Commemoration of the Korean Provisional Government

[교육연합신문=이채원 학생기자]

[Resized]DSC00169.JPG

As March comes to a close and April begins, one of the most historically significant days in Korea is quickly approaching. A place in South Korea that commemorates this day is the National Memorial of the Korean Provisional Government (국립대한민국임시정부기념관), located next to Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Seoul.

April 11, 1919, marks the day the Korean Provisional Government (KPG) was founded in Shanghai. From 1910 to 1945, the Empire of Japan annexed Korea and held it under colonization. During this time, Japan implemented harsh policies such as the banning of the Korean language and the promotion of “Japanization”. Due to this, Korean citizens faced land dispossession, forced labor, and economic exploitation, among numerous other consequences related to the serving of Japanese interests. This cultural oppression therefore led to a national resentment from Koreans to Japan, which eventually accumulated to the March 1st Movement with mass demonstrations occurring throughout Korea. This movement served as a catalyst of the creation of the KPG in Shanghai as a way to unify independence efforts and to represent Korea internationally.

[Resized]DSC00174.JPG

For this international representation, the KPG sought out international recognition through diplomatic meetings with Western powers and published materials to raise awareness about Japanese colonialism.

The KPG soon became a symbol of an organized resistance against Japanese colonialism and even laid the foundations for modern Korean nationalism. Even despite its lack of sufficient resources and internal divisions at times, the Korean Provisional Government played a crucial role in maintaining the independence movement in Korea until its liberation in 1945.

[Resized]DSC00180.JPG

The National Memorial of the KPG is, according to its main website, dedicated to the “celebration and promotion of the historical significance and heritage of the constitution”, which includes Korean history and the transformations the Korean regime went through, the origins in the Provisional Government, and the overall national unity that was obtained.

There are four main exhibitions displayed for the public: a special exhibition hall and the Larchiveum, the activities of the KPG conducted to establish the Republic of Korea as an independent country, the activities of the Provisional Assembly of the ROK (the foundations of the National Assembly today), and Korea’s inheritance of the Constitution, democratic republic system, country/era name, national symbol, and national holidays from the KPG.

The National Memorial of the Korean Provisional Government depicts Korean history in a very objective and educationally-interactive manner. It is highly recommended for Korean citizens and tourists alike to all visit once to learn more about Korea’s history and how it has shaped the world today, since such a nationally significant day is coming soon.

이채원 학생기자 emiliewonie@gmail.com 이 기자의 다른 기사 보기