Gwangju Student Independence Movement Memorial Hall

The Gwangju Student Independence Movement had a big effect not only on student movements, but on all anti-Japanese national movements. In February 1929, prior to the Gwangju Student Independence Movement, activists identified the current situation as a ‘period of ebb’, and were very careful in their activities.
However, one year later in the spring of 1930, their perception changed completely. Many activists, including socialists, identified the current situation as a ‘period of revolution’, and what brought this change in perception was the global recession and the Gwangju Student Independence Movement that begun in October 1929. They deemed the global recession as the end of the capitalist society and the beginning of the fall of capitalism, and the Gwangju Student Independence Movement the greatest incident since the March 1 Movement, and saw it is a historical opportunity to begin revolution.
Students who went on trial or were expelled reappears as key players in national movements during the 1930s

In this period, secret student organizations were organized en masse from 1931 to 1933. It is not unrelated to the anti-war and anti-imperialism fight since the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. The secret organizations published newspapers or distributed anti-war manifestos. In addition, many students participated in farmland enlightenment movements led by newspaper companies. Under such circumstances, students who were put on trial or expelled due to their participation in the Gwangju Student Independence Movement became involved in the student movements of the early 1930s, or became active in national movements by taking part in youth, laborer and farmer movements. Those who played leading roles in demonstration movements in the Gwangju and Jeonnam area were active in the ‘Jeonnam Labor Association’ and the ‘Jeonnam Social Movement Association’.

The activities of the secret student organizations continued into the 1940s. Some large scale incidents of the secret student organizations during this time included that of the literature department, research association and Chahyeok party, which were three major organs of the Daegu School of Education, as well as that of the Cheolhyeoldan of schools in the downtown Hamheung area, Taegeukdan of Daegu Commercial School, and Mudeunghoe of the Gwangju West Middle School (former Gwangju Normal High School).
In 1938, Chu Man-ok and Kang Han-soo of Gwangju Normal High School organized the Dokseohoe (changed name to Mudeunghoe in 1939) and engaged in activities to heighten the spirit for independence and resistance against Japan for students. On May 21, 1943, it opposed student volunteer soldiers, Koreans changing their names to Japanese names, use of Japanese, and the conscription service. All of the took a leave from school, and this is called the Mudeunghoe Incident or the 2nd Gwangju Student Independence Movement.

Participants of the Gwangju Student Independence Movement, who resisted the slaved education of Japan and fought to recover national independence, were pioneers that diligently fulfilled the roles that were demanded of them. However, they had to make painful sacrifices due to the Japanese suppression. Among the key players of the movements, some died during torture, some died in jail, and some died after being released from jail due to illness. Most of them were monitored closely by the police and were discriminated against after being released from prison making it impossible for them to live normal lives. It was not seldom for this kind of unfair treatment to be applied to their families as well making it hard for the entire family to survive.

November 3, which was the day that the Gwangju Student Independence Movement occurred, has been designated as the ‘Student Day’. ‘Student Day’ was established as a legal memorial date with the purpose of passing down and developing the spirit of the student independence movement during the Japanese occupation and to enhance the autonomous capacities and patriotism of students in 1953. However, as students began anti-dictatorship and democratization movements resisting the Revitalizing Reforms System, this day was abolished in 1973, and then once again revived in 1984.
On February 9, 2006, a resolution to change the name to ‘Student Independence Movement Memorial Day’ was passed by the National Assembly.

Representative Student Movements in the mid and late 1920s

Oct 20, 1953	At the 16th provisional session of the National Assembly, bill to designate Nov 3 as ‘Student Day’ passed to commemorate the Gwangju Student Independence Movement
Oct 20, 1953	Designated Nov 3 as ‘Student Day’
Mar 30, 1973	Abolished ‘Student Day’ In pursuance of the ‘Regulations on Various Memorial Day’s, which was a presidential ordinance, the government reduced the 53 memorial days to 26 and excluded ‘Student Day’. The government explained that this was for combining and abolishing the various memorial days, but the majority opinion is that this was a measure taking into account the student demonstration during the Revitalizing Reforms system of the time.
Oct 31, 1973	In the 88th Home Affairs Committee of the 9th National Assembly, bill was proposed to designate ‘Student Day’
Sep 14, 1982	The Democratic Korea Party submitted a proposal to designate ‘Student Day’ to the National Assembly
Jul 10, 1984	In the 11th National Assembly, unanimously approved the bill for designation of ‘Student Day’
Sep 19, 1984	‘Student Day’ revived as a legal memorial day
Feb 9, 2006	In the 17th National Assembly, bill to change name from ‘Student Day’ to ‘Student Independence Movement Memorial Day’ was passed

There are many patriots who engaged in anti-Japanese independence movements during the Japanese occupation who are not recognized as persons of distinguished services to independence because of reasons that they engaged in socialist activities after gaining independence. Among the key players of the Gwangju Student Independence Movement, Jang Jae-seong, Kang Hae-seok, Lee Gi-hong, Lee Young-baek, Lee Young-beom, and Lee Yong-geun have yet to receive the reward for their distinguished services to independence because of their socialist activities after gaining independence.
There is a high level of public opinion that they should receive historical evaluate and receive the reward for their distinguished services to independence regardless of their ideologies if they have contributed to the independence movement and served in the anti-Japanese movement. In response to this, the government announced that it will provide new screening criteria and reassess the leftist independence activists who have had their reward on hold or canceled due to their socialist activities starting in 2005. It is not long until the day comes where the achievements of the independence activists, who have been downplayed to the conflict of leftists and rightists after dividing the nation since gaining freedom, even after leaving behind remarkable legacies during the anti-Japanese independence movement.