the beginning of March in Korea is a time to remember the nationwide movement
for independence that erupted on the 1st of March 101 years ago in not only
triggered further efforts for liberation from Japan's colonization but also
served as an inspiration to other colonized nations today we have dr. Aris
Mennella professor of history at Harvard University who is leading world research
on the year of 1919 and the string of independence movements seen that year
around the world we also have dr. Emanuel his street director of the Asia
Institute here in South Korea thank you both for joining us now first dr.
Kennard reach yes I would first like to ask you what was the context behind the
March 1st movement well it came right after the first world war in a period
where there was tremendous disillusionment with a a culture in a
economy driven by expansion and war and an effort from the Paris Peace
Conference and the efforts people around Woodrow Wilson to put forth a vision of
self-determination and also of humanity coming together as one under the League
of Nations in the specifics of Korea the Emperor coach young died suspected of
being assassinated by the Japanese and the Japanese had two economic and
cultural means been essentially slowly taking over a Korea so it was an effort
both for self assertion of Korea's own cultural and political independence but
also part of the effort to build a sort of a common movement with humanity
around the world right now dr. Mandela as a historian leading research on 1919
what's unique to you about Korea's hammer independence movements what
really sets apart from independence movements that preceded it well there's
a number of different things that set it apart in the Korean context
I think we can say it was the the first national mass movement for Korean
independence to erupt on the peninsula encompassing people from all walks of
life from the educated elites to the common people men and women and from
different parts of the peninsula in the global context
it was distinguished others the fact that it was preceded by a very clear
declaration of independence these these stated aims of the of the protests were
put out were put out in a very very clear fashion which distinguishes it
from many of the other movements and also it was the first mass protest
movements to movement to erupt in in the colonial world after the end of the
First World War I see and actually Korea's independence movement there's
some a movement rather it's in the way fell domestically at the time but it
also served as a source of inspiration for other colonies around the world why
do you think that the Korean model of independence really resonated with other
countries yeah that's an interesting question the Japanese authorities tried
very hard to prevent news and information both coming in to Korea and
also going out of Korea so they really tried to keep the lid on news about the
protests but they failed and it was widely reported around the world both
the Korean birthday yes in the suppression efforts of these protests
including in Europe and in North America and including in other places in the
colonial world so for example in China we know that Chinese nationalists were
looking at the Korean example um where and they were gathering for their own
May 4th movement to about two months later in India in Egypt elsewhere around
the world the news arrived about the Korean uprising and and inspire inspired
other other peoples to to gather and revolt as well I see sorry we've had a
minor lag in the connection there but before we get to you dr. Chris Street I
just have one more question for dr. Mandela so why were Korea's
cries for independence largely ignored at the time around the world despite its
many efforts to reach out to other countries that's a very interesting
question so at the level of of the public's there was actually a lot of
discussion of the Korean effort so there was a bit of support among especially
among missionaries in for example in North America Canada in the United
States for the Korean efforts at Independence but at level of government
governments the Japanese just had a lot more power and Japan had had a
recognized had internationally recognized rule over Korea since at
least 1910 and the governments of the other powers were simply not interested
in in angering Japan by showing support for the Korean effort right and dr.
priest reach now the Koreans weren't liberated until 1945 but you said that
the influence of the famine movement it spread to even Germany so could you
elaborate more on that please well I think when we look at the movement I
mean particularly the the declaration the independence declaration by the
scholar Shane am sun shows a profound degree of sophistication that there was
an emphasis on culture in a sense and I think this is based in the sort of the
tradition emphasis on universal values in in Korea that goes far back in in the
Joseon dynasty that had a it resonated with people and the degree to which the
scholars in Korea and the thoughtful intellectuals involved made articulated
their vision both not only for self-determination for the individual
ethnic group but for this vision of humanity coming together as a whole for
a greater cause this inspired especially in the may 4th movement in China this
idea that we could use culture to offer an alternative to imperialism and
exploitation and it had deep residents often
not so visible on the surface throughout the 1920s and 1930s around the world
right and of course Korea's hamon movement didn't immediately lead to
independence but how did it influence other uprisings and other forces of
resistance in the country that's me yes okay well I mean the China as I
mentioned in to some degree India in the efforts for long term sort of systemic
cultural movements to bring people together as I guess so issues of
identity an agency created inspired by this by the sophisticated arguments made
within the independence movement in Korea had profound impact around the
world and particularly I think it was not an explicitly anti Japanese movement
that and many of the statements made at that period appealed to Japanese
Sensibility there's a sense of reason and civilization that was at the core of
it and also in Korea itself although it was viciously suppressed it never
completely stopped right there were meetings it took place informally there
were groups in Manchuria and Manchuria into China who continued their efforts
and although it was many were put in jail tortured put under house arrest the
movement never completely petered out because I think it was not simply a
political movement it was a cultural civilizational movement I see and dr.
Mandela would there be anything you would like to add to that what kind of
message do you think Korea's independence movement and the others
that followed and gave our world to people today even mm-hmm well first of
all I I completely agree with Professor pastor
Ike the although the movement was suppressed in the in the in the streets
and the countryside of Korea the the color its cultural impact was felt
both on the peninsula and beyond and also the some of the political
structures for example the provisional government that was put in place at the
time in 1919 survived throughout the 20s and 30s and then of course came back in
the second world war and participated that was an important component of the
post-world War two arrangements on the Korean Peninsula so that's that's that's
one impact I think the other one and which is very important I think today is
is to remember that Koreans both North and South participated equally in this
movement it you know the unity of the peninsula was was assumed and
represented in the movement and so I think even today
it's it's an event that's recognised and perhaps even celebrated on both both
parts of the peninsula right even though 101 years later it still leaves a
message of hope well that's where we're going to have to leave the discussion
thank you both so much for joining us for our very first edition of global
insights also thank you to our viewers we hope to see you with us at the same
time tomorrow for more insights from experts around the world in the meantime
have a lovely day or night wherever you are watching us goodbye