Lecturer Ko Un Ha explained about the history of Hakdanggol.
"Hakdang Valley is a wide space between the Pyongyang Students and Children´s Palace, the Mansudae Assembly Hall, the Pothong Gate, the Mansudae Art Theatre and the Grand People´s Study House. In the past the place was called Hakdang or School or Hakdang-dong. Because there were many schools such as the Sungsil Secondary School and the Sungui Girls´ School, private schools and village schools."
The lecturer impressively explained about the historical facts a century ago. In the 1910s Korea was completely reduced to a colony of the Japanese imperialists. The outstanding leader of the anti-Japanese national liberation movement of Korea Kim Hyong Jik, father of the great leader Kim Il Sung, embarked on the road of revolutionary struggle to smash the armed enemy with the strength of the Korean nation, keeping the idea of "aim high" that national independence must be achieved through a struggle generation after generation. The lecturer said Kim Hyong Jik made efforts to bring up reliable pivots of a revolutionary organization to be formed in the future while studying at the Pyongyang Sungsil Secondary School in Hakdang Valley from the Spring of 1911.
The lecturer said.
"As his comrades increased one by one, Kim Hyong Jik became a professional revolutionary without finishing the course of the Sungsil Secondary School in order to expand the theatre of the revolutionary activities extensively. He conducted revolutionary activities at the Sunhwa School in Mangyongdae and Myongsin School in Ponghwa-ri using them as centres of his activities as a teacher favourable to the revolutionary activities and powerfully accelerated preparations to form a revolutionary organization in the future."
While listening to the lecturer, I saw in my mind´s eyes the Sunhwa School in Mangyongdae I visit every year. The bell of the Myongsin School in Ponghwa-ri rung by Kim Hyong Jik seemed to be sounding in my ears.
Kim Hyong Jik walked the untrodden path of history for national independence and people´s emancipation. Thanks to his strenuous efforts, the inaugural meeitng of the "Korean National Association" was held in Hakdang Valley on March 23, Juche 6 or 1917. Present there were core champions of independence movement, anti-Japanese movement champions at home and abroad and the patriotic youth and students.
The lecturer said the aim of the "Korean National Association" was to achieve national independence and build a true civilized state with the strength of the Koreans through their unity. The "Korean National Association" expanded its organizations to the wide areas at home and abroad less than half a year after its foundation and included people from all walks of life, soldiers of the Independence Army and even religionists.
Pointing to the inscription, the lecturer said:
"The inscription reads:
´Oh, his high aim for liberation
Shone on the silk-embroidered land of 3,000 ri,
Struck roots deep among the people
Breaking through forest of bayonets
Under the banner of anti-Japanese struggle,
Korea breathed with his intention
Even in far-off foreign land.´
Indeed, the ´Korean National Association´ formed by Kim Hyong Jik was a revolutionary organization for national independence to realize his idea of ´aim high´ and the first anti-Japanese underground revolutionary organization in Korea around the March First Popular Uprising."
The "Korean National Association" was recorded in the history of the Korean revolution.
I left the Hakdanggol Revolutionary Site, firmly believing that the idea of "aim high" of
Kim Hyong Jik is shining brighter thanks to respected Kim Jong Un.
[...] The lecturer said the aim of the "Korean National Association" was to achieve national independence and build a true civilized state with the strength of the Koreans through their unity. [...]
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