March 2, 1919

While the cries of March 1st are universally known, the following day, March 2nd, is easily forgotten. In the relationship between Korea and Canada, March 2nd marks the beginning of the "struggle for documentation." For Canadian missionaries stationed in Korea at the time, particularly Dr. Frank Schofield (March 15, 1889 - April 12, 1970), early March was a week of risking their lives. With the outbreak of the March 1st Movement, the Japanese imperialists began a ruthless suppression. The smell of blood filled the streets. Yet, the vast majority of Western powers remained silent. It was then that Schofield, a veterinarian from Toronto, took to the streets with his camera. He didn't just document the events of March 1st; he relentlessly followed the protests and massacres that continued from March 2nd onwards. Despite a physical disability (polio), he rode his bicycle through the scene, recording the tragic reality of the Korean people falling before the Japanese imperialists' guns and swords. A single photograph taken by Dr. Schofield, a single line in a report he wrote in the cold of March, were not mere records. They were the only channel through which a completely isolated Korea could connect with the world. The letters he sent to Canada later awakened Canadian public opinion and served as crucial evidence to inform the international community of Korea's desire for independence. What we must remember is his "duty as an intellectual," not to remain silent in the face of injustice.

March 7, 1951

This day marks the launch of Operation Ripper, a highly significant turning point in the history of the Korean War. It was the day the UN forces, who had been forced to give up Seoul again and retreat due to the intervention of the Chinese Communist forces, launched their counter-offensive. Canadian troops were on the front lines of this operation. In particular, the 2nd Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) pushed forward through the central front in the worst possible conditions, a mixture of bitter cold and the mud of the spring thaw. The operation they carried out was not simply about seizing land. It was a resistance against totalitarianism that trampled upon human dignity. The advance that began on March 7th was a warm-up for the bravery the Canadian troops would show in the Korean War.

March 8th

International Women's Day. Every year around March 8th, the Korean community and local human rights organizations in Toronto have joined hands to raise their voices. Following the erection of the Statue of Peace in Toronto in 2015, March became not just the beginning of spring, but a month dedicated to setting historical justice right. The Canadian parliament's adoption of the "Comfort Women" resolution in 2007 was also possible because of the persistent outcry from this civil society. This demonstrates that the spirit of resistance shown by numerous Korean women, including Yu Gwan-sun, in March 1919, resonates on Canadian soil across a century of time.