Kore Kadınının Moderleşme Süreci ve Ulusal Hareketinin Tarihi
Eun Kyung JeongXX. yüzyılın başlarında dış güçlerin Kore’yi işgal ettiği dönemde gerçekleşen kadının modernleşme süreci hakkındaki araştırmalar, Kore kadınlarının ‘vatanperverlik’ ve ‘milli şuur’ altında modern bir bilince sahip olmalarını sağlamakla birlikte bu sürecin Kore bağımsızlık hareketinin tarihi ile kesiştiğini göstermektedir. Kore toplumunun modernleşme sürecinde çelişkili sistemin değişimini öne sürerken aynı zaman zarfında Koreli kadınlar, milletin bu buhranlı döneminde kurdukları çeşitli vatansever dernekler ve eğitim faaliyetleri aracılığıyla ülkeyi yabancı güçlerden kurtararak yeniden doğması için her türlü fedakârlığı yapmıştır. Böylece kadınlar, eğitim hayatında ve aydınlanma sürecinde erkeklerle birlikte ülkenin kaderini belirlemede etkin rol almalarının gerektiği çağrısında bulunurken vatanı kurtarma çalışmalarının bir vatandaşlık görevi olduğunun farkına varmışlardır. Ayrıca Batı’dan gelen modern fikirlerin Kore’ye girmesiyle, kadınlar erkek merkezli Konfüçyüsçü normların var olan tek yaşam tarzı olmadığı bilinci ile kadınların da eşit insanlar ve bireysel varlıklar olduğu düşüncesinin altyapısı hazırlanmıştır. Bu tarihte Kore kadınlarının milli mücadeleye aktif katılımı ve parçası oldukları sosyal hareketler, muhafazakâr geleneğin hâkim olduğu Kore toplumunu şaşkına uğratmıştır. Kore kadınlarının işgal güçlerine karşı ulusal egemenliği geri alma konusu ile bağımsızlık hareketinde erkekler ile yan yana mücadele ettikleri dönem, çağdaşlaşma düşüncesine bağlı olarak sistemleşme süreci olarak ifade edilebilir. Bu süreç aynı zamanda, istiklale kavuşulduğunda kurulacak olan devlet şekli konusunda bir arayış olup Kore’nin cumhuriyet olarak yeniden doğmasında önemli bir rol oynamıştır. Bu düşünce temeli üzerinde, bu araştırmada tarihte kadınların Japon emperyalizmine karşı koyarak ulusal gücü nasıl yeniden tesis etmeye çalıştıkları, Kore kadınları tarafından kurulan milli örgütler ile kişiler aracılığıyla incelenecektir.
The History of Korean Women’s National Modernization Movement
Eun Kyung JeongThe beginning of the 20th century, which was a period marked by an imperialistic invasion of Korea by external forces, saw the establishment of a modern consciousness in Korean women because of the rise in “patriotism” and the development of a “national consciousness” against the external forces. At the same time that Korean women were seeking change to the contradictory modernization of Korean society through their various patriotic associations and educational activities, they were also making many sacrifices to save the country from the external powers during this dark period. Realizing that working to save their homeland was a civic duty, along with the men, the women took an active role in determining the fate of the country while continuing to develop education and promote enlightenment. The introduction of modern ideas from the West brought the knowledge that women were equal and that the male-centered Confucian norms were not the only way of life open to them. Therefore, during the the Korean Independence Movement, women were also developing a modern consciousness as part of their nation building efforts. Despite living in a feudal male dominant social structure ruled by tradition, religion, and conservative thinking, female power was being recognized through the Korean women’s achievements against the foreign intervention. Through an examination of Korean women’s actions and roles in restoring domestic sovereignty and establishing a modern democratic government, this study elucidates the role of Korean women in the Korean independence movement against Japanese imperialism and their involvement in the foundation of the democratic movements that eventually established the Korean republic.
The modern idea of women’s rights emerged in Korea in the 18th century. By participating in the independence struggle after Japan invaded Korea, Korean women patriotically protected national sovereignty. The national struggle by Korean women was a unifying movement that helped rebuild modern Korea. While the women’s movements in the rest of the world were somewhat similar to the movement in Korea, because of the chaos associated with the imperialist occupation, there were few historical precedents for the national struggle of Korean women, which was an important feature of Korea’s national independence movement and attracted the attention of the international community.
This study examines Korea’s modernization in a critical period in its history through the national consciousness struggles of the Korean women to break down the traditions and customs. Besides the opening of many girls’ schools by women’s organizations, the women also were also involved in various patriotic organizations during this dark period with the aim of establishing a country based on equality and freedom.
Despite the traditional male-centered society, while working to gain their own freedom, Korean women also played an active role in regaining Korea’s freedom from oppression. Alongside the men, Korean women stood up to Japanese bullying and played significant roles in the national patriotic movement to develop a gender equal consciousness. Therefore, this study emphasizes the role Korean women played in the establishment and rebirth of the Korean republic, their success in liberating the country from foreign powers, and the sacrifices they made to revive the country’s economy.
Specifically, by examining the patriotic activities of the women before the March 1 National Movement, which best demonstrated the will of the Korean nation for independence, the role of Korean women in the modern enlightenment national movement and how they caused a revival in the national consciousness is revealed. Besides supporting the national independence movement, after the March 1 Movement, Korean women also contributed to issues such as education and economic development. However, even today, the traditional Korean notion of society and its patriarchal understanding of history have tended to identify women as only members of the nation, with the historical importance of their role in society during the occupation somewhat underestimated. As there have been few studies on the actions of Korean women during Japanese colonial rule, there is a great need for further research.
Therefore, with a focus on the changes and developments in the women’s movement in early 20th century contemporary Korean history, the activities associated with Korean women's enlightenment and their roles in the national movement are evaluated to reveal their historical significance in the re-establishment of national sovereignty. To achieve this goal, previous research on the activities of the people involved in the women’s national movements in Korea and the activities of the organizations, and reports in the newspapers published in that period are used as references.
In the end, Korea’s modern women’s movement also assumed a bigger role within the nationalist movement. In Korea, women were an integral part of the independence movement against foreign powers and stood as equals with the men by participating in the armed uprisings, establishing patriotic organizations, and undertaking resistance efforts, all of which eventually led to the foundation of a democratic government.
