This is an aerial view of Tapgol Park in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. (Korea Heritage Service)

By Lee Jihae

The people's cries for independence and freedom resounded nationwide on March 1, 1919. The reading of the Korean Declaration of Independence that began at Tapgol Park in downtown Seoul's Jongno-gu District spread nationwide like wildfire.

This went beyond mere resistance against the tyranny of Japanese imperialism; it signaled to the world Korea's will for independence.

The passionate cries of that day remain deeply engraved in every corner of the nation, and are still alive and breathing today.

Korea.net explores three historical sites in the district to reflect on the spirit of the March First Independence Movement. 

1. Tapgol Park

Jeong Jae-yong (1886-1976) on March 1, 1919, read out loud the country's Declaration of Independence at Tapgol Park in Seoul's Jongno-gu District, marking the beginning of the national independence movement. On the left is Palgakjeong Pavilion where he read the declaration and on the right is the monument inscribed with the declaration's text. (Korea Heritage Service)

Tapgol Park is where the movement and national resistance began. Pro-liberation activist Jeong Jae-yong (1886-1976) on March 1, 1919, read the Declaration of Independence at the park's Palgakjeong Pavilion to ignite the movement nationwide. Many followed Jeong in crying for independence until their throats hurt, and this reverberated throughout the nation.

A monument at the park is inscribed with the names of the 33 national representatives who signed the declaration. All of them were religious leaders, with 15 from the pantheistic faith Cheondoism, 16 from Christianity and two from Buddhism.

Despite their religious differences, they united for national independence.

The national flag Taegeukgi easily comes to mind when thinking of the 1919 movement, but it was absent on March 1 that year at Tapgol, as reading aloud and distributing the declaration was the top priority. As the movement spread throughout the country, the Taegeukgi emerged as a symbol of liberation.

Because the declaration was long and hard to distribute, the flag served as an intuitive symbol showing the nation's identity in a short and simple manner.

The park has murals depicting the independence movement throughout the Korean Peninsula at the time. One shows the scene at Tapgol with protesters not carrying the national flag, but others have them holding it.

Tapgol Park has murals depicting pro-independence activity across the Korean Peninsula, including one at the park (right). (Lee Jihae)

2. Taehwa Building

Taehwa Building in Seoul's Jongno-gu District is the former site of the restaurant Taehwagwan, where 29 of the 33 national representatives read the Declaration of Independence and later surrendered to Japanese police. The painting on the wall of a cafe in the building shows the 29 declaring independence.

Taehwa Building is where 29 of the 33 national representatives who signed the declaration proclaimed the nation's independence. They initially planned to read the document at Tapgol Park and surrender to Japanese police, but were told the day before that students would also gather at the park.

Fearing that the students could get hurt in clashes with Japanese police, the representatives quickly changed their venue to the restaurant Taehwagwan.

The building stands where the restaurant used to be, and hanging on the wall of a cafe there is a painting of the historical moment. Just 29 of the 33 representatives are shown in the work as four could not attend due to lack of notice or preparation for pro-independence activity in the provinces.

3. Susong Park

Susong Park in Seoul's Jongno-gu District was the former site of Boseongsa, a printing store where the Declaration of Independence for the March First Independence Movement was printed. On the left is a stone monument marking where Boseongsa used to be and on the right is a statue of its owner Lee Jong-il (1858-1925).

More than a park, Susong Park is where the declaration was printed for the independence movement.

On the evening of Feb. 28, 1919, the day before the movement began, the pro-Japanese Korean detective Shin Cheol (aka Shin Seung-hee) barged into the printing store Boseongsa after hearing a printing press. There, he found tens of thousands of copies of the declaration being printed.

Boseongsa owner Lee Jong-il (1858-1925) gave Shin KRW 5,000, a large sum at the time, for the officer's silence, but Shin was later caught for accepting the money and arrested by Japanese military police. While being transferred to Gyeongseong, or the name of Seoul when the country was under Japanese colonial rule, Shin died by suicide by jumping off the train.

This park has a statue of Lee.

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