Marie Hwang(Bellevue Newport High school 10th grade)
Chains Broken: Freedom from Japanese Imperialism
“There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.”
This quote, famously quoted by former South African president Nelson Mandela, perfectly describes the natural instinct that humans possess, which is the act to pursue freedom.
Among the many nation-states that walked on this path, the liberation of Korea taken place on August 15th stands out to be one of the most passionate, inspirational movements that affected us Koreans as a whole, whether we live overseas or in the country.
In 1910, the Japanese captured Korea as a means to make a colony out of it. Under Japanese rule for 35 years, the Koreans did not have much freedom.
The establishment of new schools, roads, and other utilities expanded urbanization across Korea, but Japanese rule proved to give negative impact to Korea overall; not only did the Japanese hold the top positions of government in Korea, but they also withdrew a large amount of the rice harvested by the Koreans, causing the economy to deteriorate.
Also, in attempt to get rid of Korean national identity, the Japanese banned the usage of Korean language as well as demanding the names of every Korean resident be changed to Japanese names.
All of Korea’s profits were strictly sacrificed for the benefits of the Japanese. Several women were raped by soldiers and their presence still remaining today reminds the rest of us of how horrible the Japanese were to the people of Korea.
The injustice that the Koreans experienced at that time frustrated me greatly.
The Japanese, acting upon their selfish desire to obtain more commodities for their wealth and economic benefits, sabotaged the rights of the Koreans, taking away their chance to make the country grow and prosper.
The treatment that the Koreans received from the Japanese initially drove the Koreans to lose their identity and their dignity, as well as their sense of nationalism.
I appreciate the heroic efforts contributing to the achievement of liberation of Korea.
In 1919, uprisings going against the Japanese began to happen. Countless residents were captured and sometimes executed. The fight for freedom lasted a long time.
I am proud of my ancestors that they stood up against the Japanese to gain freedom from the oppressed, heavy-handed Japanese government.
Although World War II was what eventually gave the Koreans their freedom, the movements that my ancestors initiated themselves showed the world that many were concerned about losing their national identity and culture.
The liberation day of Korea, called Gwangbokjeol, which means the time of restoration of light, was indeed a glorious day for us Koreans. It deserves to live in the hearts and minds of the Koreans forever.
