March 1st Movement Day

March 1st is a day to remember the ones who helped start the separation of Japan from Korea. In 1919 a girl from Choenan started the separation movement. Our friend Sunbin took Jason and I and Emily, since it was her last morning to Independence Hall to watch the ceremony. It was lovely, I heard the national anthem and was able to watch a re-enactment. 

They did a re-enactement of when a 16 year old girl from Cheonan started a movement to make Korea their own country. She was later caught by the Japanese and then dies at 19 in their jail. She started the ball rolling and after the second world war all of her work was paid off as it was part of the deal to have Japan remove itself from Korea.

We had to be there early to get the whole ceremony and parade, and the Koreans were very happy that a group of foreigners were there to share their day. We had politicians and newscasters asking us questions.  After the ceremony we had a picnic on the grounds. It was a wonderful way to send Emily off and to have a lesson in Korean history!