The March 1st Movement (삼일 운동)
Today marks the anniversary of the March First Movement, or Sam-il (3-1) Independence Movement (삼일 운동), a series of protests from Korean civilians and students calling for Korean independence from Japanese oppression and forced assimilation. Under the repressive colonial occupation until the military rule of the Japanese Empire, Koreans faced many hardships, including discrimination, lack of governmental representation, and suppression of the Korean language, culture, and history.
Beginning on March 1, 1919, in the Korean capital Seoul, these demonstrations soon swept through the country. Around 2,000,000 Koreans participated in over 1,500 brutally suppressed demonstrations. Over 46,000 were arrested, 7,500 killed, and 15,000 wounded by Japanese police and military before the movement was suppressed 12 months later.
The Sam-il Movement was sparked by thirty-three cultural and religious Korean leaders and activists who composed the Korean Declaration of Independence and organized the mass March 1st demonstration in Seoul, the day of the late emperor’s commemoration. After signing the proclamation, they spread the document throughout townships, where it gained support from thousands of people. These leaders hoped to generate international attention and pressure for Japan to end colonial rule in Korea. During this movement, Korea’s suppressed longing for freedom and justice exploded in the nationwide mass demonstrations, resulting in the largest rally against foreign domination in Korean history.
Although Korea would not gain national independence until 1945, the Sam-il Movement strengthened Korean unity and perseverance, leading to the formation of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai and drawing international attention to the movement.
Today, the March 1st Movement is commemorated by a national holiday to honor those who protested, fought, and died for the movement and to celebrate Korean independence. The South Korean flag is displayed throughout the country, and the Korean Declaration of Independence is read in Seoul, as it was in 1919.
Informational Sources:
https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/koreans-protest-japanese-control-march-1st-movement-1919
https://fsi.stanford.edu/news/centennial-march-first-independence-movement-korea
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/opinion/the-birth-of-korean-nationhood.html
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/korea/march_first_declaration.pdf
https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/HonoraryReporters/view?articleId=168718
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