Page 63 - NAKS MAC 2026 EBook

2026년 독립기념 ‘코리아 리뷰’ 에세이

Two Nations, One Spirit

Ian Hwang

Two hundred and fifty years ago, America said no. They declared freedom from
the iron grip of Great Britain. One hundred and sixty nine years later, Joseon would gain
independence from the rule of Imperial Japan. Both nations, America and Joseon,
would fight for this independence tirelessly, and there are definitely aspects we and our
descendants can learn from.

George Washington didn’t just become the first president of America for nothing.
He showed immense resilience during the American Revolution. Despite losing roughly
20,000 of his men, leaving only 3,000 in a disastrous campaign, he found the courage
to lead a successful counterattack. When morale was at an all time low, Washington
could still carry determination. Almost everybody had wanted to quit, to give up, and
give in, but George Washington was different. George Washington was the missing
piece for a fragile nation on the verge of collapse. While others saw inevitable defeat,
Washington saw hope. He endured harsh winters alongside troops, with food running
out and illnesses rampant. His leadership and fortitude is what our future generations
need to carry in the spirit of independence.

Across the globe and around one and a half centuries apart, Kim Gu was hard at
work as the leader of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. During an
era of tyranny and abuse of the Korean Republic, likewise to Washington, he found the
courage to stand up for his country. Any form of resistance against the Japanese
Empire was shut down, often in the form of execution. Despite knowing these risks Kim
Gu took up the job of coordinating resistance networks and fought for foreign
recognition, making sure the world knew who the Korean peninsula belonged to. In
short, Gu would spend the rest of his life fighting for freedom or die trying. This is the
spirit of independence our future generations need to carry.

The spirit of independence is one that requires physical grit, but also intellectual
strength. Thomas Jefferson and Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil) were just that. Thomas
Jefferson engineered and wrote the Declaration of Independence, containing the rights
of independence that every human should carry. Philip Jaisohn held the same principles
of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Throughout his life, he constantly moved to and
from Korea to America. He would earn his education in America, which he would use to
spread foreign awareness of the Korean struggle, through events such as the 1919 First
Korean Congress in Philadelphia. In Korea, he educated its citizens with the publication

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