Hwaseong City Holds 'Jeam and Gojuri Massacre Victims Memorial Ceremony'

Hwaseong Independence Movement Memorial Hall to Host Ceremony on the 15th
Mayor Jung Myung-geun: "We Will Pass on the Spirit of the Martyrs to Future Generations"

Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province will hold the '106th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony for the Jeam-ri and Gojuri Massacre Martyrs' on the 15th at the Hwaseong Independence Movement Memorial Hall.

This event commemorates the patriotic martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the suppression of the independence movement that occurred on April 15, 1919, shortly after the March 1st Movement, in Jeam-ri, Hyangnam-eup, and Gojuri, Paltan-myeon, Hwaseong City (then Suwon County).

The memorial ceremony, themed "Beyond Memory to Peace, Beyond Sacrifice to Hope," will proceed in the order of ▲visiting the burial sites of the six martyrs in Gojuri and the 23 martyrs in Jeam-ri ▲memorial events (on the lawn of the Hwaseong Independence Movement Memorial Hall), among others.

Exterior view of the Hwaseong City Independence Movement Memorial Hall, which opened on April 15 last year. It was established to honor the patriotic martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the Jeam-ri and Gojuri massacres by Japanese forces. Provided by Hwaseong City

The Jeam-ri and Gojuri massacre was a representative incident of Japanese suppression of the independence movement that took place immediately after the March 1st Movement. The Japanese military police forcibly gathered Jeam-ri residents who participated in the independence movement, locked them inside Jeam-ri Church, and set it on fire. Residents attempting to escape the flames were shot, and some were stabbed to death. On the same day, a horrific massacre continued in nearby Gojuri.

A total of 29 residents were killed in the massacre, including 23 in Jeam-ri and 6 in Gojuri. During this process, the Japanese also burned about 30 private houses. Immediately after the incident, the Japanese controlled access to the site and strictly enforced silence among the victims' families.

The incident, which was nearly concealed, was brought to international attention through the efforts of foreign missionaries. Frank Schofield, a Canadian missionary (Korean name Seok Ho-pil), heard about the incident through missionary Underwood and visited Jeam-ri village three days after the event to investigate the site and document the horrific reality with photographs. Based on the collected materials, he wrote the "The Massacre of Chai-amm-ni" report and submitted it to the Canadian missionary board. This became a decisive opportunity to expose Japan's inhumane atrocities to the international community.

As the incident became known internationally and public opinion worsened, the Japanese government held trials for those involved in the massacre but acquitted Lieutenant Arita, who led the incident. The soldiers involved were also acquitted of charges of murder and arson.

Jeam-ri Church, where the Japanese military police imprisoned and massacred 34 residents who participated in the 1919 Independence Movement. Provided by Hwaseong City.

Hwaseong City has held memorial ceremonies every year on April 15 in the Jeam-ri and Gojuri areas to honor the 29 massacre victims. In particular, on April 15 last year, the city opened the "Hwaseong Independence Movement Memorial Hall" to commemorate them. The memorial hall is a reorganization of the existing Jeam-ri March 1st Movement Martyrs Memorial and awakens historical awareness and community spirit through exhibition content related to the Jeam-ri and Gojuri massacre and the independence movement.

Jung Myung-geun, Mayor of Hwaseong City, said, "Calling out the names of those who sacrificed their lives in the Jeam-ri and Gojuri massacre and setting the truth right is our historical duty today," adding, "We will do our best to ensure that the noble spirit of the patriotic martyrs is faithfully passed on to future generations."