Yun Gwansun was born December 16, 1902, Jiryeong-ri (now Yongdu-ri) near Cheonan, in South Chungcheong, Korea. She was regarded as a very intelligent child, memorizing Bible verses after hearing them only once. She attended Ewha School (now Ewha Woman's University), she was in a scholarship program that required her to become a teacher after graduation. At the time, few Korean women got a higher education. Gwansun was a high school student, in 1919, when she would be witness to the March 1st Movement, which was one of the earliest marches where Koreans protested against imperial Japanese rule. Gwansun, along with 5 others, joined in on the protest demonstrations, in Seoul. On March 10, all schools including Ewha School, were temporarily closed, upon the orders of the Governor General of Korea. Gwansun would than return to her hometown, Jiryeong-ri, where she would take on a more active role in the independence protests.
Along with other members of her family, Gwansun went door-to-door, encouraging more public support for the independence movement, that was beginning to take shape. She also spread word about a demonstration she was organizing with two others, Cho Inwon & Kim Gooeung; rallying people from surrounding towns like Yeongi, Chungju, Jincheon & Cheonan. The demonstration was held on April 1st (March 1st on the lunar calandar), in Aunae Marketplace, there were approximately 3000 demonstrates present, at the peaceful protest. By 1pm, that afternoon, the Japanese police arrived and fired on the unarmed crowd, killing 19 including Gwansun's parents. Gwansun was arrested.
The Japanese police offered Gwansun a lighter sentence if she admitted her guilt and cooperation in finding other protest participants. But she refused to give in, even under the pressure of torture. Gwansun was originally detained at the Cheonan Japanese Military Police Station, than was transferred to the Gongju Police Station prison. At her trial, Gwansun spoke up against the fact the proceedings were fixed by the Japanese colonial administration and overseen by a Japanese judge. Despite trying to get a fair trail, Gwansun was declared guilty, on charges of inciting rebellion and security violations. She was sentenced to 5 years at Seodaemun Prison. During her imprisonment, Gwansun continued to advocate for Korean independence, even though she was continually interrogated and tortured by Japanese authorities.
On March 1st, 1920, Gwansun planned a large-scale protest with fellow inmates, to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the March 1st Movement. Gwansun was than imprisoned in a solitary cell. She passed away on September 28, 1920, from injuries suffered during repeated beatings and torture, at the hands of Japanese officers. According to records discovered in November 2011, of the 45,000 protesters arrested in relation to the protests during that period, 7500 were killed.
Japanese officials initially refused to release Gwansun's body, in an attempt to hide the evidence of torture. Her body was eventually released, after threats made by Lulu Frey & Jeannette Walter, the principals of Gwansun's previous school, who voiced their suspicions of Gwansun's torture, to the public. Gwansun's funeral was held on October 14, 1920, at Jungdong Church and she was buried at an Itaewon cemetery, in Seoul, which was later destroyed. When her body was retrieved from Seodaemun Prison, there were rumors it had been cut into pieces, but this was later stated to be untrue by Jeannette Walter, who dressed Gwansun's body for her the funeral.
After Korea's independence in 1945, a shrine was built in Byeongcheon-myeon and an annual memorial has been held in her memory there since 1946, by students from Ewha Woman's University.
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Female Rebels & Activists
Nonfiksi"We need women who are so strong they can be gentle, so educated they can be humble, so fierce they can be compassionate, so passionate they can be rational and so disciplined they can be free" ...
