful in gaining sympathy from Japan and the powers meeting in Versailles. He believed that the world would welcome Korean independence as long as the declaration came off as Koreans simply wanting their country to be free again rather than because they were anti-Japanese.While he didn’t actually sign the document, he was jailed for 2 years as a result of his involvement in its creation. Han Yong-un, a Buddhist reformer, was responsible for the creation of the Three Open Pledges located at the end of the document.He also offered to rework the declaration, but this offer was declined by the other leaders of the movement. Son Byong-hi, a Chondokyo leader, also had heavy influence and prominent leadership over the document and the entire independence movement as well due to his finances and organized network of followers in Korea.It was at Son Byong-hi’s house that the plan of distributing, signing, and reading the declaration was created.

Religious Involvement in the March 1st Movement

All of the signees of the March 1^st Declaration of Independence were religious leaders. Under normal circumstances, the Christian and Chondokyo religions took different approaches to the Japanese occupation of Korea. The idea of the Declaration was brought about by Christian religious leaders who wanted to start a non-violent protest of the Japanese occupation of Korea. While Chondokyo leaders generally wanted to take a more militant approached to the Japanese occupation, they thought it was in the best interest of Korea to form an alliance with the Christian leaders. Together, they prioritized a non-violent approach to proclaim their liberty through the March 1^st Declaration. Due to this alliance, the 33 signees were broken up into three religions. 16 Christian leaders, 15 Chondokyo leaders, and 2 Buddhist leaders signed the Declaration. After the signing of the Declaration, all of the signers were charged with crimes and arrested.

Painting that depicts the Signing of the Declaration by Religious Leaders

“After Ham had consulted for some time with Kil, the two agreed to gather together all religious and social groups in the country. They emphasized, however, that the method of the Movement was to be non-violent.” This quote speaks to the foundation that religion had in the March 1st movement.

Printing

The printing of the Korean Declaration of Independence occurred at Chondokyo run printing shop called Boseongsa, where approximately 21,000 copies of the declaration were printed the day before distribution.It is believed that during the printing process of the declaration, a high-ranking dective from the Jongno Police Station by the name of Shin Cheol raided Boseongsa and discovered the printing of the declaration. Shin Cheol stopped the press, removed the Declaration of Indepdence in front of Lee Jong-il, the president of Boseongsa, examined what it was, and then left. It is believed that when Lee Jong-il reported this to Choi Rin, and Choi Rin then invited Shion Cheol to dinner and gave him money for his silence. There are conflicting accounts whether or not Shin Cheol received the money as Japanese records state that he did, while Korean records state that he did not. Regardless, Shin Cheol remained silent and this incident is believed to be the reason why the date of the protest was changed from March 3rd to March 1st.

Signing and Reading

In total, there were 33 signers of the Korean Declaration of Independence consisting of 16 Protestant Christian leaders, 15 Cheondogyo leaders, and 2 Buddhist leaders.The declaration was read and proclaimed at 2 P.M. on March 1, 1919 at Myongwol’gwan Restaurant nearby Pagoda Park, Seoul in order to avoid violence from erupting between gathering crowds of Korean students and responding authorities.

An English translation of the Korean Declaration of Independence.

Shortly after the reading ended around 4 P.M., the room was stormed by the authorities and all those involved in the signing and reading were arrested. Papers were distributed in Pagoda Park to inform the masses that independence had been declared and the signers were arrested and taken to Cogno Police Station. The paper requested that Koreans avoid violent and destructive acts in response as it would harm the movement and go directly against the wishes of the signers.

Awards for the Signers of the March 1st Declaration of Independence

Independence medal awarded to Korean patriot Chu Fucheng

Since the Korean War, the South Korean Government has given out medals to commemorate people who worked towards Korean Independence. Many of the 33 signers of the March 1st Declaration of Independence received medals for their independence efforts. These medals are given out by the Korean Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. Many were lifelong freedom fighters, contributing to the effort for Korea to gain independence from Japan.

There are two categories of these independence awards. The first category is for people who died as a result of their resistance while protesting at home and abroad against Japan's invasion of national sovereignty. Some signers died due to the brutal condition of Japanese prisons and earned this award for being a patriotic martyr. The second category is for Korean patriots who did not die during their independence work and includes many March 1st Declaration Signers as well. These people are known as persons of merit for independence.

Text of the Declaration

From a transcript of the First Korean Congress:

We, the representatives of 20,000,000 united people of Korea, hereby proclaim the independence of Korea and the liberty of the Korean people. This Proclamation stands in witness to the equality of all nations, and we pass it on to our posterity as their inalienable right.

With 4,000 years of history behind us, we take this step to insure to our children forever life, liberty and pursuit of happiness in accord with the awakening consciousness of this new era. This is the clear leading of God and the right of every nation. Our desire for liberty cannot be crushed or destroyed.

After an independent civilization of several thousand years we have experienced the agony for fourteen years of foreign oppression, which has denied to us freedom of thought and made it impossible for us to share in the intelligent advance of the age in which we live.

To assure us and our children freedom from future oppression, and to be able to give full scope to our national aspirations, as well as to secure blessing and happiness for all time, we regard as the first imperative the regaining of our national independence.

We entertain no spirit of vengeance towards Japan, but our urgent need today is to redeem and rebuild our ruined nation, and not to discuss who has caused Korea's downfall.

Our part is to influence the Japanese Government, which is now dominated by the old idea of brute force, so that it will change and act in accordance with the principles of justice and truth.

The result of the enforced annexation of Korea by Japan is that every possible discrimination in education, commerce and other spheres of life has been practiced against us most cruelly. Unless remedied, the continued wrong will but intensify the resentment of the 20,000,000 Korean people and make the Far East a constant menace to the peace of the world.

We are conscious that Korea's independence will mean not only well being and happiness for our race, but also happiness and integrity for the 400,000,000 people of China and make Japan the leader of the Orient instead of the conqueror she is at the present time.

A new era awakes before our eyes, for the old world of force has gone and out of the travail of the past a new world of righteousness and truth has been bom.

We desire a full measure of satisfaction in liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In this hope we go forward.

We pledge the following:

1. This work of ours is in behalf of truth, justice and life and is undertaken at the request of our people to make known their desire for liberty. Let there be no violence.

2. Let those who follow us show every hour with gladness this same spirit.

3. Let all things be done with singleness of purpose, so that our behavior to the end may be honorable and upright.

The 4252d [sic] year of the Kingdom of Korea, 3rd month, 1st day. Representatives of the people :

The signatures attached to the document are:

Son Byung Hi, Kil Sun Chu, Yi Pil Chu, Pak Yun Song, Kim Won Kyu, Kim Pyung Cho, Kim Chang Chun, Kwan Dong Chin, Kwan Byung Duk, Na Yung Whan, Na Yum Hup, Yang Chun Paik, Yang Hun Mok, Yi Yo Dur, Yi Kop Sung, Yi Muin Yong, Yi Suing Hui, Yi Chon Hun, Yi Chon Il, Yim Yi Whan, Pak Chun Sang, Pak Hi Do, Pak Tong Won, Sim Hong Sik, Sim Sok Ku, Oh Sai Chung, Oh Wha Yun, Chun Chu Su, Che Song Mo, Che In, Hang Yong Yun, Hong Byun Ki, Ho Ki Cho.