Tracing the footsteps of March 1 Independence Movement: Part 1

This is the first in a three-part series on historic sites in Seoul related to the March 1 Independence Movement in 1919 and other activities for Korea's independence from 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule. ― ED.

By Lee Suh-yoon

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement, which took place in 1919 for Korea's independence from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula.

After the March 1 event, when 33 prominent cultural and religious leaders publicly released the “Proclamation of Independence,” a series of peaceful mass demonstrations took place nationwide. The movement failed to liberate the nation from Japan, but led to the formation of the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai, which functioned as the overseas bastion of Korea's independence movement until the Japanese occupation ended in 1945.

Seoul has many historic sites related to the March 1 Movement and many other independence rallies. The areas near Anguk Station and Insa-dong are where the Proclamation of Independence was secretly drawn up, printed and later read in public on March 1, 1919.

Anguk Station

Interactive boards with the faces and profiles of key March 1 Independence Movement fighters greet you the moment you step off the train at Anguk Station. Located on Seoul Metro Line 3, the station was refurbished last September in commemoration of the movement.

The stern faces greet you again from a glowing LED cylinder as you make your way up to the exit. On one side of the underground hall, an interactive timeline walks you through 100 years of modern Korean history. If you make your way out exit 4, you will see an image of the gates of the former Provisional Government in Shanghai imprinted on the glass ceiling over the staircase.

Seoul Metro turned Anguk Station into a small museum for the independence movement due to its proximity to relevant historic sites. The station offers easy accessibility to neighborhoods like Bukchon and Insa-dong ― the stronghold of various independence activities with schools, religious centers and printing houses.

Choongang High School / Captured from Choongang High School Facebook

Sites in Bukchon

Bukchon, now swarming with hanbok-clad visitors with selfie sticks, was the cradle of the March 1 Independence Movement. A good portion of the capital's residents resided in the Bukchon and Jongno area in the early 1900s, when Seoul was still largely concentrated within its city walls north of the Han River. Numerous schools ― students were the main participants in the March 1 rallies ― and homes of prominent independence activists were located here.

Start the journey with a 10-minute walk up Gyedong Street from exit 3 of Anguk Station. At the top of the hill, you will see the gothic facade of

Choongang High School

, the site where the idea for the March 1 declaration was first sparked with a visit from Korean students studying in Tokyo.

After being inspired by Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points speech on national self-determination, the students drafted the Feb. 8 Independence Declaration ― read out on the streets of Tokyo a month before the March 1 proclamation ― and delivered their plans and an early draft of the Feb. 8 declaration to the teachers and headmaster at Choongang High School.

A memorial stone and statue mark the site of this night duty building where this momentous exchange took place. The March 1 Independence Movement memorial hall located on the school ground is built in the image of this building. Note that school grounds are open to visitors on weekends only.

Site of Yusimsa publishing house, now a hanok guesthouse named Yosimdang / Korea Times photo by Lee Suh-yoon

Trace your steps back down Gyedong Street. Tucked in a small alley to your right will be the old site of

Yusimsa publishing house

, identified by a small plaque on what is now a hanok guesthouse. Famed monk and poet Han Yong-un, one of the 33 leaders who signed the declaration, resided here while publishing a monthly Buddhist magazine called “Yusim.” It was also here Han decided to join hands with leaders of other religious sects to plan the March 1 Independence Movement.

Back on Gyedong Street, veer left while facing Choongang High School and continue south on the next parallel street leading back to Anguk Station. On your right will be the site of the

house of Son Byeong-hui

(1861-1922), one of the 33 leaders who represented the Cheondogyo sect, an indigenous neo-Confucian religion dubbed the “heavenly way,” in the drafting of the March 1 declaration. It is now identifiable by a square memorial stone next to Bukchon Traditional Museum.

Sites in Insa-dong

Now head south of Anguk Station. A two-minute walk from exit 5 brings you to

Cheondogyo Central Church

, where Son and other Cheondogyo independence activists held secret meetings.

Lee Jong-il, another representative in the 33-member council and head of the

Boseongsa printing house

a few blocks away, used to reside in a small shelter on one corner of the church grounds, now used as a parking lot. Some 20,000 copies of the declaration of independence were hidden here in the days leading up to March 1.

Cheondogyo Central Church / Korea Times photo by Lee Suh-yoon

A memorial statue inspired by scenes of protesters holding up the proclamation of independence on March 1, 1919, at the old site of Boseongsa printing house in Insa-dong / Korea Times photo by Lee Suh-yoon

Head down Insa-dong's main road and near the end, on your right, will be

Seungdong Church

where Christian student activists reviewed plans for the Mach 1 Independence Movement and coordinated the distribution of the declaration documents.

Walk back up Insa-dong's main road and turn left to reach the parking lot in front of Taewha building, the old site of

Taehwagwan

restaurant, now identifiable only by a memorial stone. It was here that the national representatives convened at 2 p.m. on March 1, 1919. Lee read out the proclamation and the Japanese Government-General in Korea was phoned and notified that Koreans formally rejected its colonial rule. Japanese police arrested the leaders on site.

Meanwhile, in

Tapgol Park

, across the street at the end of Insa-dong's main road, thousands ― mostly students ― gathered to hear the 33 leaders read out the proclamation of independence. But the leaders failed to appear, choosing to hold a smaller ceremony on their own at Taehwagwan for unclear reasons.

Palgakjeong, or eight-sided pavilion, in the middle of Tapgol Park / Korea Times photo by Lee Suh-yoon

A student leader whose identity is still disputed among historians stood up on an eight-sided pavilion in the middle of the park and read out the declaration. The reading of the proclamation unleashed an unending chorus of “manse,” meaning “long live” an independent Korea.

The protesters then took their chants to the streets, filing past the

YMCA office

and infamous

Jongno Police Station

(now identifiable by a nondescript sign in front of Jonggak Station exit 8) to

Bosingak

, a bell pavilion. Thousands more ― citizens, merchants and visitors from the provinces who were in Seoul to honor Emperor Gojong's funeral scheduled two days later ― joined their ranks. Many of them brought back copies of the proclamation of independence to their hometowns, fueling their own manse demonstrations there.

Protesters eventually made their way down to Daehan Gate of Deoksu Palace, where they bowed to the late Emperor Gojong and split up, some heading to the U.S. Consulate in Jeong-dong and others to the Japanese Government-General building.