ID Hospital Korea: Korea Remembers The March 1 Movement

Throughout the weekend, you may have seen mentions of Korean history and/or photos of Korean flags on the social media accounts of many Korean celebrities and Korean flags seen outside of homes and businesses all throughout Korea. This was to celebrate and commemorate an important event known as the March 1 Movement or Sam Il Jeol (삼일절). Though the Korea we live in today is a prosperous and wholly independent nation, there was a period in the mid-1900’s in which Korea was under total Japanese rule.


During that time, which started with integrating Korea economically into the Japanese Empire via the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1876 and the official annexation period from 1910-1945, Japan ruled the entire Korean peninsula. The Japan-Korea Treaty of 1910 conceded sovereignty over Korea by then Prime Minister Lee Wan Yong and elected Terauchi Masatake as the first Japanese Governor-General of Korea. During this period, Japan had full control and power of Korea including all aspects of media, law and government. Japanese rule was characterized by many during that time as strict and oppressive. Thousands of Koreans were arrested for showing even the slightest resistance to authority, especially politically.

The continuous restriction of freedom and representation led to one of the first public demonstrations against Japanese rule by a group of activists that met on March 1, 1919 at Taehwagwan Restaurant in Seoul and read aloud the Korean Declaration of Independence (a more public location was chosen then vetoed for fear that the gathering could turn violent). This document, which was then signed and delivered to Masatake, stated “the independence of Korea and the liberty of the Korean people” and the “yearning for the advancement of everlasting liberty.” When authorities heard of this, the leaders of the movement were arrested and the sought suppression of such activism led to the members’ expatriation into various area of China where they continued their fight for Korean independence.

The simple freedoms that Koreans enjoy today come from a long struggle in which many individuals put aside their fear to come together for the future prosperity of the Korean people. Many leaders and every day citizens were jailed, some even killed, for their actions in trying to bring about Korea’s independence. In commemorating and remembering events like the March 1 movement, which was a catalyst in spurring the Korean independence movement, let’s remember to give thanks, even if briefly, for those who gave so selflessly so that we can be free.