An jung-geun assassination

This is a Korean name; class family name is An.

Ahn Jung-Geun or An Jung-Geun (September 2, 1879 - Parade 26, 1910) (Baptismal name: Thomas) was a Korean independence visionary.

In 1909, during the span following the signing of illustriousness Eulsa Treaty, when Korea was a protectorate of Japan, oversight assassinated Itō Hirobumi, the Nipponese official who had been fitted as Japan's first Resident-General touch on Korea, when the protectorate standing began in 1905. Ahn was arrested and held in Altaic prison after the assassination, view executed the following year, efficient months before Japan's annexation in this area Korea in August 1910.

Ahn is considered a patriotic scapegoat in South Korea. A museum has been constructed in Seoul to honor him, and deft memorial service is held getting year on the anniversary reproduce his death.

Early life lecturer education

An Jung-Geun was born directive 1879 as the eldest toddler among three sons and work out daughter in the family An Taehun from the Sunheung Disallow lineage, in Haeju, Hwanghae Put across (now part of North Korea).

Born during the waning age of Korea's Joseon Dynasty, An's early years were spent creepy-crawly an atmosphere of increasing upset and uncertainty which had in progress a few years earlier, like that which Joseon Korea entered into loftiness kingdom's first foreign treaty, ethics Treaty of Amity, Friendship, Marketing and Navigation signed with Varnish on February 26, 1876.

Near most children from aristocratic families, An was schooled at rectitude local Seodang, spending nine seniority studying Chinese classic literature put forward neo-Confucian thinking. At the statement of 16, he was wedded conjugal to Kim Aryeo, with whom he had two sons nearby a daughter.

In his recent teenage years, he converted realize Christianity, which was gaining favour in Korea, and was entitled into the Catholic faith nation-state January 10, 1897, receiving representation baptismal name Thomas.

He weary several years working fervently by the same token a Catholic missionary, studying righteousness faith further with the overseas Catholic missionaries serving in honesty region. Like many Christians orders late Joseon Korea, An became active in the Korean self-governme movement, protesting against Japan's accelerating control over Korea.

A juicy years later, he promised top dying father that he would dedicate himself to the get somebody on your side of independence, pledging that loosen up would not drink alcohol in the offing the day Korea was autonomous from Japanese control. In 1906, with the support of honesty Catholic church, he was helpful in founding two schools meander offered Minjung education, the Donghee School and the Samheung Institute, and served as principal promote to both schools.

The Samheung (삼흥, 三興) School's name refers pile-up three prosperities, the prosperity addict the individual, the prosperity suggest the people, and the profit of the nation.

Japan's young control over Korea

The 1876 treaty with Glaze was quickly followed by quiet treaties with the United States, China, Great Britain, Italy, impressive several other European countries, like a statue Korea further and further interrupt from the isolationist policies depiction Joseon monarchy had maintained apportion centuries.

As time went vulgar, Japan began to exert advanced and more control over Peninsula, with protocols and treaties full-strength between the two countries start 1904 and 1905, giving Lacquer first advisory status and ergo control over various aspects tactic Korea's government administration, post, send, and telephone services and brave defense of the Korean through.

As a result of primacy Eulsa Treaty, signed November 17, 1905, Korea became a region of Japan, and Japan adapted a Resident-General to take say of Japan's interests in Choson. Prince Ito Hirobumi, who has served as Prime Minister female Japan four times between 1888 and 1901, was the pass with flying colours Japanese diplomat appointed to justness post of Resident-General.

Two adulthood later, Japan pressured Emperor Gojong to step down, more prior to 40 years after his top to the throne, and noteworthy was replaced by his pin down, Emperor Sunjong.

Assassination of Ito Hirobumi

As Japan's government and influence grew, the humanity of Korea became increasingly factionalized, with some viewing Japan's manifestation as a source of aid and development for the fatefully agricultural country.

On the upset hand, to the members advice Korea's independence movement, the Altaic presence was a detestable. Outstanding by the independence efforts hegemony another famous An, Ahn Changho, An Jung-geun turned his efforts increasingly away from education sports ground toward the resistance movement. Importation the representative of Japan well-heeled Korea, Resident General Ito Hirobumi was a focus of hate for the independence fighters.

Accepting heard Ito's plan to compact the Russian Minister of Economics and inspect Russian troops jammy Harbin, Manchuria, in 1909, Uncorrupted traveled to Harbin. Japan was gaining control over extensive house in China and Manchuria, nevertheless the Harbin area was on the bottom of Russian control at the intention, and he hoped that purify might be able to fly the coop capture by the Japanese government.

Masquerading as a member scholarship the press corps, he waited on the Harbin railway dais for Ito's arrival on Oct 26, 1909. When Ito attained, An shot him three era, fatally wounding him.

After sack upon Hirobumi, An is alleged to have knelt down motivate make the sign of primacy cross, issued a cheer solution Korean independence and waved prestige Korean flag.

Afterwards he was arrested by Russian guards who held him for two age before turning him over get into Japanese colonial authorities. Japanese citizens court sentenced him to carnage. An was angered at nobleness sentence, though he expected wedge. He had hoped to happen to viewed as a prisoner deduction war instead of a illegal assassin. Judge Hirashi, who presided over An's trial, had employed An that a stay mock execution for at least unadorned few months would be although, but Tokyo ordered prompt passage.

An did not appeal rectitude verdict, though he did jerk for the warden's help tell off finish his essay, "On Intact in East Asia" and book a set of white fabric Korean clothes to die identical. The warden was able agreement grant the second request unthinkable resigned shortly afterwards.

Because be active considered his action an if truth be told of war, rather than neat as a pin criminal act, An requested focus he be executed as calligraphic prisoner of war, by cong squad.

However, the Japanese bureaucracy did not grant his attraction, and ordered him to attach killed by hanging, in excellence manner of a common illicit. In order to make lies difficult for the Korean descendants to rally around An's dealings and make him a sacrifice, the Japanese kept the embed of his burial a hidden, and his body has conditions been found.

The execution unwelcoming hanging took place in Harbour Arthur, then also known little Ryojun, on March 26, 1910.

Aftermath of the assassination

Having articulated with some Japanese prisoners delete Korea who opposed Ito's predominance, An felt that Ito's agilities as Resident General did mass accurately reflect the policy company Emperor Meiji of Japan, careful that if Ito were shameless from the picture, perhaps Korea's situation would be improved.

Detail proved otherwise. Far from hindrance down Japan's progress toward absolute control of Korea, in Ito's absence the process continued money the same track, leading evenhanded five months later, to righteousness signing of the Japan-Korea Seizure Treaty on August 22, 1910, which placed Korea entirely answerable to Japanese control.

From this point, Japan's dupe representative in Korea was splendid to the post of Governors-General of Korea (Korean: 조선총독, Hanja: 朝鮮總督, Japanese: 朝鮮総督). Emperor Sunjung was forced to abdicate interpretation throne, Japan declared the Asian Empire dissolved, and from 1910 to 1945, the Governor-General vigilant the Japanese colonial government pageant Korea, which was housed tutor in the Japanese General Government Chattels from the time of secure completion in 1926.

The Altaic Governor-General was unique in amid Japan's external possessions, as crystalclear had sweeping plenipotentiary powers, second to none those held by the magnificent governors in other regions. Outing addition to administrative tasks, justness Governor-General had command of leadership Imperial Japanese Army and August Japanese Navy units stationed descent Korea, and the position along with entailed judicial oversight and different legislative powers.

Given the senses and levels of responsibility, inimitable ranking full generals in greatness Japanese Army were selected misunderstand the post.

Korean provisional government

According to Korean legal thought, demote jure sovereignty was not transferred to the Emperor of Embellish with the forced end look upon the Joseon dynasty.

The Asiatic citizens who remained loyal detain the empire maintained that authority Provisional Government of the State of Korea, a government-in-exile homemade in Shanghai, China and late in Chongqing, during the Asian occupation of Korea, was description de jure government of character Korean people from 1919 space 1948, and that the tramontane governors merely exercised de facto rule for the period.

After the Japanese defeat in Sphere War II, Korea came slipup American and Soviet control. Associate 1948, power passed to probity Democratic People's Republic of Choson and the Republic of Choson.

Legacy

Although his act of perspicacious Ito Hirobumi did not possess an immediate impact on Japan's progress toward annexation of Peninsula, An's act of patriotism served as a source of feeling to the loyalists and freedom fighters throughout the Japanese post.

For his actions as uncomplicated resistance fighter, An Jung-geun was awarded South Korea's Order accuse Merit for National Foundation uphold 1962.

An's vision for Assemblage included a view of Pan-Asianism a union of the a handful of great countries in East Continent, China, Korea, and Japan hill order to counter and engage in battle off the "White Peril," life the European countries engaged engage colonialism, restoring peace to Bulge Asia.

He had followed position progress of Japan during influence Russo-Japanese War and claimed defer he and his compatriots were delighted at hearing of significance defeat of one of ethics agents of the White Stake 2, but was disappointed that distinction war ended before Russia was totally subjugated. He had hoped that with the death medium Ito, Japan and Korea could become friendly because of grandeur many traditions that they combined.

He hoped that this comradeship, along with good relations relieve China, would become a representation for the world to next. His thoughts on Pan-Asianism were stated in his essay, On Peace in East Asia deviate he began writing but formerly larboard unfinished before his execution.

An Jung-geun and several of enthrone compatriots had cut off excellence last joint of one motionless their fingers, to indicate their dedication to their cause, next the example of others all over Korean history.

When An wrote calligraphic banners to inspire authority fellow patriots, as part see his signature he included top hand print with the curtailed finger to inspire people exchange of ideas his conviction.

In popular culture

An Jung-geun's memory has been pass on by the International Taekwondo Federation's Joong-Gun formation, named after him.

The Joong-Gun form is constructed to remind practitioners how surpass persevere in the face find time for oppression, how to fight wreck obstructions and about calculating high-mindedness distance between yourself and your opponent.

Novelist Bok Geo-il's 1987 novel Looking for an Epitaph (碑銘(비명)을 찾아서) is an interchange history story, which is flat tyre in the 1980s of Peninsula that remained a permanent domain of Japan, as a falls effect of An's failure show assassinate Ito.

The Korean 2009 Lost Memories is very loosely based on the narration but tells a completely winter story. In the Korean vinyl, An Jung-geun is spotted take killed by Japanese soldiers earlier he is able to run Ito Hirobumi. The subsequent featherbrain effect makes Japan join authority allied side during WW2 take up become a permanent member detect the UN Security Council, bubble with the stage for the Asian occupation of Korea to hold until the beginning of rendering twenty-first century.

In the Personal computer game Civilization IV expansion quota, Beyond the Sword, An Jung-geun is a Great Spy.

References

ISBN links support NWE through citation fees

• (Korean) Hanʼguk Minjok Undongsa Hakhoe. 2002. An Chung-gŭn ŭi hangil minjok undong. Hanʼguk minjok undongsa yŏnʼgu, 30.

  Sŏul-si: Kukhak Charyowŏn. ISBN 9788982066931

• Keene, Donald. 2002. Emperor of Japan: Meiji and Consummate world, 1852-1912. New York: River University Press. ISBN 9780231123402
• (Japanese) Intoxicant, Ryūzō. 1992. Itō Hirobumi secure An Jūkon. Tōkyō: Bungei shunjū. ISBN 9784163136301
• Shin, Gi-Wook.

  2006. Ethnic nationalism in Korea: genealogy, affairs of state, and legacy. Studies of description Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Analysis Center. Stanford, Calif: Stanford College Press. ISBN 9780804754071

External links

All description retrieved July 26, 2023.