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Description

War Memorial of Korea (Seoul).

In 1908, one year after the unequal treaty that let Japan appoint a resident-general (colonial governor) for Korea and two years before annexation, patriots from all over the Korean Empire met to form the largest new "righteous army" so far. One major action by a soldier of a righteous army was An Jung-geun's assassination of Ito Hirobumi, resident-general and previously the first prime minister of Japan, at Harbin Station (China) in 1909. An was arrested by Russian guards, handed over to Japanese colonial authorities in China, and tried. At his trial, he charged Ito with 15 capital crimes (against Korea, Japan, and the world) and requested to be executed as a prisoner of war, but the Japanese government ordered him executed as a murderer. At least the prison warden let him wear a white funeral suit to the execution and receive last rites from a Catholic priest. Ever since his death, An Jung-geun has been honored as one of the martyred fighters for Korean independence.

Description

War Memorial of Korea (Seoul).

In 1908, one year after the unequal treaty that let Japan appoint a resident-general (colonial governor) for Korea and two years before annexation, patriots from all over the Korean Empire met to form the largest new "righteous army" so far. One major action by a soldier of a righteous army was An Jung-geun's assassination of Ito Hirobumi, resident-general and previously the first prime minister of Japan, at Harbin Station (China) in 1909. An was arrested by Russian guards, handed over to Japanese colonial authorities in China, and tried. At his trial, he charged Ito with 15 capital crimes (against Korea, Japan, and the world) and requested to be executed as a prisoner of war, but the Japanese government ordered him executed as a murderer. At least the prison warden let him wear a white funeral suit to the execution and receive last rites from a Catholic priest. Ever since his death, An Jung-geun has been honored as one of the martyred fighters for Korean independence.