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0#/1 2*,3/#).3 4-5236


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1he flrsL decade of !apanese colonlal rule ln korea was one of harsh represslon. ln 1919, however, a group of
promlnenL koreans secreLly prepared a ueclaraLlon of lndependence re[ecLlng !apanese rule and lLs presumpLlons
and, on March 1, read Lhe documenL aloud ln Seoul's agoda ark. MonLhs of largely peaceful, naLlonwlde
demonsLraLlons followed, ulLlmaLely lnvolvlng more Lhan one mllllon koreans. !apanese auLhorlLles responded
wlLh force, resulLlng ln Lhousands of deaLhs and an even larger number of arresLs before Lhe lndependence
movemenL was puL down. ln Lhe afLermaLh, however, !apanese governmenL offlclals soughL Lo defuse Lhe slLuaLlon
by allowlng for a Llme greaLer korean culLural and pollLlcal expresslon, Lhough calls for ouLrlghL pollLlcal acLlon
agalnsL colonlal rule were sLlll forbldden. 1he March 1 movemenL has remalned a LouchsLone for korean
naLlonallsL senLlmenL up Lo Lhe presenL.



-)+*$,./ 7G+,"H/3 0#/1 2*,3/#).3 (Longer selecLlon follows Lhls secLlon)
lrom !"#$%&' ") *"$&+, -$+./0/",, edlLed by ?ng-ho Ch'oe, eLer P. Lee, and Wm. 1heodore de 8ary, vol. 2 (new ?ork:
Columbla unlverslLy ress, 2000), 337-339. 2000 Columbla unlverslLy ress. 8eproduced wlLh Lhe permlsslon of Lhe
publlsher. All rlghLs reserved.


!"#$%&%'()* ), -*."/"*."*#" 01%&#2 34 35356

We hereby decIare lhal Korea is an indeendenl slale and lhal Korean are a seIf-
governing eoIe. We rocIaim il lo lhe nalions of lhe vorId in affirmalion of lhe rinciIe of
lhe equaIily of aII nalions, and ve rocIaim il lo our oslerily, reserving in ereluily lhe righl
of nalionaI survivaI. We make lhis decIaralion on lhe slrenglh of five lhousand years of hislory
as an exression of lhe devolion and IoyaIly of lvenly miIIion eoIe. .

!"#$%&'$()* ,- .$%/0-1 0234

2*,3/#).I

1. WhaL presumpLlons underlle Lhe auLhors' call for korea's lndependence?


!"#$%"& ()*"+, -)+*$,./ 0#/1 2*,3/#).3 4-5236 ). -789:;:<=>? >@ =?-7!7?-7?87 4A:;8B CD CECE6

:3#% J)" 7F*+%/)"3 K 8)K*$L#% M.#N,"3#/& K 1//HIOO%J,P,%3#%P+)K*$L#%P,F* !%Q, R )J S
9).Q," (,K,+/#).
lrom !"#$%&' ") *"$&+, -$+./0/",, edlLed by ?ng-ho Ch'oe, eLer P. Lee, and Wm. 1heodore de 8ary, vol. 2 (new ?ork:
Columbla unlverslLy ress, 2000), 337-339. 2000 Columbla unlverslLy ress. 8eproduced wlLh Lhe permlsslon of Lhe
publlsher. All rlghLs reserved.


!"#$%&%'()* ), -*."/"*."*#" 01%&#2 34 35356

We hereby decIare lhal Korea is an indeendenl slale and lhal Koreans are a seIf-
governing eoIe. We rocIaim il lo lhe nalions of lhe vorId in affirmalion of lhe rinciIe of
lhe equaIily of aII nalions, and ve rocIaim il lo our oslerily, reserving in ereluily lhe righl
of nalionaI survivaI. We make lhis decIaralion on lhe slrenglh of five lhousand years of hislory
as an exression of lhe devolion and IoyaIly of lvenly miIIion eoIe. We cIaim indeendence
in lhe inleresl of lhe elernaI and free deveIomenl of our eoIe and in accordance vilh lhe
greal movemenl for vorId reform based uon lhe avakening conscience of mankind. This is lhe
cIear command of heaven, lhe course of our limes, and a Iegilimale manifeslalion of lhe righl of
aII nalions lo coexisl and Iive in harmony. Nolhing in lhe vorId can suress or bIock il.
Ior lhe firsl lime in severaI lhousand years, ve have suffered lhe agony of aIien
suression for a decade, becoming a viclim of lhe oIicies of aggression and coercion, vhich
are reIics from a bygone era. Hov Iong have ve been derived of our righl lo exisl` Hov Iong
has our siriluaI deveIomenl been hamered` Hov Iong have lhe oorlunilies lo conlribule
our crealive vilaIily lo lhe deveIomenl of vorId cuIlure been denied us`
AIas! In order lo reclify asl grievances, free ourseIves from resenl hardshis, eIiminale
fulure lhreals, slimuIale and enhance lhe veakened conscience of our eoIe, eradicale lhe
shame lhal befeII our nalion, ensure roer deveIomenl of human dignily, avoid Ieaving
humiIialing Iegacies lo our chiIdren, and usher in Iasling and comIele hainess for our
oslerily, lhe mosl urgenl lask is lo firmIy eslabIish nalionaI indeendence. Today vhen human
nalure and conscience are Iacing lhe forces of |uslice and humanily on our side, if every one of
our lvenly miIIion eoIe arms himseIf for ballIe, vhom couId ve nol defeal and vhal couId
ve nol accomIish`
We do nol inlend lo accuse }aan of infideIily for ils vioIalion of various soIemn lrealy
obIigalions since lhe Trealy of Amily of 1876. }aan's schoIars and officiaIs, induIging in a
conqueror's exuberance, have denigraled lhe accomIishmenls of our anceslors and lrealed our
civiIized eoIe Iike barbarians. Desile lheir disregard for lhe ancienl origins of our sociely
and lhe briIIianl siril of our eoIe, ve shaII nol bIame }aan, ve musl firsl bIame ourseIves
before finding fauIl vilh olhers. ecause of lhe urgenl need for remedies for lhe robIems of
loday, ve cannol afford lhe lime for recriminalions over asl vrongs.
Our lask loday is lo buiId u our ovn slrenglh, nol lo deslroy olhers. We musl charl a
nev course for ourseIves in accord vilh lhe soIemn diclales of conscience, nol maIign and re|ecl
olhers for reasons of asl enmily or momenlary assions. In order lo reslore naluraI and |usl
condilions, ve musl remedy lhe unnaluraI and un|usl condilions broughl aboul by lhe Ieaders
of }aan, vho are chained lo oId ideas and oId forces and viclimized by lheir obsession vilh
gIory.
!"#$%"& ()*"+, -)+*$,./ 0#/1 2*,3/#).3 4-5236 ). -789:;:<=>? >@ =?-7!7?-7?87 4A:;8B CD CECE6

:3#% J)" 7F*+%/)"3 K 8)K*$L#% M.#N,"3#/& K 1//HIOO%J,P,%3#%P+)K*$L#%P,F* !%Q, T )J S
Irom lhe oulsel lhe union of lhe lvo counlries did nol emanale from lhe vishes of lhe
eoIe, and ils oulcome has been oressive coercion, discriminalory in|uslice, and fabricalion
of slalislicaI dala, lhereby deeening lhe elernaIIy irreconciIabIe chasm of iII viII belveen lhe
lvo nalions. To correcl asl mislakes and oen a nev hase of friendshi based uon genuine
underslanding and symalhy is lhis nol lhe easiesl vay lo avoid disasler and invile bIessing`
The ensIavemenl of lvenly miIIion resenlfuI eoIe by force does nol conlribule lo Iasling eace
in lhe Iasl. Il deeens lhe fear and susicion of }aan by lhe four hundred miIIion Chinese vho
conslilule lhe main axis for slabiIily in lhe Iasl, and il viII Iead lo lhe lragic dovnfaII of aII
nalions in our region. Indeendence for Korea loday shaII nol onIy enabIe Koreans lo Iead a
normaI, roserous Iife, as is lheir due, il viII aIso guide }aan lo Ieave ils eviI alh and
erform ils greal lask of suorling lhe cause of lhe Iasl, Iiberaling China from a gnaving
uneasiness and fear and heIing lhe cause of vorId eace and hainess for mankind, vhich
deends grealIy on eace in lhe Iasl. Hov can lhis be considered a lriviaI issue of mere
senlimenl`
ehoId! A nev vorId is before our eyes. The days of force are gone, and lhe days of
moraIily are here. The siril of humanily, nurlured lhroughoul lhe asl cenlury, has begun
casling ils rays of nev civiIizalion uon human hislory. A nev sring has arrived romling
lhe myriad forms of Iife lo come lo Iife again. The asl vas a lime of freezing ice and snov,
slifIing lhe brealh of Iife, lhe resenl is a lime of miId breezes and varm sunshine,
reinvigoraling lhe siril. Iacing lhe relurn of lhe universaI cycIe, ve sel forlh on lhe changing
lide of lhe vorId. Nolhing can make us hesilale or fear.
We shaII safeguard our inherenl righl lo freedom and en|oy a Iife of roserily, ve shaII
aIso make use of our crealivily, enabIing our nalionaI essence lo bIossom in lhe vernaI varmlh.
We have arisen nov. Conscience is on our side, and lrulh guides our vay. AII of us, men and
vomen, young and oId, have firmIy Iefl behind lhe oId nesl of darkness and gIoom and head
for |oyfuI resurreclion logelher vilh lhe myriad Iiving lhings. The sirils of lhousands of
generalions of our anceslors rolecl us, lhe rising lide of vorId consciousness shaII assisl us.
Once slarled, ve shaII sureIy succeed. Wilh lhis hoe ve march forvard.

!"#$$ &'$( )*$+,$-
1. Our aclion loday reresenls lhe demand of our eoIe for |uslice, humanily, survivaI,
and dignily. Il manifesls our siril of freedom and shouId nol engender anliforeign
feeIings.
2. To lhe Iasl one of us and lo lhe Iasl momenl ossibIe, ve shaII unhesilalingIy ubIicize
lhe vievs of our eoIe, as is our righl.
3. AII our aclions shouId scruuIousIy uhoId ubIic order, and our demands and our
alliludes musl be honorabIe and urighl.

!"#$%&'$()* ,- .$%/0-1 0234

!"#$%"& ()*"+, -)+*$,./ 0#/1 2*,3/#).3 4-5236 ). -789:;:<=>? >@ =?-7!7?-7?87 4A:;8B CD CECE6

:3#% J)" 7F*+%/)"3 K 8)K*$L#% M.#N,"3#/& K 1//HIOO%J,P,%3#%P+)K*$L#%P,F* !%Q, S )J S


2*,3/#).3I

1. WhaL presumpLlons underlle Lhe auLhors' call for korea's lndependence?
2. WhaL faulL do Lhe auLhors flnd wlLh !apan, and whaL faulL do Lhey flnd wlLh
koreans Lhemselves? WhaL paLh(s) Lo Lhe fuLure do Lhey suggesL?
3. Pow would Lhe auLhors respond Lo Lhe [usLlflcaLlons offered by !apanese
offlclals (such as komaLsu Mldorl) for Lhe colonlzaLlon of korea?
4. WhaL role do Lhey see for !apan, should lL abandon lLs colonlal clalm on
korea?