March 1st, 1919, Seoul Pagoda Park, Koreans who endured 10 years of Japanese oppression shouted, ‘Long Live Korean Independence!’

Click! One foreigner took a picture of this historical moment and spread it to the world.

He is Frank William Schofield(1889-1970).

Frank William Schofield was born in Rugby Warwickshire, England on March 1889, emigrated to Canada and received a doctorate at the University of Toronto, and in November 1916, first came to Korea as a missionary and professor of the Severance Hospital.

Schofield filmed the March 1 Independence Movement at the request of his hospital colleague Lee Gap-seong.

He was the only foreigner asked to cooperate with the March 1 Independence Movement.

“I’ve always felt that the doctor was an angel sent from above for the independence movement of our people. He was the angel who came for us.”- Lee Gap-seong

Schofield willfully joined the March 1 Independence movement to take pictures and promote the movement to the world.

He also visited Koreans imprisoned in the Seodaemun Prison and demanded to Japanese high officials to stop torture inflicted on Koreans.

Furthermore, Schofield personally researched Japan’s atrocities and spread them to the world.

In April 1919, the Jeamri Massacre occurred.

The Jeamri Massacre was an incident where Japan massacred civilians of Jeamri and nearby regions as revenge toward the March 1 Independence Movement.

On April 15th, the Japanese army gathered men over the age of 15 inside and killed 23 by burning down the building. They also burned 31 houses and murdered 6 residents of nearby Goju-ri.

Schofield immediately visited and investigated the site a day after hearing the news.

His report, 「The Massacre of Chai-Amm-Ni)」, was published in the English newspaper in Shanghai, 『The Shanghai Gazette』, on May 27th, 1919.

On July 26th, 1919, his 「Report of the Su-chon Atrocities」 was published in the American Presbytery issue, 『Presbyterian Witness』.

Schofield helped Koreans in every way he could and spread the atrocities of Japan to the world.

His photograph of a lashing victim was included in the 1919 July report for the U.S. Secretary of State. In the August of the same year, he spoke criticizing speech at the missionary conference held in Japan and met the Japanese Prime Minister to cease Japan’s atrocities on Korea.

Japan continuously surveyed and harassed Schofield and his activity against Japan.

In March 1920, Schofield returned to Canada due to the end of his work contract with Severance Hospital.

However, he continued to spread the situation in Korea, criticized Japan, and supported Korea through lectures and writings in Canada.

In 1958, Schofield returned to Korea as the national guest. He stayed in Korea to teach students, help orphans, and voice for the human rights and democratization of Korea.

Until the end, he delivered the history and spirit of the March 1 Independence Movement to Koreans.

“Don’t forget how the young and old sacrificed in 1919 for Korea’s future. These are a few words I want to tell young Koreans today. At times, we face injustice we have to fight against and sometimes the price for achieving that goal is our life. This, however, sets us free from a state of slavery and brings us a bright future.”

Frank William Schofield, a witness of the March 1 Independence Movement who continuously spread its history and spirit to the end with his love of Korea, is the true ‘Friend of Korea’!

Let’s carry on the dream of Frank William Schofield by promoting Korea to the world and changing the global society.