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Assassination of The Japanese Prime Minister

Who is Ito Hirobumi? 

Ito Hirobumi is the prime minister of the Japanese Empire, who had forcibly made Korea into a Japanese protectorate. When Koreans resist becoming Japanese protectorates, Ito dictated the Japanese forces to decimate them. He also introduced the treaties of 1905 and 1907, forcibly abdicated the king of Korea, destroying Korean independence. Before this event, there was assassination attempt from another Korean independence activist. He was wounded heavily but he survived. After that, he did not allow his pictures to be exposed ("이토 히로부미" 2020). 

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Planned The Assassination of Ito Hirobumi, The Prime Minister of Japan

Ahn Jung-geun found out Ito Hirobumi is going to visit Harbin, China, on October 26 to have a conversation on economics with the Russian representative Vladimir Kokovtsov. When Ahn told Woo Deok-sun about the news, he decided to accompany him (Park 2009). 

 

Woo Deok-sun and Ahn Jung-geun promised together to make sure assassinating Ito Hirobumi as a priority, then shout out "Korea ura! (Long Live for the republic of Korea!)" in Russsian after shooting. Since they were not good in Russian, Yoo Dong-ha and Jo Do-sun both consented to the event and joined the group as their comrade later ("안중근 의사 하얼빈 의거" 2020). 

 

As the security of Harbin station got tightened, they set Chaegagu station to reduce the rate of failure. The final plan of the assassination of Ito Hirobumi was at Chaegagu station and Harbin station; at first, Ahn Jung geun was going to stay at Chaegagu station, while Woo Deok-sun stays at Harbin station. Then, they decided to switch the site--Woo Deok-sun, Yoo Dong-ha, and Jo Do-sun at Chaegagu station and Ahn Jung-geun at Harbin station ("안중근 의사 하얼빈 의거" 2020). 

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Ahn Jung-geun

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Woo Deok-sun

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Yoo Dong-ha

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Jo Do-sun

October 26, 1909 

The day before October 26, Woo Deok-sun, Yoo Dong-ha, Jo Do-sun head to a guesthouse near the Chaegagu station to prepare for the assassination. The next day, the train carrying Ito Hirobumi arrived at the Chaegagu station; however, the station was heavily guarded by Russian soldiers for Ito Hirobumi's security. Woo Deok-sun, Yoo Dong-ha, and Jo Do-sun were not able to get out of the guest house they were staying at because the Russian guards locked the doors before they get out. Due to getting restrained by the Russian guards, they failed the plan at the Chaegagu station ("안중근 의사 하얼빈 의거" 2020). 

Meanwhile, the train carrying Ito Hirobumi arrived at the Harbin station. There were 25 minutes of talk between Ito and Vladimir; after the conversation, under the Russian security, Ito Hirobumi got off from the train. At first, Ahn Jung-geun didn't know how he looked since he only knew he has a mole on his face. When one Japanese in the crowd shouted out Ito Hirobumi's name, Ito Hirobumi turned around and waved his hand, and that was the time Ahn recognized him. As soon as he passed in front of the Russian army, Ahn Jung-geun fired a bullet three times and hit Ito's abdomen. He shot three rounds towards Ito's party, Daiziro Mori, Toshihiko Kawakami, Seitaro Tanaka, in case he wasn't Ito ("An Jung-Geun" 2020). 

Condition of Ito Hirobumi After Getting Shot 

After getting hit by the bullet, Ito Hirobumi was in a fatal condition–the bullets hit his abdomen. He died 30 minutes, around 10 a.m., after the shooting ("An Jung-Geun" 2020). 

After The Assassination

Ahn Jung-geun didn't run away after the shooting. Instead, he shouted "Korea Ura!" and got arrested by the Russian soldiers. Three hours later, after the assassination, Russian soldiers searched the guest house where Woo Deok-sun and his comrades stayed because they were ordered to catch Ahn Jung-geun's accomplices, the suspicious Joseon people(Koreans), near the station. When Woo Deok-sun heard about the success of the assassination, he shouted "Korea Ura!" several times ("안중근 의사 하얼빈 의거" 2020).

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After the assassination of Ito, Ahn Jung-geun, Woo Deok-sun, Jo Do-sun, and Yoo Dong-ha got sentenced to prison in Lushun, Manchuria. Ahn Jung-geun got sentenced to death; Woo Deok-sun got sentenced three years and o Do-sun, and Yoo Dong-ha got one and a half years in prison ("안중근 의사 하얼빈 의거" 2020). 

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Additional information 1:

After they got arrested, they lied during the trials, telling them that they don't know each other to protect their comrades (Kim 2017). 

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Additional information(about Ahn Jung Geun, Woo's comrade) 2:

Ahn Jung-Geun after being arrested wrote a book “Eastern Peace Theory” in the prison that Harbin’s uprising is a war for peace in the East and that the three countries of Korea, China, and Japan can create a system to sope with colonialism of Western powers by mutual assistance while maintaining their independence. Ito Hirobumi also had introduced his theory, but in a different idea: he wished for “East Peace” too, however, he suggested that Japan has to invade the neighboring country and make them subordinate to Japan (Choi 2009).

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Why did they plan the assassination of ito? 

During the trial, Ahn Jung-geun stated fifteen crimes that Ito had committed:

  1. assassinated the queen, the wife of King Gojong, Myeongseong

  2. forced to sign the Eulsa Treaty of 1905 

  3. forced to sign the Japan--Korea treaty of 1907

  4. abdicated King Gojong, forcing him to give up his power

  5. disbanded Korean army 

  6. decimated innocent people 

  7. deprived Korean's rights

  8. destructed Korean education

  9. prevented Koreans from contributing to the newspaper

  10. used Korean banknotes

  11. made Korea owe 3 million pound

  12. broke the peace in the East

  13. forced Korea to be under the Japan protectorate 

  14. killed Emperor Komei, the father of the Japanese emperor

  15. deceived Japan and the world

 

Even though Ito Hirobumi committed crimes, he didn't get punished. Ahn Jung-geun and his comrades believed that he is the main culprit of destroying Korea's sovereignty and breaking Oriental peace (Rausch 2009).

"Daehan Minguk Mansae!"

- Korean Independence Activists

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