The National Debt Repayment Movement was a movement by the people of the Korean Empire to repay their country's debt through collecting individual donations. It was started by Seo Sang-dong of Daegu on 30 January, 1907. At that time the national debt was 13 million won. At the movement's height in 1908, it had amassed 190,000 won.
The movement attracted national appeal, and many gave up their tobacco in order to help repay the national debt. Women, including the kisaeng Aengmu, took a leading role in raising funds. The Japanese Government expected for the movement to subside. However, the movement later attracted the interest of the Japanese forces, who regarded it as a dangerous expression of Korean nationalism and sought to stifle and discredit it.
This movement failed because of the Japanese orchestrating false charges against the president of the bank holding the funds.
A large park in central Daegu is dedicated to the memory of the movement.
Read more about National Debt Repayment Movement: References
Famous quotes containing the words national, debt, repayment and/or movement:
“Mr. Speaker, at a time when the nation is again confronted with necessity for calling its young men into service in the interests of National Security, I cannot see the wisdom of denying our young women the opportunity to serve their country.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)
“Capitalism is an art form, an Apollonian fabrication to rival nature. It is hypocritical for feminists and intellectuals to enjoy the pleasures and conveniences of capitalism while sneering at it.... Everyone born into capitalism has incurred a debt to it. Give Caesar his due.”
—Camille Paglia (b. 1947)
“Parents vary in their sense of what would be suitable repayment for creating, sustaining, and tolerating you all those years, and what circumstances would be drastic enough for presenting the voucher. Obviously there is no repayment that would be sufficient . . . but the effort to call in the debt of life is too outrageous to be treated as anything other than a joke.”
—Frank Pittman (20th century)
“Christianity was only a very strong and singularly well-timed Salvation Army movement that happened to receive help from an unusual and highly dramatic incident. It was a Puritan reaction in an age when, no doubt, a Puritan reaction was much wanted; but like all sudden violent reactions, it soon wanted reacting against.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)