Support Movement for Gwangju Student Independence Movement in USA

Abstract

The year 2021 marks the 92nd anniversary of Gwangju Students Independence Movement which is considered as the ‘big three Independence Movement’ and the ‘2nd the March First Independence Movement’. The Gwangju Student Independence Movement, which broke out in Gwangju in November 1929, 10 years after the March First Independence Movement, is considered as the largest independence movement after the March First Independence Movement. Although students took the lead of independence movement, it was a holistic national movement that posed not only school issue but also colonial education, Japanese colonial rule issue, and national liberation. It started from teenage students of Gwangju but has spread to nationwide such as Seoul, Pyeongyang, Gyeongsang, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, Gangwon, Pyeong-an, Hamgyeong and so on. It was nationwide and worldwide scale of independence movement as has spread to China, Japan, the Soviet Union, the United States, Mexico, Cuba and so on. So Government has commemorated November 3rd as ‘Student’s day’ since 1953, until the Park Junghee regime abolished it in 1973. This paper, firstly, deals with the support of Gwangju Students Independence Movement from the United States. Second, it examines supporting activities of ‘Support Association for Gwangju Students Independence Movement’, which was newly organized for support. Third, this research discusses ‘Korean Student Federation of North American’ and ‘Korean Women’s Patriots Association, which preexisted.