2021-03-11

Full text of "The rebirth of Korea : the reawakening of the people, its causes, and outlook"

Full text of "The rebirth of Korea : the reawakening of the people, its causes, and outlook"



The Rebirth of Korea 
The Reawakening of the People 
Its Causes, and the Outlook 
BY HUGH HEUNG-WO CYNN 

Copyright, 1920, by 
HUGH HEUNG-WO CYNN 

First Edition Printed April, 1920 
Reprinted July. 1921 


CONTENTS 

Introduction 9 

Foreword 11 

PART I 

CHAPTEE THE REBIRTH 
I. The Historic March First 15 
II. Agitation and Repression 33 
III. Christian Missions Face to Face with Militarism 61 

PART II 

CAUSES 
IV. Japanese Administration 83 
V. Japanese Administration (Continued) . 99 
VI, The Rise of Democratic Spirit 126 

PART III 

CONCLUSION 
VII. Japan's Policy and Korea 151 
VIII. Democracy and the Future of Korea 171 

APPENDICES 
A. — ^An Opinion of Missionaries 191 
B. — A Statement of Missionary Position 
on Korean Agitation 215 
C. — The Korean Situation 220 
D. — Treaty of Amity and Commerce. . . 223 
E. — The Japanese-Korean Treaty 237 
F. — Supplementary Treaty between 
Japan and Korea 244 
G. — Protocol Concluded between Japan 
AND Korea 251 
H. — Agreement between Japan and 
Korea, Signed August 22, 1904.. . 254 
I. — Agreement between Japan and 
Korea, Signed April 1, 1905 256 
J. — Agreement Respecting the Coast 
Trade of Korea 261 
K. — Agreement between Japan and 
Korea, Signed November 17, 1905 265 
L. — ^Agreement between Japan and 
Korea, Signed July 24, 1907 268 
M. — ^The Treaty of Annexation, Signed 
August 29, 1910 271 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Viscount Kim, one of the two who have 
petitioned and are prosecuted. 

— Frontispiece 

FilCINO FAQB 

Crowd shouting "Mansei!" in front of 
TuKSOO Palace, Seoul, March 1, 
1919 16 

The Independence Gate, outside of West 

Gate, Seoul 48 

Map of Korea, showing principal areas 
where the demonstrations took 
place 62 



INTRODUCTION 

Any contribution of fact or interpretation 
touching the Korean situation will be wel- 
come at this time to all true friends of Korea. 
There is a special value in the statement and 
conclusions of one who has had the training 
of Mr. Hugh H. Cynn and the opportunities 
which have been his for obtaining information 
at first hand. Educated in the University of 
Southern California, Mr. Cynn has been for 
several years the principal of the Pai Chai 
School in Seoul. His duties have, on the one 
hand, kept him in close contact with the 
Japanese educational authorities, while on the 
other he has been in sympathetic relations with 
his own people for whom he is a loyal cham- 
pion. He has been modest, temperate, and 
firm in securing and protecting the rights of 
the important school which has grown steadily 
under his leadership, and has devoted himself 
to its interests. One who reads, however, 
what is herein recorded will find a spirit which 
is concerned with issues outside of the academic 
realm. The author is a Christian and a patriot, 
eager for the best that Korea can achieve, 
convinced of the justice of his country's appeal 



10 INTRODUCTION 

for freedom and self-government, satisfied, if 
once the main contention is accepted, to make 
progress by delay if the time for full autonomy 
shall seem not yet to have come. Mr. Cynn 
has a wide circle of acquaintances and friends, 
Koreans, Japanese, American. To them there 
will be a peculiar interest in these candid 
chapters in which, with clearness and courage, 
he makes record of his impressions and his 
convictions. 

Frank Mason North. 



FOREWORD 

To be an "author" in a tongue that is not 
his native has never been the ambition of the 
writer. When he left Seoul, his home city, 
in the latter part of last April, to come to 
America for a short visit, it was his intention 
merely to return as soon as the business for 
which he was coming was finished. When the 
time for the intended return came, however, 
several friends suggested to him to give a 
series of lectures in some of the Eastern institu- 
tions of learning before leaving, and wisdom 
counseled the acceptance. 

While preparing for the lectures the thought 
of putting them in some permanent form and 
presenting before the public as an interpreta- 
tion of one of the phases of Korean life grad- 
ually developed, and with encouragements re- 
ceived from his American friends he has ven- 
tured into a field entirely new to him. 

Chapters IV and V are taken from a report 
made before the executive members of the 
Commission on Relation with the Orient of the 
Federal Council of the Churches of Christ 
in America in the early part of last June. The 
other chapters were given in substance in the 

11 



12 FOREWORD 

Drew Theological Seminary and the Boston 
University, in three lectures at each place. 

The writer has no apology to make on the 
subject-matter; he only feels a keen regret 
at the inadequacy in the presentation. For 
obvious reasons he has depended almost en- 
tirely upon the government reports for statis- 
tics and official statements and upon such 
other documents and testimonies that are 
quite well authenticated and known by this 
time. 

As he now turns his face again toward the 
Far East, he wishes to avail himself of this 
opportunity to express his very deep appre- 
ciation of the courtesies and kindnesses shown 
him by Dr. Frank Mason North, of New York, 
Dr. John Franklin Goucher, of Baltimore, and 
the Rev. Bishop Herbert Welch, of Seoul, 
Korea. While these gentlemen have no respon- 
sibility for any part of the contents, their per- 
sonal sympathy and helpful encouragement, 
during some of the blackest moments, have 
enabled the writer to make an attempt and 

complete the task. 

Hugh Heung-wo Cynn. 
New York City, 
October 24, 1919. 


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