Everything Korea Office Chat: Korean March 1 Holiday

Monday is a South Korean Holiday that commemorates a nation-wide independence movement that took place in 1919. As a national holiday, many businesses are closed on Monday, and it’s a 3-day weekend.

To share some background, after a decade of the repressive nature of Japanese colonization, on March 1, 1919, a group of Korean activists openly proclaimed the Korean right to self-determination from Japanese rule. This was in part motivated in the wake of the end of World War 1 and the call by American president’s Windrow Wilson for a nation’s right of self-determination — meaning that a nation — a group of people with similar political ambitions — can seek to create its own independent government or state. Wilson’s thoughts were counter to many European powers who at the time still promote colonialism and imperialism.

That said, the Korean declaration led to massive crowds assembling, and although peaceful, soon Japanese police and military suppression turned to violence.

The Seoul demonstrations were met with thousands of arrests and violence. It is estimated that around 15,000 Koreans were injured and around 7,000 were killed.

In turn, those Independence leaders not captured were forced into exile and a provisional government established abroad.

I cannot downplay the cultural assimilation policy that the Japanese would impose over their 35 years rule over the peninsula. Not to mention land-distribution to Japanese landlords and virtually all industries owned either by Japan-based corporations or by Japanese corporations in Korea.

Some that were still in local hands — small businesses — included Hyundai’s founder garage business as well as the predecessor to Kia Motors and their fledging bike component operation-both would eventually take off after Japanese rule.

BTW Japan’s Colonization policies were in many ways akin to the 19th and 20th century forced attempts to reprogram and outlaw America’s Native people's behavior in an effort to “civilize” and assimilate Native Americans in mainstream society.

All said, one positive outcome despite Japanese rule was growing Korean nationalism which we still see today and is commemorated in the March 1st holiday and the shaping of South Korea as a nation. 

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