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Historic Anniversary · Written & photographed Jeon Han Illustrated by Manus Eugene
Never to Be Forgotten
Foreign Pro-independence Fighters
Marking the centennial anniversary of the Korean Provisional Government,
the monthly magazine KOREA this year has featured foreign activists who fought for Korean independence.
A combined 89 of them are featured on the website of the Ministry of Patriots and
Veterans Affairs¡¯ Meritorious Deeds Exhibition and Archives.
Their stories and achievements will forever be remembered widely through diverse channels and methods.
Korea has had people in history whose deeds and legacy are so great that they will never be forgotten. Among them are foreign activists who fought for Korean independence in the 20th century.
Albert Wilder Taylor (1875-1948), Frank William Schofield (1889-1970), George Lewis Shaw (1880-1943), Ernest Thomas Bethell (1872-1909), William Alderman Linton (1891-1960), Frederick A. Mackenzie (1869-1931), Fuse Tatsuji (1880-1953), Homer Bezaleel Hulbert (1863-1949) and Horace Grant Underwood (1859-1916) were instrumental in the liberation of Korea from Japanese occupation.
Since March 2019, KOREA magazine has featured these nine foreign activists to mark the centenary of the March First Independence Movement and the Korean Provisional Government. Though differing in nationality, occupation and reason for visiting Korea, all nine had much in common when it came to fighting for the Land of the Morning Calm.
Each was motivated by his religious, professional and human conscience at a time when imperialism represented by colonization was sweeping the world. They witnessed exploitation and the slaughter of both innocents and activists under Japan¡¯s brutal occupation, and let the world know of the horror and injustice of Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Despite suffering strict surveillance and even imprisonment by imperial Japan, the nine never wavered in their efforts to publicize Korea¡¯s plight, and their actions ultimately accelerated the naiton¡¯s pro-independence movement.
Independence with global aid
A search through the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs¡¯ Meritorious Deeds Exhibition and Archives allows the confirmation of names, dates of birth and death, family registries, addresses, honorary degrees and the contribution summaries of the 89 foreign persons of merit who helped the pro-independence movement.
Yet even someone who is neither a historian nor an expert on the movement can easily infer that more than the 89 heroes helped block Japan¡¯s ambition to control the Korean Peninsula and propagate Japanese exploitation and slaughter, as well as assisting the movement for more than 50 years.
Never to Be Forgotten
How such activists are remembered vary. Stories of Kaneko Fumiko and Fuse Tatsuji were made known to more people through the 2017 Korean historical film ¡°Anarchist from Colony.¡± The musical ¡°Seodaemun 1919,¡± featuring the story of Frank W. Schofield, a professor at Severance Medical College, and Albert Taylor, who let the world know of Korea¡¯s true situation while working as a foreign correspondent, ended its successful run in November. The non-governmental organization Voluntary Agency Network of Korea in summer this year began distributing postcards featuring 12 foreign independence fighters across the world.
Such foreign activists should clearly be remembered and honored, and the search for unsung heroes of the independence movement and their stories should never cease. This is because they dedicated their lives to others and the universal value of human rights despite dismal circumstances. And this value will remain unchanged even 100 years from now. Now and forever, Korea and its people will always remember these brave souls who devoted themselves to the country¡¯s independence.
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