필립 제이슨(서재필), 한국 독립운동, 그리고 미국의 외교정책에 대한 재검토: 1919-1927

Abstract

Following the March First Movement in 1919, Korean-American communities coalesced in a show of solidarity for the independence movement. Nationalist activities abroad had already lent their support to the organization of the movement, but the scale and success of the demonstration for independence reinvigorated these groups, particularly those in China and the United States. This paper takes a microcosmic approach to the nationalist movement in the U.S. through an examination of the writings of SŏChaep'il, or Philip Jaisohn (1864~1951), the geopolitical context of the March 1st Movement, and U.S.-Japan foreign relations. I argue that leaders of the Korean independence movement in the United States overestimated the American commitment to Korean sovereignty and failed to understand Washington's aversion to conflict, particularly in the wake of World War I. Since they understood American military intervention was an unrealistic expectation, they focused on influencing public opinion, which they hoped would later affect US foreign policy. However, the United States did not even recognize Korea as a sovereign nation-state, and given the delicate political circumstances following the conclusion of World War I, sympathetic public opinion was unable to translate into political support or government intervention.