뉴스레터

Memorial of the 13-Province Righteous
Army in Mangwu-dong, Jungnang-gu'

The murder of Empress Myeongseong and the issue of a haircutting decree in 1895 gave rise to the anti-Japanese movement referred to as the "Eulmi Uibyeong" or Eulmi Righteous Army, only to become dispersed at the behest of King Gojong. However, after being forced to sign the Protocol of Alliance with Japan (Hanil uijeongseo 韓日議政書) in 1904 and forced to enter the Protectorate Treaty (Eulsa joyak 乙巳勒約) in 1905, some voiced for the need to raise a second righteous army and among them was the former righteous army general Wangsan Heo Wi (許蔿 1854-1908) from Gumi in North Gyeongsang Province.

The forced entry into the Seven-article Treaty of 1907 (Jeongmi 7 joyak 丁未七條約) triggered righteous armies to resume anti-Japanese movements in the Korean provinces of Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungcheong, and Hwanghae. As soldiers who had been scattered across the country after the dissolution of the Korean Imperial Army joined in, the strength of the Jeongmi Righteous Army grew significantly. General Heo Wi, who had been fighting in Yeoncheon and Jeokseong of Gyeonggi Province, and Yi In-young, who had been fighting in Wonju together sent out to righteous armies all over the country a manifesto asking to join forces and then advance into Seoul.

This gathered nearly ten thousand troops from across the country to Yangju in Gyeonggi Province. The army generals gathered there held a meeting and elected Yi In-young as the Commander in Chief and Heo Wi as Chief of Staff of the 13-Province Righteous Army (13-do Changeuigun 十三道倡義軍). Thereafter, in January 1908, an advance unit of three hundred troops led by Heo Wi succeeded in infiltrating deep into Seoul up to about 30 ri (里 Korean unit of measurement) outside Dongdaemun, the East Gate.

Righteous Army General
Wangsan Heo Wi

Alas, that was as far as help from the heavens had been able to reach. Yi In-young suddenly had to back out and return home upon the death of his father and the leaked tactics set for the rest to infiltrate Seoul left the Japanese forces fully prepared for the attack, resulting in a failed operation by the 13-Province Righteous Army.

Once again dispersed, righteous armies independently fought battles, while general Heo Wi also continued to fight against Japan around the rivers Imjin and Hantan until he was captured by the Japanese Imperial Army in June 1908. Even after his arrest, the general never gave in and repeatedly argued for the legitimacy of practicing anti-Japanese movements, which brought upon him the death penalty, and he was hanged to death at Seodaemun Prison as a patriot in September of the same year.

In 1962, the Korean government posthumously awarded righteous army general Heo Wi with an Order of Merit for National Foundation according to the Order of the Republic of Korea. The six-lane road lying between Jongno 5-ga and Cheongnyangni in Seoul has been named "Wangsan-ro" after his pen name Wangsan. In 1990, the major Korean daily newspaper Donga Ilbo erected a memorial paying tribute to the 13-Province Righteous Army in Mangwu-dong of Jungnang-gu, Seoul as part of a campaign to preserve historic sites related to the March First 1919 Independence Movement.

The ten thousand troops from all across the country gathered at the height of winter when all of nature was frozen. It is uncertain as to how strongly they all had believed in the possibility of regaining national sovereignty by using military force. Yet, whatever the odds of succeeding had been, they must have stood there thinking that "it was something people without a country must, could not help but do." That is what makes us bow lower this winter as we face the sacrifice of all those countless nameless soldiers.

References: Korean Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs - Heo Wi, Fighter of the Month for Independence
http://cafe.naver.com/bohunstar.cafe
"Field of Operations of the 13-Province Righteous Army" in Historic Sites of Independence Movements in Seoul by The Independence Hall of Korea
http://sajeok.i815.or.kr/ebook/ebookh01/book.html