Places in South Korea linked to its independence (8)

Palgakjeong is an octagonal pavilion in Tapgol Park that was built in 1902 (6th year of Gwangmu). It is a place where people  gathered and declared the Korean independence movement, on March 1st, 1919, during the Japanese Colonial Period. Palgakjeong has columns on the jangdaeseok (large stone stereobat), and the column head has a plain bracket with a tile roof. Construction of Palgakjeong was mainly led by Sim Uiseok (1854-1924), who was famous for harmonizing both traditional construction skills and modern ones. Tapgol Park was the first modern park built in Seoul. It is uncertain when it was first made, but it is commonly believed to have been built in the 1890s. Mr. John McLeavy Brown, who used to serve as an Inspector General of Customs for the Emperor Gojong administration, first suggested its construction. It was also called Tapdong Park and Pagoda Park; however, it has been called by its official name, 'Tapgol Park', since 1991. 

Tapgol Park was the first modern style park created in Seoul. Opinions are divided over the time of its creation, but it is known to be sometime during the 1890s. It is said that this park was made at the recommendation of John McLeavy Brown, who was Inspector General of Customs during the period of King Gojong. At the time of its opening, a fence was erected around the empty land, some trees were planted and benches were placed. It was such a humble park at the time. From the 1910s, however, more and more facilities were constructed, and it was opened to the public from 1913. Tapgol Park is renowned as being the starting point of the March First Independence Movement where about four to five thousand students gathered on March 1, 1919. They shouted 'Viva, Independent Korea!' There was a siren that sounded at noon and they read the Declaration of Independence at Palgakjeong. The Independence movement started here spread to the rest of the nation. In 1979, the park was repaired and expanded in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the March First Independence Movement. It was formerly called Tapdong Park or Pagoda Park, before it was formally named Tapgol Park in 1991. The area is the site of Wongaksa Temple built during King Sejo's reign. Ten-story Stone Pagoda of Wongaksa Temple Site (National Treasure No. 2) and Monument of Wongaksa Temple (Treasure No. 3) still remain here. Also, there is a relief plate commemorating the independence movement and a bronze statue of Son Byeonghui.

Go Chae-ju, and independence activist, was born in 1861 in Donam-dong, Tongyeong, who was Go Je-sin's third son. He was determined to learn the Western culture to enlighten his people and moved to the United States in 1901. He organized Jagnghoe (Self-Help Society) and united Koreans residing in America, arousing national consciousness. In September 1907, he formed the United Korean Federation in Hawaii and by reorganizing it to the Korean National Association in 1909, he dedicated himself to cultivating the ethnic consciousness. On 2nd April, 1919, after leading the long live Independent Korea Movement at the forefront of thousands of people at Budojeong Market (current Jungang Market) in Tongyeong, he was arrested and suffered from the severe torture during his imprisonment. After a year of the imprisonment, he was released due to his illness but he died in 1920 at his house. He was presented with the presidential medal in 1968, the National Foundation Medal in 1980 and the Patriot Medal in 1990. He has been buried at the Deajeon National Cemetery and his tombstone stands in Wonmun Park in Tongyeong. 

Kim Bong-gyu (1892-1968) is a patriotic fighter who played a leading role in a mass rally held in his hometown as part of the 1919 March First Independence Movement (March 1st Movement). His activities as a freedom fighter also include participation in joint efforts with other patriots, such as Song Du-hwan, Choe Yun-dong and Yi Su-yeong, to collect war funds in the Daegu area in 1920 and send them to the Provisional Government of Korea in Shanghai, China. He later extended his fund-raising activity to the Daegu's neighboring areas' limited wealth, keen in taking part in the pro-independence struggle. Records say that when a man named Gapbi, an agent of Uiryeong Police, sneaked into his house to arrest him with another freedom fighter named Kim Jong-cheol, the latter shot the agent to death. The two fled, but he was arrested with his fellow fighters including Song Du-hwan and Jeong Dong-seok, on November 6, 1924. He was sentenced to 4 years in prison by the Daegu District Court. In 1990, the Korean government officially acknowledged his patriotic deeds by conferring him a Patriotic Medal, the Order of Merit for the National Foundation.

The Former Gyonam YMCA Building in Daegu is a historic site where local community leaders held meetings during the March First Independence Movement in 1919, when Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. The building also served as a venue for various patriotic gatherings organized by local Christians during that period, including the Korean Product Promotion Movement (Mulsan Jangnyeo Undong), the Christian Rural Reconstruction Movement, and the New Stem Association (Singanhoe) Movement. Completed in 1914, the two-story building features a cornice between the first and second floors, and rectangular windows with arched lintels, displaying the characteristic style of unreinforced masonry structures built in the 1910s and 1920s.

On March 1, 1919, when Korea was in the Japanese colonial period, a history-making independence movement occurred and soon spread nationwide. In response to the movement, more than 10,000 residents of Gangneung staged their protest throughout the district from April to May of the same year. This memorial was built to infuse people with the meaning of the independence movement that took place in Gangneung and to encourage the young generation to cultivate a love for their country and people. The committee for the erection of this memorial was organized on August 14, 1998, and it was completed on April 13, 1999, commemorating the formation of the Shanghai Provisional Government. The March 1st Independence Movement in Gangneung was driven with the leading participation of Gangneung Elementary School and local secret societies, including the Gangneung Young Men's Association and the Gangneung Methodist Church. The movement deserves considerable credit for proving the community's independent capability and democratic commitment.

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the March 1st Movement, a.k.a. Sam-il Movement, the city of Seoul has reopened the site of the once Taehwagwan Restaurant (a.k.a. Myongwolgwan Insa-dong branch) as the 3.1 Declaration of Independence Square, which is where the Korean Declaration of Independence was carried out on March 1st, 1919 by the leaders of the Korean people. Stones collected from Baekdusan and Hallasan mountains, as well as from the different corners of the world suffused with the blood and sweat of Koreans, have been brought together to serve as the foundation of the Square. Waters transported from different water sources across the peninsula have been combined to symbolically flow through the Square as the artery of our nation. The three Pine trees and one Zelkova tree represent the 3.1 Movement, and the floor lighting is for the many independent activists who have become the shining light of history. Getting its name from ideas given by citizens near and far, the 3.1 Declaration of Independence Square is decorated mostly with native greens and flowers of Korea, and there is no part of it that is not imbued with meaning. With the 3.1 Movement, the people of Korea have forged a new beginning. The 3.1 Declaration of Independence Square is, the home of our Independence, the home of our Declaration, and the home of Manse, our cries of rejoice. This is from where our history has once again surged forth.

The legal name of the 'Yeoseong Dongnibundongga-gil' (Women patriots Street) is 'Yulgok-ro 3-gil' which is the 440m section from the Craft Museum to JeongDok Library. This is the road where Ms. Cha Melissa (1879-1955), the founder of Kun-Wha Institution which later on develops into Duksung Academy (Duksung Girls' Middle and High School), strives to promote national education during Japanese colonization. It is also the site of the independence movement of KunWha's female students in response to the Gwangju Student Movement against Japanese colonial education. Ms. Cha Melissa's educational philosophy of self-reliance is well reflected in her quote 'Live but by your own life. Think but with your own thoughts. Learn but from your own enlightenment.' With this philosophy, she has contributed her life for female education and national independence, and in 2002, has been distinguished as a Honorable Patriot for National Independence. Following the footsteps of Ms. Cha Melissa, the female students of KunWha autonomously participated in student movements such as the 2nd demonstration in Seoul which was held on January 15, 1930. As a consequence, 21 students have been distinguished as national patriots as of October 2020, acknowledging the significance of young female students participating in independence movements which is unique throughout the history of the nation's independence as well as the development of women's rights. Inheriting this spirit of independence, Jongno-gu has designated the honorary road as the 'YeoseongDongnibUndongga-gil' to preserve the tradition and history of Duksung Women's Middle and High School located along this road, and to remember the brave footsteps of Ms. Cha Melissa and patriots.