South Korea's declaration of independence was widely reported, especially as the peaceful movement was met with violent crackdowns by Japanese authorities.
However, the spirit of the movement was not crushed -- it became a source of inspiration to other nations around the world that were colonised by foreign powers.
Oh Soo-young reports.
The cry for independence on March 1st did not just spread throughout the nation,... but was heard beyond the borders of the Korean Peninsula.
The Declaration of Independence came at a time when the ideas of nationhood and self-determination for colonized peoples were starting to take hold,... inspired by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points.
"The movement, in fact, relied on the hope and understanding that the war and the peace treaties would change the way international relations were run, and that under Wilson's influence, self-determination would be a principle that would be implemented in the post-war world."
The spirit of the March 1st Movement resonated with other nations around the world,... and served as a model of non-violent resistance,... inspiring anti-colonialist movements in China, India and as far away as Egypt.
Western countries also heard about the March 1st Movement, as the news of the declaration was widely reported,... as well as news of Japan's brutal crackdown against the activists.
But historians say it may have been naive to expect help from Western powers, despite their championing of self-determination.
Korean activists' numerous attempts to engage the global community,... including at the Paris Peace Conference,... were largely ignored, as Japan was one of the Allied participants.
Only a number of foreign missionaries in Korea, such as Frank William Schofield, supported the helpless nation's cause.
The spirit of the movement lived on, with activists forming a provisional government in China and an independence army,... until Japan's defeat in World War Two ended its rule over Korea.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.
