100th anniversary of Korea's Provisional Government

The establishment of Korea's Provisional Government happened overseas, but was still a critical turning point in the country's history. Our Cha Sang-mi takes a look back at how it all unfolded. The democratic ideals that are enshrined in South Korea's constitution date back to the establishment of Korea's Provisional Government."The Republic of Korea shall be a democratic republic."Article one of the Korean Provisional Charter later became the start of Korea's current constitution.So how did Korea come this far as a democratic republic? It all goes back to March first of 1919 when, following months of protests, Koreans declared their country free and independent from Japan's colonial rule. With the March first movement as a catalyst, Korean independence fighters in Shanghai established a provisional government in April the same year.Among the eight or more provisional Korean governments, both at home and abroad,... there were three main ones -- the National Council of Korea based in the Russian city of Vladivostok, the Hanseong Government based in Seoul,... and the government in Shanghai. The provisional governments in Korea and Russia were under close scrutiny from Japan, limiting their activity.That prompted the decision in September 1919 to join the three main provisional governments together... in Shanghai. under its first elected president Rhee Syngman -- an ardent nationalist who tried to gain international support for Korea's independence. Shanghai was an ideal place for the unified provisional government because it was an international city and was out of Japan's reach at the time. In Shanghai, the Provisional Government engaged in diplomatic activities, published and distributed newspapers to inform the world of Japan's atrocities, and raised funds for independence movements. After thirteen years in Shanghai, the Provisional Government had to keep moving to different cities within China... passing through Changsha and Guangzhou to evade the constant threat of discovery and the Sino-Japanese war.The final destination was Chongqing, where it stayed until 1945. Following the Surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, figures such as Kim Koo returned home. Kim Koo was the last president of the Provisional Government and he fought against the country's looming division until he was assassinated in 1949. The cabinet may not have continued, but the legacy of the Provisional Government still remains as part of South Korea's democracy.Cha Sang-mi, Arirang News.