March 1: Independence Movement Day in South Korea
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of South Korea.
History Note
In the early 1900s, during the Russo-Japanese War, Japan took over the Korean peninsula. Japanese people oppressed Korean people by limiting their freedoms and economic opportunities. They also restricted the teaching of the Korean language and history in schools.
In 1919 Koreans gathered in Seoul for the funeral of their former emperor, Gojong (1852-1919). A group of 33 Koreans, who were cultural and religious leaders, signed a declaration of independence from Japan on March 1. This led to a series of hundreds of nonviolent protests across the country. Some two million Koreans participated in these actions.
Although the Japanese military used violence to suppress the movement, it led to some moderate changes in how Japan controlled Korea. However, the Korean people continued to suffer under Japanese control until the end of World War II.
After World War II, the northern part of Korea became a Communist country aligned with the Soviet Union. The southern part of Korea aligned with the United States and eventually became a democratic country. Both countries commemorate March 1 as part of their shared history. In South Korea it is known as Independence Movement Day.
People in Gwangju, South Korea, celebrate the centennial of the March 1st Independence Movement in 2019. Photo by Amankgupta / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
Watch this video about Independence Movement Day.
Learn more about South Korea at Homeschool History.
