Independence Movement Day

On March 1, 1919, a Declaration of Independence from Japanese rule was read in Tapgol Park, Seoul. 33 signed the declaration and all 33 were arrested and sent to Seodaemun prison as political prisoners.

To this day the declaration is read in Tapgol Park every March 1 to commemorate the fight from Japanese colonialism. We went by to check out the festivities.

There was traditional dancing, singing of all four verses of the national anthem and of course the speech itself. The most emotive part of the ceremony was the painting of the Japanese flag accompanied by a drum beat, before defacing it with blue paint.

On talking to various Korean people about their attitudes towards their neighbours, it seems that in reality the background of the relationship between the countries does not spark bias against their Japanese friends. However, despite individual acceptance of the Japanese, deep emotional conflict against the nation clearly remains.

The defacing of the Japanese flag