Symposium Held to Commemorate the Centennial of the March 1st Movement and the Establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the Publication of Shedding New Light on the March 1st Movement and the Provisional Government

The Foundation held an international symposium with the theme of, “Democracy and republicanism from the perspective of world history and independence movement in East Asia,” in the press conference room on the 19th floor of the Press Center in Seoul on April 9, just ahead of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. In the first session that was held with the theme of, “National independence movements and democratic republicanism from around the world before and after World War I,” our independence movement and activities of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea were compared to the trends of world history, such as Ireland’s independence struggle. The second session that was held with the theme of, “March 1st Independence Declaration, the Provisional Government, and its activities,” delved into political ideals contained in the March 1st Independence Declaration of 1919, tasks given to our people, how the March 1st Movement and the establishment of Provisional Government influenced Japan’s colonial rule, and China’s views on Korea as well as our people. Experts from overseas, including Professor Fearghal McGarry of Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Heou Zungjwin, researcher at the Institute of Modern History at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Naoki Mizuno, emeritus professor of Kyoto University, and six domestic scholars made presentations.

In 2018, the Foundation also published Shedding New Light on the March 1st Movement and the Provisional Government – From Monarchy to Democratic Republic, a collection of theses and discussions that studied the March 1st Movement and the Provisional Government. The book highlights how “democratic republicanism,” the key topic of the symposium, was introduced to Korea from the latter era of the Joseon Dynasty to the period before the March 1st Movement, how it was understood, and how Korea pursued democratic republic as the basis of a new independent state.