The Korean independence movement was a military and diplomatic campaign to achieve the independence of Korea from Japan. After the Japanese

annexation of Korea Annexation ( Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal ac ...

in 1910, Korea's domestic resistance peaked in the

March 1st Movement The March 1st Movement, also known as the Sam-il (3-1) Movement (Hangul: 삼일 운동; Hanja: 三一運動), was a protest movement by Korean people and students calling for independence from Japan in 1919, and protesting forced assimilation ...

of 1919, which was crushed and sent Korean leaders to flee into China. In China, Korean independence activists built ties with the National Government of the Republic of China which supported the

Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea The Korean Provisional Government (KPG), formally the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a partially recognized Korean government-in-exile based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the period of Japanese co ...

(KPG), as a government in exile. At the same time, the

Korean Liberation Army The Korean Liberation Army, also known as the Korean Restoration Army established on September 17, 1940, in Chungking, China, was the armed force of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. Its commandant was General Ji Cheong-cheon, ...

, which operated under the Chinese National Military Council and then the KPG, led attacks against Japan. After the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, China became one of the

Allies of World War II The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during the Second World War (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers, led by Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy ...

. In the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...

, China attempted to use this influence to assert Allied recognition of the KPG. However, the United States was skeptical of Korean unity and readiness for independence, preferring an international

trusteeship Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, is a synonym for anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility to t ...

-like solution for the Korean Peninsula. Although China achieved agreement by the Allies on eventual Korean independence in the Cairo Declaration of 1943, continued disagreement and ambiguity about the postwar Korean government lasted until the

Soviet–Japanese War The Soviet–Japanese War (russian: Советско-японская война; ja, ソ連対日参戦, soren tai nichi sansen, Soviet Union entry into war against Japan), known in Mongolia as the Liberation War of 1945 (), was a military ...

of 1945 created a ''

de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...

'' division of Korea into Soviet and American zones, eventually leading to the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

(1950-1953). August 15, the date of the Surrender of Japan in 1945, is an annual holiday called '' Gwangbokjeol'' ("Restoration of Light Day") in

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

, and ''Chogukhaebangŭi nal'' ("Fatherland Liberation Day") in

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...

History

Before Japanese rule

The last independent Korean monarchy, the Joseon dynasty, lasted over 500 years (from 1392 to 1910), both as the Joseon Kingdom and later as the

Empire of Korea The Korean Empire () was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910. During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the Gwan ...

. Its international status and policies were conducted primarily through careful diplomatic maneuvering with the power ''en vogue'' in China (during this period of time dynastic control of China saw the end of the

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fift ...

and the rise and fall of both the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han peo ...

and the Qing dynasty), though other interactions with other international entities were not absent. Through this maneuvering and a dedicated adherence to strict

Neo-Confucianist Neo-Confucianism (, often shortened to ''lǐxué'' 理學, literally "School of Principle") is a moral, ethical, and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, and originated with Han Yu (768–824) and Li Ao (772–841) in th ...

foreign and domestic policies, Joseon Korea retained control over its internal affairs and relative international autonomy though technically a suzerain of the ruling Chinese dynasties for most of this period under the Chinese tributary system. These policies were effective in maintaining Korea's relative independence and domestic autonomy in spite of a number of regional upheavals and a number of invasions (including the

Japanese invasions of Korea Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

from 1592–98 as well as the First and Second Manchu invasions of Korea). However, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the increase of

Western imperialism Imperialism is the state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas, often through employing hard power (economic and ...

, the weakening of China also made Korea vulnerable to foreign maneuvering and encroachment, both as a target in and of itself and as a stepping-stone to the "larger prize" of China. This period (roughly from 1870 until annexation by Japan in 1910) was marked in Korea by major upheavals, many intrigues, the inability of Joseon Korea and the later Empire of Korea to right itself amidst all of the maneuvering around it by foreign powers, numerous revolts, and other indicators of a turbulent time. By the end of the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895 it was evident internationally that China could no longer protect its foreign interests, much less its own, against its opponents, and that its attempts to modernize its military and institutions were unsuccessful. Among other things, the Treaty of Shimonoseki that ended the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895 stipulated that China would relinquish suzerainty and influence over Korea, recognize Korea's full independence and autonomy, and end the tribute system which had linked China and Korea for many centuries. In practical reality, this stipulation implied the handover of primary outside influence in Korea from China to Japan, as Japanese forces had occupied positions in the Korean Peninsula during the course of the war. This paved the way for the Japanese government to tighten its influence on Korea without official Chinese intervention. Korea was declared to be an empire in 1897 to put King Gojong on equal legal footing with his neighboring sovereigns and to fully sever Korea's superficial ties of suzerainty to China, however In 1905 the Eulsa Treaty made the Empire of Korea a protectorate of Japan. In 1907, the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907 stipulated that Korea's policies would be enacted and enforced under the guidance of the Japanese resident general; and in 1910, through the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty, Japan officially declared its annexation of Korea, a move for which Japan had been preparing for an extended period of time. All of these treaties were procured under duress, and Emperor Sunjong of Korea refused to sign them and considered them illegal and not binding (though he had no real power to oppose its enactment and enforcement). Notably, both the 1905 treaty (and by extension the 1907 treaty) and the 1910 annexation treaty were declared "already null and void" when the normalization of relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan was negotiated in 1965.

Japanese rule

The period of Japanese colonial rule that ensued was oppressive to a far-reaching degree, giving rise to many Korean

resistance movements A resistance movement is an organized effort by some portion of the civil population of a country to withstand the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability. It may seek to achieve its objectives ...

. By 1919 these became nationwide, marked by what became known as the

. Japanese rule was oppressive but changed over time. Initially, there was very harsh repression in the decade following annexation. Japan's rule was markedly different than in its other colony, Formosa. This period is referred to as ''amhukki'' (the dark period) in Korean historiography and common parlance in Korea. Tens of thousands of Koreans were arrested by the Japanese colonial administration for political reasons. The harshness of Japanese rule increased support for the Korean independence movement. Many Koreans left the Korean Peninsula for Manchuria and

Primorsky Krai Primorsky Krai (russian: Приморский край, r=Primorsky kray, p=prʲɪˈmorskʲɪj kraj), informally known as Primorye (, ), is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia, located in the Far East region of the country and is a part of t ...

in Russia, some of whom formed resistance groups and societies in Manchuria to fight for Korean independence. Koreans also carried out armed struggles against Japanese forces in Manchuria and Korea. In 1919 and 1920s, Korean independence army units engaged in resistance activities in Manchuria, which traveled across the Korean-Chinese border, using guerrilla warfare to fight against the Japanese army. Some went to Japan, where groups agitated clandestinely. There was a prominent group of Korean Communists in Japan, who were in danger for their political activities. Partly due to Korean opposition to Japanese colonial policies, this was followed by a relaxation of some harsh policies. The Korean crown prince married the Japanese princess Nashimoto. The ban on Korean newspapers was lifted, allowing publication of '' Choson Ilbo'' and '' The Dong-a Ilbo''. Korean government workers received the same wages as Japanese officials, though the Japanese officials received bonuses the Koreans did not. Whippings were eliminated for minor offenses but not for others. Laws interfering with burial, slaughtering of animals, peasant markets, or traditional customs were removed or changed. After the Peace Preservation Law of 1925, some freedoms were restricted. Then, in the lead up to the invasion of China and World War II, the harshness of Japanese rule increased again.

World War II diplomacy

Although the Empire of Japan had invaded and occupied northeast China from 1931, the Nationalist Government of China avoided declaring war on Japan until the Empire directly attacked Beijing in 1937, sparking the

. After the United States declared war on Japan in 1941, China became an Ally of World War II, and tried to exercise its influence within the group to support Pan-Asian and nationalist movements, which included stipulating a demand of the complete surrender of Japan and immediate independence of Korea afterwards. China tried to promote the legitimacy of the Provisional Government of Korea (KPG), which was established by Korean exiles in China after the suppression of the March 1st Movement in Korea. The KPG was ideologically aligned with the Chinese government of the time, as independence leader

Kim Gu Kim Gu (, ; August 29, 1876 – June 26, 1949), also known by his pen name Baekbeom (백범; ), was a Korean statesman. He was the sixth, ninth, and president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea; a leader of the Korean indepen ...

had agreed to Chiang Kai-shek's suggestion to adopt the Chinese Three Principles of the People program in exchange for financial aid. At the same time, China supported the leftist independence leader

Kim Won-bong Kim Won-bong (김원봉, 金元鳳 – 1958) was a Korean anarchist, independence activist, communist, and statesman from North Korea. Biography Kim Won-bong was born in 1898, in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-Do province, Korea. His father was Kim Ju ...

and convinced the two Kims to form the unified

(KLA). Under the terms in which the KLA was allowed to operate in China, it became an auxiliary of China's National Revolutionary Army until 1945. China's National Military Council had also decided that "complete independence" for Korea was China's fundamental Korean policy; otherwise, the government in Chongqing tried to unify the warring Korean factions. Although Chiang and Korean leaders like Syngman Rhee tried to influence the U.S. State Department to support Korean independence and recognize the KPG, the Far Eastern Division was skeptical. Its argument was that the

Korean people Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply refer ...

"were emasculated politically" after decades of Japanese rule, and showed too much disunity, preferring a condominium solution for Korea that involved the Soviets. China was adamantly opposed to Soviet influence in Korea after hearing about Soviet atrocities in Poland since its liberation. By the Cairo Conference, the US and China came to agree on Korean independence "in due course", with China still pressing for immediate recognition of the exile government and a tangible date for independence. After Soviet-American relations deteriorated, on August 10, 1945 the United States Department of War agreed that China should land troops in Pusan, Korea from which to prevent a Soviet takeover. However, this turnaround was too late to prevent the division of Korea, as the Red Army quickly occupied northern Korea that same month.

Ideologies and concerns

Although there were many separate movements against colonial rule, the main ideology or purpose of the movement was to free Korea from the Japanese military and political rule. Koreans were concerned with alien domination and Korea’s state as a colony. They desired to restore Korea's independent political sovereignty after Japan invaded the weakened and partially modernized Korean Empire. This was the result of Japan's political maneuvers to secure international approval for the annexation of treaty annexing Korea. During the independence movement, the rest of the world viewed what was occurring in Korea as an

anti-imperialist Anti-imperialism in political science and international relations is a term used in a variety of contexts, usually by nationalist movements who want to secede from a larger polity (usually in the form of an empire, but also in a multi-ethnic so ...

anti-militarist Antimilitarism (also spelt anti-militarism) is a doctrine that opposes war, relying heavily on a critical theory of imperialism and was an explicit goal of the First and Second International. Whereas pacifism is the doctrine that disputes (esp ...

, and an anti-Japanese resistance movement. Koreans, however, saw the movement as a step to free Korea from the Japanese military rule. The South Korean government has been criticized as recently as 2011 for not accepting Korean socialists who fought for Korean independence.

Tactics

There was no main strategy or tactic that was prevalent throughout the resistance movement, but there were stages where certain tactics or strategies were prominent. From 1905 to 1910, most of the movement’s activities were closed off to the elite class or rare scholar. During this time, militaristic and violent attempts were taken to resist the Japanese including assassination. Most of the attempts were disorganized, scattered, and leaderless to prevent arrests and surveillance by the Japanese. From 1910 to 1919, was a time of education during the colonial era. Many Korean textbooks on grammar and spelling were circulated in schools. It started the trend of intellectual resistance to Japanese colonial rule. This period, along with Woodrow Wilson’s progressive principles abroad, created an aware, nationalist, and eager student population. After the

March 1st movement The March 1st Movement, also known as the Sam-il (3-1) Movement (Hangul: 삼일 운동; Hanja: 三一運動), was a protest movement by Korean people and students calling for independence from Japan in 1919, and protesting forced assimilation ...

of 1919, strikes became prominent in the movement. Up to 1945, universities were used as a haven and source of students who further supported the movement. This support system led to the improvement of school facilities. From 1911 to 1937, Korea was dealing with economic problems (with the rest of the world, going through the Great Depression after World War I). There were many labor complaints that contributed to the grievances against Japan’s colonial rule. During this period, there were 159,061 disputes with workers concerned with wages and 1018 disputes involving 68,686 farmers in a tenant position. In 1926 the disputes started to increase at a fast pace and movements concerning labor emerged more within the Independence Movement.

Types of movements

There were broadly three kinds of national liberation groups: (a) the Christian groups which grew out of missionary efforts led by Western missionaries primarily from the United States prior to the Japanese occupation; (b) the former military and the irregular army groups; and (c) business and intellectual expatriates who formed the theoretical and political framework abroad.

Religious groups

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

arrived in Korea towards the end of the 18th century, facing intense persecution for the centuries afterwards. Methodist and Presbyterian missionaries followed in the 19th century starting off a renaissance with more liberal thoughts on issues of equality and woman's rights, which the strict Confucian tradition would not permit. The early Korean Christian missionaries both led the Korean independence movement active from 1890 through 1907, and later the creation of a Korean liberation movement from 1907 to 1945. Korean Christians suffered martyrdoms, crucifixions, burnings to death, police interrogations and massacres by the Japanese. Amongst the major religious nationalist groups were: *

Korean Presbyterian church Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK) was a Protestant denomination based in South Korea; it is currently separated into many branches. History The first Korean Presbyterian church was founded by Seo Sang-ryun in Hwanghae province in 1884. Shor ...

March 1 Movement The March 1st Movement, also known as the Sam-il (3-1) Movement (Hangul: 삼일 운동; Hanja: 三一運動), was a protest movement by Korean people and students calling for independence from Japan in 1919, and protesting forced assimilation ...

* Korean

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams (philanthropist), Georg ...

Military and the Irregular army groups

* Donghak Peasant Revolution: Donghak armies were spontaneous countryside uprisings, originally against corruption in the late Joseon dynasty, and later, against Japanese confiscation of lands in Korea. *

Righteous army Righteous armies, sometimes called irregular armies or militias, are informal civilian militias that have appeared several times in Korean history, when the national armies were in need of assistance. The first righteous armies emerged during th ...

: Small armies that fought Japanese military police, cavalry, and infantry most intensely from 1907–1918, but which carried on till the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. * Greater Korea Independence Army () * Northern Military Administration Office Army () * Greater Korea Independence Corps () * Korea Revolution Army () * Korea Independence Army () * Korean Volunteer Corps () * Korean Volunteer Army () *

: The Armed Forces of the

, took part in allied action in China and parts of Southern East Asia such as Burma. * Korean Patriotic Legion () * Heroic Corps () Supporters of these groups included French, Czech, Chinese, and Russian arms merchants, as well as Chinese nationalist movements.

Expatriate groups

Expatriate liberation groups were active in Shanghai, northeast China, parts of Russia, Hawaii, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Groups were even organised in areas without many expatriate Koreans, such as the one established in 1906 in

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

by Park Hee Byung. The culmination of expatriate success was the Shanghai declaration of independence. * Korean National Army Corps (), founded in June 1914. (Hawaii) *

Korean National Association The Korean National Association (; Hanja: 大韓人國民會), also known as All Korea Korean National Association, was a political organization established on February 1, 1909, to fight Japan's colonial policies and occupation in Korea. It w ...

() * Young Korean Academy () Sun Yat-sen was an early supporter of Korean struggles against Japanese invaders. By 1925, Korean expatriates began to cultivate two-pronged support in Shanghai: from Chiang Kai-Shek's Kuomintang, and from early communist supporters, who later branched into the

Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Civil ...

. Little real support came through, but that which did develop long-standing relationships that contributed to the dividing of Korea after 1949, and the polar positions between south and north.

Royalist influence

The constant infighting within the Yi family, the nobles, the confiscation of royal assets, the disbanding of the royal army by the Japanese, the execution of seniors within Korea by Japan, comprehensive assassinations of Korean royalty by Japanese mercenaries, and surveillance by Japanese authorities led to great difficulties in royal descendants and their family groups in finding anything but a partial leadership within the liberation movement. A good many of the

righteous army Righteous armies, sometimes called irregular armies or militias, are informal civilian militias that have appeared several times in Korean history, when the national armies were in need of assistance. The first righteous armies emerged during th ...

commanders were linked to the family but these generals and their righteous army groups were largely dead by 1918, and cadet members of the families contributed towards establishing both republics post-1945.

List of notable leaders of the movements

Before Annexation Period

* Yi Han-eung *

Choe Ik-hyeon Choe Ik-hyeon (; 1833–1906, also transliterated as Choe Ik-hyun) was a Korean Joseon Dynasty scholar, politician, philosopher, and general of the Korean Righteous Army guerrilla forces. He was a strong supporter of Neo-Confucianism and a very ...

* Min Yeong-hwan * Shin Dol-seok * Yi Tjoune * Yi Wi-jong * Choe Sihyeong

Provisional Government

* Ahn Chang Ho * Hong Jin (Hong Myun-hui) * Jo So-ang *

Kim Kyu-sik Kim Kyu-sik, also spelled Kimm Kiusic ( Korean:김규식, Hanja:金奎植, January 29, 1881 – December 10, 1950), was a Korean politician and academic during the Korean independence movement and a leader of the Provisional Government of the ...

* Lee Beom-seok * No Baek-rin * Park Eunsik * Syngman Rhee * Yang Gi-tak * Yi Dong-hwi * Yi Dong-nyung * Yi Sang-ryong

Edification movement leaders

* Ahn Chang Ho * Han Kyu-seol * Jeong Jong-myeong *

Cho Man-sik Cho Man-sik ( ko, 조만식; pen-name Kodang; 1 February 1883 – 15 or 18 October 1950) was a nationalist activist in Korea's independence movement. He became involved in the power struggle that enveloped North Korea in the months following t ...

* Yi Sang-jae * Yi Sang-seol

Leaders who engaged in armed struggle

* An Jung-geun * * An Gong-geun * Choi Jae-hyung * Choi Jin-dong * Jo Do-seon * Yoo Dong-ha * Kang Woo-kyu * Jang In-hwan * Jeon Myeong-un *

Cho Myung-ha Cho or CHO may refer to: People * Chief Happiness Officer Surnames * Cho (Korean surname), one romanization of the common Korean surname * Zhuo (), romanized Cho in Wade–Giles, Chinese surname * Cho, a Minnan romanization of the Chinese sur ...

* Kim Ik-sang * Kim Ji-seop * Kim Sang-ok *

Lee Bong-chang Lee Bong-chang (August 10, 1900 – October 10, 1932) was a Korean independence activist during the Japanese occupation of Korea. In 1932, he attempted unsuccessfully to assassinate Japanese emperor Hirohito with a hand grenade, which became known ...

Lee Hoe-yeong Lee Hoe-Yeong or Lee Hoe-Young (), also known by his pen name Woodang (), (March 17, 1867 – November 17, 1932) was a Korean independence activist, anarchist and one of the founders of Shinheung Military Academy (Hangul: 신흥 무관 학교) i ...

Na Seok-ju Na Seokju (, 1892-1926) was a Korean nationalist made famous for his attack on the Oriental Development Company, an organization set up by Imperial Japan as part of its imperial expansion and the development of its colonies.Edwin H. Gragert. ''La ...

* Park Jae-hyeok * Park Yeol * Pyeon Gang-ryeol * Yoon Bong-Gil * Gu Young-pil * Kim Sang-yoon * Park Byeong-gil * Park Jang-ho * Baek Nam-sik * Baek Jung Gi * Yeom Dong-jin * Woo Deok-soon * Lee Seong-rim * In Han-soo * Chaechan * Kim Si-hyun * Lee Gu-yeon * Lee Jung-gu * Lim Chi-jung * Kim Doo-hwa * Won Tae-woo * Jeongshin * Chae Eung-eon * Han Sang-ryeol * Han Hoon * Hwang Byeong-gil * Ma Man-bong * Jang Gi-cho * Choe Ja-nam * Hyun Ik-cheol * Cho Maeng-seon * Lee Joon-yong * Im Deuk-san * Jang Chang-heon * Lee Jin-ryong * Kim Rip * Ok Kwan-bin * Oh Seong-ryun * Lee Jong-am * Kim Bong-hwan * Lee Kwang-su * Lee Hye-su * Hyun Joon-hyuk * Ahn Doo-hee * Kim Jong-suk * Hong Beom-do * Jeong Jin-ryong * Na Cheol * Kang Won-sang * Lee Kang * Lee Gyu-pung * Lee Beom-yoon * Won Tae-geun * Bae Gyeong-jin * Kim Seong-hwa * Tak Gong-gyu * Yoo Seung-ryeol * Kim Hong-il * Lee Gyeong-hee * Yang Geun-hwan * Yoo Seok-hyun * An Gyeong-shin * Lee Cheol * Hong Pil-ju * Oh Gi-ho *

Kim In-sik Kim In-Sik ( ko, 김인식, Hanja: 金寅植) is a former manager of the Korea Baseball Organization. He was the manager of the South Korean national baseball team in the late 2000s and again in the 2010s when he was named as such in June . ...

* Kim Dong-pil * Lee Hong-rae * Kim Kwang-chu * Park Hee-kwang * Kim Byeong-hyun * Lee Jae-myeong * Seo Sang-han * Na Chang-heon
Kim Chang-geun
* Lee Jun-yong * Kim Tae-won * Lee Yong-dam * Joo Sang-ok
Kim Taek-suJeong Chang-hwaBaek Un-hanLee Myeong-seoKim Geun-haHam IlKim Jin-hwa
* Lee Gi * Noh Eung-gyu
Seo Eun-guEom Hae-yoonNoh Gong-ilKim Choe-myeong
* Han Bong-su
Kang Sang-moKang Lee-bongMoon Tae-suShin Myeong-seonKim Dong-shinKang Jin-wonKo Du-hwanKwon Young-manKeum Gi-cheolHan Sang-seolKim Hyeon-gukWoo Jae-ryongKim Deok-soonKim Dong-sikKim Man-suKim Beom-iKim Byeong-rokKim Bong-wonKim Bong-hak
* Kim Seong-beom *

Kim Si-jung Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese fo ...

* Lee Kang-nyeon
Kim Sang-taeKim Young-cheolKim Seong-taek
* Hwang Byung-hak
Kim Eung-baekKim Lee-seopKim Il-wonKim Su-gokYun Heung-gonKim Jeong-ikCho Chang-hoJeon Tae-seonLee Dong-suKim I-geolKim Jong-cheolKim Jin-man
* Park Sang-jin
Kim Jin-wooJeong Un-ilChoi Byung-gyuKim Jin-junCho Chang-ryongKim Chang-gonKo Bong-junKim Han-jongKim Gyeong-taeIm Bong-juKwon Sang-seokJang Doo-hwanNa Byeong-samKim HanMoon Chang-hakPark Gi-han
* Lee Tak
Cha Byeong-jeSon Chang-junLee Woo-youngAn Gyeong-sikJoo Byeong-ungPark Jin-taePark Gi-jePark Do-gyeongPark Bong-seokPark Yeon-baekPark In-hwaPark Jung-seoMin Yang-giSeo Byung-heeSeong Ik-hyunSon Deok-oh
* Song Hak-seon
Yeo Haeng-ryeolYoon Heung-gonLee Kwang-hoLee Kyo-young
* Lee Seong-gu
Cha Do-seon
* Tae Yang-uk
Hong Sung-ikLee Myeong-gyun
* Cho Seong-hwan * Chae Sang-deok
Kang Mu-gyeongKim Won-gukKim Jun-seungNoh Jong-gyunMoon Yang-mokChoi Jeong-ik
* Jeong Jae-gwan
Lee Hak-hyunBaek Nak-ju
* Seo Il * Kim Chwa-chin
Sim Nam-ilAn Kwang-joOh Seung-taeAn Gyu-hongJeong Ki-chanAhn Byung-chanYang Seung-wooOh Sung-sulYoo Jang-ryeolLee Hyeon-gyu

Military leaders

* An Jung-geun * Hong Beom-do * Hwang Byeong-gil * Ji Cheong-cheon * Kim Dubong *

Kim Jwa-jin Kim Chwa-jin or Kim Jwa-jin (December 16, 1889 – January 24, 1930), sometimes called by his pen name Baegya, was a Korean general, independence activist, and anarchist who played an important role in the early attempts at development of anarch ...

* Kim Wonbong * Lee Beom-seok * Nam Ja-hyun * Park Yong-man * Seo Il * Seo Yun-je * Yang Sebong * Yun Se-ju * Bang Kyung-han *

Kim Il-Sung Kim Il-sung (; , ; born Kim Song-ju, ; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he ruled from the country's establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of ...

* Choi Jin Dong

Religion/Student leaders

* Han Yong-un * Kim Maria * Son Byong Hi * * Yu Gwansun * Choe Sang-rim * Lee Yong-do * Gye Ji-pung * Kim Gyo-shin * Kim Dong-seok * Kim Beop-rin * Kim Seong-su * Na Geum-ju * Mangong * Park Sun-cheon * Park Young-hee * Park Hyeong-mu * Seo Yun-je * An Sang-deok * An Jeong-geun * Yun Chi-young * Lee Un-hyeong * Lee Jong-uk * Lee Chu-hyeong * Jeon Deok-gi * Cho Gi-shin * Chu Ki-chol * Cha Mirisa * Cha Sang-myeong * Choe Yong-shin * Hwang Ae-deok * Lee Su-heung * Ham Tae-young * Kim Iryeop * Baek Seong-uk * Gil Seon-ju * Kim Byeong-cho *

Park Hee-do Park Hee-do (hang-lan:朴熙杜, born 20 March 1986) is a South Korea football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means ...

Yongseong Baek Yongseong Jinjong (Korean: 용성 진종, Hanja: 龍城震鍾, 1864—1940) was an important Korean Buddhist master who helped propagate Buddhism in Korea. Primarily grounded in the Seon tradition, he also set about teaching others of Pure ...

Son Byong-hi Son Byong-hi (April 8, 1861 – May 19, 1922) was a Korean religious leader and independence activist. He was born in Cheongju, in Chungcheong province. He became the third leader of Donghak (Eastern learning), an indigenous religious movement f ...

* Shin Seok-gu *

Oh Se-chang Oh, OH, or Oh! is an interjection, often proclaiming surprise. It may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Albums * ''Oh!'' (Girls' Generation album), 2010 * ''Oh!'' (ScoLoHoFo album), 2003 * ''OH (ohio)'', by Lambchop, 2008 * ''Oh!'', an E ...

Lee Seung-hoon Lee Seung-hoon (Hangul: 이승훈, Hanja: , ; born 6 March 1988) is a South Korean speed skater. He won a gold medal in the 10,000 metres, a silver medal in the 5000 meters at the 2010 Winter Olympics, becoming the first and only Asian man eve ...

* Han Yong-un * Kim Gyo-heon *

* Jonghyeong * Yoon Se-bok * Jo So-ang

Historians

* An Jae-hong *

Choe Nam-seon Choe Nam-seon (April 26, 1890 – October 10, 1957), also known by the Japanese language, Japanese pronunciation of his name Sai Nanzen, was a prominent modern Korean historian, pioneering poet, and publisher, and a leading member of the Korean i ...

* Jeong Inbo * Mun Il-pyeong * Park Eunsik *

Shin Chae-ho Sin Chaeho, or Shin Chae-ho (; November 7, 1880 – February 21, 1936), was a Korean independence activist, historian, Anarchism, anarchist, Korean nationalism, nationalist, and a founder of Korean nationalist historiography (민족 사학, ''min ...

* Song Nam-heon * Song Du-yong

Writers/Poets

* Sim Hun * Yi Yuksa (Yi Wonnok) * Yun Dong-ju *

Soh Jaipil Soh Jaipil or Seo Jae-pil (January 7, 1864 – January 5, 1951), also known as Philip Jaisohn, was a Korean-American political activist and physician who was a noted champion of the Korean independence movement, the first Korean naturalized citi ...

* Kang Kyeong-ae * Gong Deok-gwi * Gwak Sang-hoon * Kim Kwang-seop * Kim Gyo-shin * Kim Seong-suk * Kim Jun-yop * Kim Hyun-chul * Baek Gwan-su * Mirok Li * Yi Sang-baek * Lee Jong-hak * Lee Hee-seung * Jang Do-bin * Chu Yo-han * Choe Du-seon *

Heo Jeong Ho Chong, Huh Chung, or Heo Jeong (; April 8, 1896September 18, 1988) was a South Korean politician and Korean independence activist, who served as the sixth Prime Minister of South Korea during the country's Second Republic. In 1960, he was a ...

* Hyun Jin-geon * Hong Seung-ro * Jung Nosik * Kim Myeong-sun * Na Hye-sok * Park In-deok * Chung Chil-sung * Lee Jong-il * Han Yong-un * Kim Dong-sam * Kim Yak-yeon * Kim Chwa-chin *

Sin Ik-hui Sin Ik-hui (Hangul: 신익히, hanja: 申翼熙) (9 June 1894 – 5 May 1956) was a Korean independence activist and politician during the period of Japanese rule. He was Speaker of the National Assembly during President Syngman Rhee's first t ...

* Lee Beom-seok * An Jae-hong

Communist leaders

Pak Hon-yong Pak Hon-yong (; 28 May 1900 – 18 December 1955) was a Korean independence activist, politician, philosopher, communist activist and one of the main leaders of the Korean communist movement during Japan's colonial rule (1910–1945). His nick ...

, a noted communist leader * Yuh Woon-Hyung associated with Communists during the 20s, but later left * Gye Bong-woo * Kim Dan-ya * Kim San * Kim Yak-su * Kim Jae-bong * Kim Jun-yeon * Na Kyung-seok * Yoo Jin-hee * Yun Gong-heum * Yun Ja-young * Im Won-geun * Ju Se-juk * Cha Geum-bong *

Choe Chang-ik Choe Chang-ik (, 1896 – 1960) was a Korean politician in the Japanese colonial era. He was a member of the Korean independence movement. He was also known by the names Choe Chang-sok (최창석, 崔昌錫), Choe Chang-sun (최창순, 崔昌淳) ...

Ho Ka-i Alexei Ivanovich Hegai (russian: Алексей Иванович Хегай, ko, 허가이; 18 March 1908 – 2 July 1953), also known as Ho Ka-i, was a Soviet political operative in North Korea (DPRK) and leader of the Soviet Korean faction wit ...

* Ho Jong-suk *

Ho Hon Ho Hon ( ko, 허헌; 22 July 1885 – 16 August 1951) was a Korean independence movement, Korean independence activist in Korea under Japanese rule, Japanese controlled Korea and politician in the early years of the Democratic People's Republic o ...

* Hyun Jeong-gyeong *

Kang Kon Kang Kon (; June 23, 1918 – September 8, 1950) was a Korean military leader active in Manchuria and the Korean peninsula as well as a politician during the years leading up to the Korean War and during the first stages of the Korean War in 195 ...

* Kim Kwang-hyop * Kim Tu-bong * Mu Chong * Kim Yong-bom * Kim Ung *

* Kim Il *

Kim Chang-man Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese fo ...

* Kim Chaek * Ryu Gyeong-su * Yi Kang-guk * Lee Hyo-sun * Pak Kum-chol * Bang Ho-san * Paek Nam-Un * Sung Jusik * Oh Hwa-young * Yi Kuk-no * Lee Hyun-sang * Cho Myeong-seon * Choe Deok-sin *

Choe Yong-dal Choi is a Korean family surname. As of the South Korean census of 2015, there were around 2.3 million people by this name in South Korea or roughly 4.7% of the population. In English-speaking countries, it is most often anglicized ''Choi'', an ...

* Choein *

Choe Hyon Choe Hyon (, 6 May 1907 – 10 April 1982), also known as Sai Ken (after the Japanese pronunciation of his name), was a North Korean general and politician. Born in China to ethnic Korean parents, Choe fought in the anti-Japanese struggle from ...

* Ho Song-taek * Hong Myong-hui * Hwang Tae-seong * Kim Jong-suk * Choerin * Mun Si-hwan * Lee yung * Yi Dong-hwi * Hong Beom-do * Kang Hae-seok * Kang Young-seok * Byeon Hee-yong * Bang Joon-pyo * Kang Dal-young * Jeong Jin-ryong * Tjyongoui Yi

Foreign supporters

* Chiang Kai-shek *

Ernest Bethell Ernest Thomas Bethell (3 November 1872 – 1 May 1909), who is also known by his Korean name (, ), was a British journalist who founded a newspaper, '' The Korea Daily News'', antagonistic to Japanese rule. Arrival in Korea In 1904, Ernest Be ...

Frank Schofield Frank W. Schofield (1889–1970) was a British-born Canadian veterinarian and Protestant missionary who was involved in the Korean independence movement against the Japanese Empire. Schofield graduated in 1910 from the Ontario Veterinary Colleg ...

Fumiko Kaneko or rarely Park Fumiko and Park Munja, was a Japanese anarchist and nihilist. She was convicted of plotting to assassinate members of the Japanese Imperial family. Early life Fumiko Kaneko was born in the Kotobuki district of Yokohama during the ...

* George Show *

Homer Hulbert Homer Bezaleel Hulbert (January 26, 1863 – August 5, 1949) was an American missionary, journalist, and political activist who advocated for the independence of Korea. Biography Hulbert was born in New Haven, Vermont, in 1863 to Calvin and Ma ...

* Sun Yat-sen *

Vladimir Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 19 ...

Chou En-lai Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 January 1976. Zhou served under Chairman Ma ...

Mao Tse-tung Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (P ...

* Tatsuji Fuse

References

Jin Y. Park, ed. 'Makers of Modern Korean Buddhism'Albany: State University of New York Press, 2009

External links

Brief article on Korean Independence
from Japanese Press Translations, Dartmouth College Library {{Authority control Republicanism in Korea 20th century in Korea Japan–Korea relations Foreign relations of the Republic of China (1912–1949)