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Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has selected Jang In-hwan (1876-1930) as the Independence Fighter of the month in consultation with the Korea Liberation Association and the Independence Hall of Korea.
Jang, along with Jeon Myeong-un, is known for his role in the 1908 assassination of Japan lobbyist and former American diplomat Durham Stevens (1861-1908).
Stevens served for Japan's foreign ministry and diplomatic adviser to the Korean government to advance Japanese propaganda in the United States. He was an active supporter of Japan's occupation of
Korea (the Joseon Kingdom). Born in South Pyeongan Province, now in North Korea, Jang, a Christian, emigrated to Hawaii in February 1905, working as a laborer.
A year later, he became involved with the Korean independence movement while living there, and jointed the Daedong Bogukhoe, a local independence movement association.
In March 1908, infuriated by Stevens' remarks supporting Japanese colonial rule of Korea, the association held a meeting with the Gongnip Hyeophe, another association of Koreans to which Jeon belonged.
On March 23, 1908, both Jang and Jeon attempted to assassinate Stevens at the port of San Francisco as the American prepared to embark on a ferry to Oakland to make a rail connection to Washington, D.C.
Jeon fired his revolver at Stevens first, but missed, and instead rushed at him, using his weapon as a club to hit Stevens in the face. Jang then accidentally fired into the melee, striking Stevens twice in the back; Jeon was also shot in the confusion.
Jang was arrested on the spot and held without bail on charges of murder, while Jeon was sent to hospital for treatment. Stevens was pronounced dead in the hospital two days later.
Jang was sentenced to a 25-year prison term and released in 1919, having served only 10 years.
He came back to Korea in 1927 and got married. However, under pressure from the Japanese government, he returned to the United States.
He committed suicide in San Francisco in 1930, and was buried there. In 1975, the remains of his body were repatriated and buried at the National Cemetery in Seoul.
Jang was posthumously awarded the Independence Medal of Honor for the National Foundation in 1962 for his contributions to Korean independence.
gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr
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