Remembering the Courage of Students during the March 10 Independence Movement
As August arrives, we reflect on the significance of the freedom and independence our country regained.
With the upcoming Liberation Day on August 15, we look back on the footsteps of countless individuals who acted for independence.
In Myeoncheon-myeon, Dangjin-si, Chungcheongnam-do, there is a place to remember the courage and actions of young students.
This is the March 10 Student Independence Movement Memorial Hall of Myeoncheon Public Elementary School.
In 1919, students attending the school prepared for the independence movement and took to the streets.
The memorial hall showcases the process through which the students prepared for the movement and the stories of those who participated.
Before entering the memorial hall, visitors first encounter the memorial stone commemorating the March 10 Student Independence Movement.
The names of Won Yong-eun, Park Chang-shin, and Lee Jong-won, who were related to the movement, are engraved on the stone.
Inside the memorial hall, there are exhibits detailing the development of the independence movement led by the students of Myeoncheon Public Elementary School, along with information about key figures.
If you plan to visit, it is advisable to check the operating hours in advance.
The memorial hall is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 AM to 5 PM. It is closed on Mondays, January 1, and during the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, and admission is free.
The background of the students' movement in Myeoncheon is linked to the nationwide independence movement that began in Seoul on March 1, 1919.
The movement spread rapidly across the country, and students in Myeoncheon began to voice their demands for independence.
Won Yong-eun, who was in the fourth grade at Myeoncheon Public Elementary School at the time, participated in the funeral of King Gojong in Seoul with his brother, Won Yong-ha.
After witnessing the March 1 Movement, Won Yong-eun returned home and prepared for the independence movement with his classmates.
Along with Park Chang-shin, Lee Jong-won, and Park Seong-eun, the students took the initiative to create their own flags and distribute copies of songs about independence.
On March 10, 1919, around 90 students from Myeoncheon Public Elementary School took to the streets around 4 PM.
The students marched outside the East Gate of Myeoncheon, waving the Korean flag and carrying a banner that read 'Long Live Korean Independence.'
They passed through the city of Myeoncheon and moved towards their school, later shouting for independence at the Myeoncheon police station.
However, the Japanese police intervened to stop the students, who faced interrogation and hardships afterward.
Notably, Won Yong-eun and Park Chang-shin, who led the movement, were transferred to Gongju Prison, where they endured four months of imprisonment and were later expelled from school.
The March 10 Student Independence Movement at Myeoncheon Public Elementary School is significant because the students did not merely participate in the nationwide movement; they prepared and executed their own actions.
This was also the first independence movement led by students in the Dangjin area and holds historical importance in Chungcheongnam-do.
Inside the memorial hall, visitors can find artifacts related to the independence movement and the individuals who participated.
Among the notable exhibits is the personal collection of Teacher Lee Jong-won, which includes the Korean textbooks he used during his school years, as well as his skating blades, badminton racket, and desk clock.
These items provide insight into the life of a historical figure who was once just a student, allowing us to feel closer to the history of that time.
The March 10 Student Independence Movement Memorial Hall preserves and promotes related artifacts.
Currently, they accept donations of artifacts from patriots who participated in the independence movement throughout the year, preserving these records to pass down the history to future generations.
These materials collectively serve as valuable records remembering the students' independence movement in Myeoncheon.
The cry for 'Long Live Korean Independence' from the students of Myeoncheon on March 10, 1919, continues to resonate through the memorial and related records even after more than a century.
Visiting the March 10 Student Independence Movement Memorial Hall in August, ahead of Liberation Day, offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the courage and determination shown by the students of that time.
This space is particularly suitable for families to learn about the history of the independence movement that took place in our region through the artifacts and records of actual figures, rather than just through books or photographs.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/dangjin2030/224377159163
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