We herewith proclaim the independence of Korea and the liberty of the Korean people.
We tell  it to the world  in witness of the equality of  all  nations  and we pass  it  on to our   :
posterity  as  their  inherent  nght.
We make this proclamation, having back of us our 5000 years of history, and 20,000,000
of a united loyal people. We take this step to insure to our children for all time to come,
personal liberty in accord with the awakening consciousness of this new era. This is the clear
leading of God, the moving principle of the present age, the whole human race's just claim It
is something that cannot be stamped out, or stifled, or gagged, or suppressed by *ny means
Victims of an older age, when brute force and the spirit of plunder ruled, we have come
after these long thousands of years to experience the agony of ten years of foreign oppression,
with every loss to the right to live, every restriction of freedom of thought, every damage
done to the dignity of life, every opportunity lost for a share in the intelligent advance of
the  age Jin which we live.
Assuredly, if the defects of the past are to be rectified, if the agony of the present is to be
unloosed, if the future oppression is to be avoided, if thought is to be set free, if right of
action is to be given a place, if we are to attain any way of progress, if we are to deliver
our children from the painful, shameful heritage, if we are to leave blessing and happiness
intact for those who succeed us, the first of all necessaiy things is the clear-Cut independence
of our people. What cannot our twenty millions do, every man with sword in heart, in this
day when human nature and conscience are making a'stand for truth and right? What
barrier can we not break,  what purpose can  we not accomplish?
We have no desire to accuse japan of breaking many solemn treaties since 1636, nor to
single out specially the teachers in the schools or government officials who treat the heritage
of our ancestors as a colony of their own, and our people and their civilization as a nation of
savages, finding delight only in beating us down and bringing us under their heel.
We have no wish to find special fault with Japan's lack of fairness or her contempt of our
civilization and the principles on which her state rests; we, who have a greater cause to
reprimand ourselves, need not spend precious time in finding fault with others; neither need
we, who require so urgently to build for the future, spend useless hours over what is past and
gone. Our urgent need today is the settling up of this house of ours and not a discussion of
who has broken it down, or what has caused its ruin. Our work is to clear the future of
defects in accord with the earnest dictates of conscience. Let us not be filled with bitterness
or  resentment over past agonies or past occasions for  aager*
Our part is to influence the Japanese Government, dominated as it is by the old idea of
brute force which thinks to run counted to reason and universal law, so that it will change,
act honestly and in accord with the principles of right and truth.
The result of annexation, brought about without any conference with the Korean people, is
that the Japanese, indifferent to us, use every kind of partiallity for their own, and by a
false set of figures show a profit and loss account between us two peoples most untrue,, digging
a trench of everlasting  resentment deeper and deeper the farther they go.
Ought not the way of enlightened courage to be to correct the evils of the past by ways
that are sincere, and by true sympathy and friendly feeling make a new world in which the
•two peoples will  be equally blessed?
To bind by force twenty millions of resentful Koreans will mean not only loss of peace
forever for this  part of the  Far East*  but will  also  increase  the  ever-growing  suspicion  of
four hundred millions of Chinese—upon whom depends the danger or safety of the Far East—
j   besides  strengthening  the  hatred  of  Japan.    From   this  all   the   rest  of  the   East   will   suffer.
I -Today Korean independence will mean not on-y daily life  and happiness for us, but  also  it
|   would mean Japan's departure from an evil way and exaltation to the place of true protector
j    of the East, so that China, too, even in her dreams, would put all fear of Japan aside.    This
thought comes from no minor resentment, but from a large hope for the future  welfare  and
blessing of mankind.
A new era wakes before our eyes, the old world of force is gone, and the new world of
righteousness and truth is here. Out of the experience and travail of the old world arises this
light on life's affairs. The insects stifled by the foe and snow of winter awake at this time
with the breezes of spring and the soft light of the sun upon them.
It is the day of the restoration of ail things on the full tide of which we set forth, without
delay or fear. We desire a full measure of satisfaction in the way of liberty and the pursuit
of happiness, and an opportunity to develop what is in us for the glory of our people.
We awake now from the old world with its darkened conditions in full determination and
one heart anoone mind, with right on our side, along with the forces of nature, to a new life.
May all the ancestors to the thousands and ten thousand generations aid us from within and
all the force of the world aid us from without, and let the day we take hold be the day of
our attainment.    In this hope we go forward.
THREE ITEMS OF AGREEMENT
7   THIS WORK OF  HOURS  IS  IN  BEHALF  OF TRUTH, RELIGION  AND  LIFE,
I   UNDERTAKEN AT THE REQUEST OF OUR PEOPLE, IN ORDER'TO MAKE KNOWN
THEIR  DESIRE  FOR LIBERTY.      LET   NO   VIOLENCE  BE   DONE  TO   ANYONE.
2 LET THOSE WHO FOLLOW US, EVERY MAN, ALL THE TIME, EVERY
HOUR,   SHOW  FORTH   WITH   GLADNESS  THIS   SAME   MIND.
3 LET ALL THINGS BE DONE DECENTLY AND IN ORDER, ST) THAT OUR
BEHAVIOUR TO THE  VERY  END  MAY BE  HONORABLE  AND   UPRIGHT.
The 4252nd Year of the Kingdom of Korea, 3rd Month.
Representatives of the People. ...*,,*,
The signatures attached to the document are: ■" _ *
Son Byung Hi, Kil Sun Chu, Yi Pil Chu, Paik Long Sung, Kim Won Kyu, Kim Pyung Cho,
Kim Chang Choon, Kwon Dong Chin, Kwon Byung Duk, Na Long Whan, Na In Hup, Yang
Chun Paik, Yang Han Mook, Lew Yer Dai, Yi Kop Sung, Yi Mung Yong, Yi Seung Hoqn,
Yi Chong Hoon, Yi Chong II, Lim Yei Whan, Pak Choon Seung, Pak Hi Do, Pak Tong Wan,
Sin Hong Sik, Sin Suk Ku, Oh Sei Chang, Oh Wha Young, Chung Choon Su, Choi bung Mo,
Choi In, Han Yong Woon, Hong Byung Ki. Hong Ki Cho.