A Visit to the Da-Am Lee Tae-jun Memorial Hall and the Haman Independence Movement Memorial Hall
SNS Reporter Jo Yun-hee, 14th Term
Da-Am Lee Tae-jun Memorial Hall
Address: 50, Jidu 2-gil, Gunbuk-myeon, Haman-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea
(Land number: 14-54, Deokdae-ri)
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 - 18:00 (Closed every Monday)
On a beautiful autumn morning, I visited the Da-Am Lee Tae-jun Memorial Hall with my parents. The hall was established to commemorate the independence movement of Lee Tae-jun, a doctor and independence activist from Haman who worked in Mongolia during the Japanese colonial period.
Born on November 23, 1883 (the 20th year of King Gojong's reign) to father Lee Jil and mother Park Pyeong-am, Lee Tae-jun's courtesy name was Won-il, and his pen name was Da-Am. He was a member of the Incheon Lee clan, and the family genealogy records him as a man of 'outstanding will and spirit'.
Shall we step inside the memorial hall, which showcases his life from birth to his achievements?
The Lee Tae-jun Memorial Hall was built after Cho Geun-je, the governor elected in the 7th 민선 election in July 2018, pledged to reorganize existing projects and find a new site. The old Gunbuk station site was changed and designated as a memorial park, leading to the construction of the current Lee Tae-jun Memorial Hall. The old Gunbuk station building was demolished in February 2020, and construction began in June of the same year with a total project cost of 3.6 billion won (100 million won from the national budget, 900 million won from the provincial budget, and 2.6 billion won from the county budget). The one-story building, with a total floor area of 494㎡, includes exhibition rooms, educational facilities, and conference rooms, and was completed in June 2021.
Lee Tae-jun (1883-1921), known as the 'God of Mongolia,' participated wholeheartedly in the national salvation movement to reclaim the hope that was fading due to the encroachment of militaristic powers on his ancestral homeland. His arduous efforts transcended simple anti-Japanese movements, extending to universal love for humanity even in distant Mongolia. He overcame numerous difficulties in a foreign land and succeeded in promoting international friendship. Let's delve into the life of Lee Tae-jun as if on a historical journey.
In his childhood, he studied classical Chinese at Docheonjae in his hometown. In 1907, he entered Severance Medical School (now Yonsei University College of Medicine) and graduated in 1911 as part of the second graduating class. Together with Kim Pil-soon and Ju Hyun-chik, Lee Tae-jun joined the 'Young Friends Society' founded by Ahn Chang-ho and participated in the independence movement. He also served as Ahn Chang-ho's personal physician. When the fabricated '105 Incident' occurred, he moved to China and later settled in Mongolia, where he opened a hospital called 'Dongui Clinic' (Hospital of People with the Same Ideals).
He provided 2,000 won in independence funds to Kim Kyu-sik, who was dispatched to the Paris Peace Conference as a representative of the New Korea Youth Party. In 1921, as a secret member of the Korean Socialist Party, he transported 80,000 rubles of gold bullion, out of the 400,000 rubles provided by the Soviet government to the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, to Shanghai with Kim Rip. On his way back to Mongolia, he met Kim Won-bong in Beijing, joined the Righteous Brotherhood, and introduced the explosives expert, Majar. Returning to Goryun, Mongolia, while transporting an additional 40,000 rubles of gold bullion, he was captured by the Russian White Army and martyred in February 1921.
To commemorate the achievements of Lee Tae-jun, who was killed by soldiers under the command of the Russian White Army's Ungern, a memorial park was established not only in Haman but also on the southern slopes of Bogd Khan Mountain in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, below the Zaisan Memorial, with financial support from the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and Yonsei Medical Center.
The Haman Independence Park, built on the site of the former Gunbuk station where the Da-Am Lee Tae-jun Memorial Hall stands, embodies the spirit of Lee Tae-jun, a Korean who saved lives even in Mongolia. He practiced universal love for humanity, transcending nationality and race, and played a pioneering role in internationalizing Korea by promoting international friendship in a foreign country. The park also preserves traces of the 폐역, making it a great place for a stroll.
With the Haman Independence Park at its center, we decided to visit the Haman Independence Movement Memorial Hall, located near the Da-Am Lee Tae-jun Memorial Hall, and moved our steps with my parents.
Haman Independence Movement Memorial Hall
Address: 48-1, Jidu 2-gil, Gunbuk-myeon, Haman-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 - 18:00 (Closed every Monday)
The Haman Independence Movement Memorial Hall, established on April 30, 2025, by remodeling the former Gunbuk Station General Branch building in Deokdae-ri, Gunbuk-myeon, was built to comprehensively document the history of the independence movement in the Haman area and pass it on to future generations. This was based on the historical fact that approximately 12,000 residents from six towns and villages in Haman County shouted for Korean independence in 10 demonstrations during the March 1st Movement in 1919.
The memorial hall is a two-story building. The first floor houses the history exhibition hall, and the second floor houses the experience exhibition hall. Currently, 24 exhibits are on display, including the original writings of Governor Ahn Ji-ho. The history exhibition hall focuses on the March 1st Independence Movement in Haman, displaying related artifacts, photos, and videos.
By informing visitors about the Haman Eupnae Market Uprising (March 19, 1919), the Gunbuk-myeon Uprising (March 20, 1919), and the Chilwon Market Uprising (March 24, April 3, August 13, 1919), as well as introducing independence activists and patriotic spirit and historical sites of the independence movement in Haman, the memorial hall seems to play a role in instilling national pride and love for the country in the generations living today and tomorrow, who tend to forget history. I was moved by the support projects of Haman County.
Spring in Haman, the Shout of That Day
On that day, all the people of Haman raised their voices for Korean independence.
Even under harsh oppression, the desire for independence
was never broken by the independence activists of Haman.
Sharing the journey of those trials, we take pride
and foster love for our hometown and our country.
Grateful for the noble sacrifices of the patriotic martyrs,
we continue the unending path of love for our nation.
Gunbuk, which I used to visit with my grandmother as a child to go to my aunt's house, has become a 폐역, and the train has stopped... Memories branch out, but a new history is beginning there. The next generation will learn and store new memories in the name of the Da-Am Lee Tae-jun Memorial Hall, Haman Independence Park, and Haman Independence Movement Memorial Hall.
I hope that the Da-Am Lee Tae-jun Memorial Hall and the Independence Memorial Hall will be well utilized as materials to awaken the spirit of independence in Haman for the growing generation. Thank you.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/arahaman/224077060521
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