On the 80th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation, Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK has launched a social media campaign that invites people to write letters of gratitude and respect to the “Eulsa Heroes,” men and women at home and abroad who sacrificed their lives resisting the 1905 Eulsa Treaty.
In March and May this year, VANK selected five Korean independence activists and one foreign activist as “Eulsa Heroes,” recognizing their patriotism and sacrifice in opposing the treaty. The five Koreans are Hwang Hyeon, Shin Dol-seok, Jo Byeong-se, Min Yeong-hwan, and Ahn Jung-geun, all of whom expressed opposition to the Eulsa Treaty in their own ways. The foreign activist honored is Dr. Homer Hulbert, who was sent by Emperor Gojong as a special envoy to the United States and The Hague to expose the illegality of the treaty.
Signed on November 17, 1905, the Eulsa Treaty stripped the Korean Empire of its diplomatic rights, becoming the prelude to the loss of sovereignty in 1910. Remembering the “Eulsa Heroes” who fought to block the treaty and expose its illegitimacy to the world is, according to VANK, a meaningful and necessary act on Liberation Day.
VANK explained that instead of focusing anger on the “Eulsa Five Traitors” who signed the treaty, this campaign aims to honor and respect the “Eulsa Heroes” who resisted, as a way of commemorating all independence activists who never stopped fighting throughout the colonial era. It is also a way for modern Koreans to express gratitude to those who gave their lives to defend their country 120 years ago.
The campaign can be joined through VANK’s official Instagram account (@vank_prkorea). Participants can leave a letter in the comments section addressed to one or more of the six Eulsa Heroes. They may also write to any independence activist they personally admire.
VANK Director Park Ki-tae said, “This campaign is an opportunity to recall the illegality of the Eulsa Treaty and the spirit of the Eulsa Heroes who resisted, on the occasion of the 80th Liberation Anniversary. Beyond anger at the five traitors, remembering the courage and conviction of those who fought to the end for independence is the first step in living out the spirit of the independence movement today.”
He added, “By using Instagram, a platform familiar to the younger generation, anyone can express their gratitude to independence activists with just a short comment. This can become a new approach to history education. Through this campaign, we hope many people will feel closer to our history and nurture patriotism and historical awareness in daily life.”
Lee Jeong-woo, a youth researcher at VANK who organized the campaign, explained, “The Eulsa Treaty was not just a treaty but the beginning of a historical tragedy in which a nation’s sovereignty was taken away. On Liberation Day, we should once again reflect on this truth and honor those who resisted. This campaign was designed to allow us to commemorate their spirit through direct action in the digital space.”
She continued, “Every message of gratitude left in the comments can come together in the SNS space to carry on the voices of independence fighters from 120 years ago as our voices today. We hope Liberation Day will not be just another anniversary, but a space for citizens to actively remember history and take part in expressing it.”
Meanwhile, VANK will officially launch its new international policy proposal and communication platform “Weform” on August 15 to mark the 80th Liberation Anniversary. The platform combines VANK’s existing citizen diplomacy governance platforms “Woollim” and “Yeollim,” expanding the model into the international community. Ahead of the official launch, VANK has already conducted pre-campaigns on five major themes.
The first theme is based on “Theory of Oriental Peace,” the vision proposed by independence activist Ahn Jung-geun. Through Weform, VANK plans to carry on Ahn’s dream of peace in East Asia, reinterpreted in the 21st century from Korea’s perspective, and spread it worldwide.