The Start of a Movement: Freedom Organizations

Do you know about the legendary March 1st Independence Movement that happened in Korea in 1919? The March 1st Movement was the biggest independence protest in the peninsula and thousands of people were involved in spreading the spirit of Korean independence. However, the independence movement was active well before the March 1st Movement of 1919. Most independence activists formed or were involved with independence activism organizations. A lot of the early organizations were directly or indirectly related to the Emperor of Korea, King Gojong. Some organizations tried to participate in international conferences and foreign relations to ask for help in removing the Japanese imperial presence from the peninsula. Other organizations participated in small battles and warfare with the Japanese imperial army in manchuria. Most Korean independence organizations emerged in the early 20th century. Because the Japanese occupation began shortly after the Hague conference of 1908, Independence activists within the peninsula began secretly forming independence alliances and organizations to protect the Korean government system and the spirit of Korean independence during the occupation.

In 1886, the traditional Korean society, the slave system, and the aristocratic system, collapsed. This allowed independence activists to emerge from various backgrounds. In September 1912, Lim Byeong-chan, once a Nak-an county representative for Joseon, secretly organized the Independence Army in Jeolla Province secretly, under the secret orders by Gojong. Lim Byeong-chan was already engaged in several independence movements. In 1906, he raised a righteous army at the Museongseowon Confucian Academy in Jeongeup. In addition, he led the soldiers in charge of guard duty, military strength, and training. In June of the same year, he was captured by Japanese soldiers while fighting in the Sunchang battle. After returning to Seoul, he was sentenced to two years in captivity and exiled to Daemado Island. After returning to mainland, he went into hiding and raised funds for the righteous army again. Then, he was secretly ordered by Emperor Gojong to appoint an independence army. Along with Yi Myeong-sang and Yi In-soon, the government expanded the military of independence into a nationwide organization to create a military branch of Korean independence. Lim Byeong-chan’s military sent a request to Japan’s Prime Minister and the “sub-Chosun Governor-General’s Office” to return national sovereignty.

Written by: Kamilah Dreux

Originally from Washington D.C , Current 4th year university student, Candidate for a Bachelor of Arts in Korean Language Flagship and Korean History at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Exchange student at Korea University and Intern at VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea).