Erection of the 'Ttukseom Manse Movement Monument' at Ttukseom Cultural Park in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu

In March 1919, Ttukdori Wagon Drivers, Jige Carriers, and Common People Often Shouted for Independence Here... On March 1, a 'Ttukseom Manse Movement Monument Construction' Event Held at Seongsu-dong Ttukseom Cultural Park

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) will hold a ’Ttukseom Manse Movement Monument Construction‘ event at Ttukseom Cultural Park in Seongsu-dong on March 1st, commemorating the Samiljeol (March 1st Movement).

Based on historical records, the event aims to reexamine the historical fact of the Ttukseom Manse Movement that took place around Ttukseom on March 26, 1919, to inherit the spirit of the Manse Movement, and to remember it together with future generations by promoting a unique monument construction project exclusive to Seongdong-gu.

The construction of the Ttukseom Manse Movement Monument began with the Seongdong Modern and Contemporary History Discovery Project conducted in 2013 as part of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s village community project.

While promoting the project with the Seongdong History and Culture Research Association, the district heard from a resident about the March 1st Manse Movement that occurred in Ttukseom and confirmed that there were many historical materials such as the post office official residence and landlord houses in Ttukseom during the Japanese colonial period.

Accordingly, the Seongdong History and Culture Research Association sought to trace the footsteps of the Ttukseom Manse Movement, met descendants of independence activists to verify related information, and published a booklet in 2016 titled ’March Shouts Filling Ttukseom-gil: Ttukseom Samil Movement‘.

The Ttukseom Manse Movement holds great historical significance as it reflects the contemporary situation where the main participants of the Manse Movement shifted from national representatives and students to the working class, spreading nationwide.

In 1919, Goyang-gun in Gyeonggi Province was divided into Hanji-myeon and Ttukdo-myeon, corresponding to the current Wangsimni and Seongsu-dong Ttukseom areas. Ttukdo-myeon consisted of 14 villages and covered a wide area extending to present-day Gwangjin, Jamsil, and Myeonmok-dong, with Seongsu-dong serving as the location of the township office and the center of Ttukdo-myeon.

At that time, the Ttukseom area served as a loading and unloading site for firewood for Seoul citizens. Most residents of Ttukseom were engaged in loading and unloading firewood transported by rafts or moving firewood to Hanyang by carts or carrying poles. Therefore, the leading group of the Ttukseom Manse Movement was composed mainly of laborers such as wagon drivers, pole carriers, cart drivers, and porters, reflecting the local characteristics.

According to records, the Manse Movement in the Ttukseom area occurred twice on March 12 and March 26.

The first movement was led mainly by students from Ttukdo Agricultural School and Ttukdo Public Elementary School, and it is presumed that the second movement was organized in advance, as leaflets related to the Manse Movement were distributed in various places several days before the second event.

The gathered people, upon seeing the leaflets, surrounded the township office and the military police station, which were centers of exploitation and oppression, waved the Taegeukgi (Korean national flag), and held a Manse demonstration on the 26th. As the demonstration was about to disperse through negotiations with the military police, 15 additional Japanese military police opened indiscriminate fire, resulting in one death, twelve injuries, and 103 arrests by the Japanese authorities.

On that day, the Manse Movement was the largest and most intense protest in Goyang-gun, with one Japanese military police sergeant, two corporals, and three Japanese firefighters injured.

The monument, designed by installation artist Soo-young Bae, expresses ’the hope of Seongdong-gu, symbolized by the two arms of the people shouting Manse coming together as one heart through the meeting of different stones.‘ The inscription was inserted with advice from the Seongdong History and Culture Research Association.

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “The newly constructed Ttukseom Manse Movement Monument will be used as historical educational material for youth including elementary, middle, and high school students,” and added, “I hope the spirit of the Ttukseom Manse Movement, which arose through the cooperation of our neighbors, will be remembered for a long time with future generations.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.