Editing March First Movement (section)

=== History and description ===
The March First Movement has been commemorated for each year since its occurrence, in both Korea and amongst the Korean diaspora.{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=208–209}} Historically, both left- and right-leaning Korean groups have celebrated the occasion. For example, in China in the 1920s, the rivaling right-leaning {{Ill|Korean National Party (1935)|lt=Korean National Party|ko|한국국민당 (1935년)}} and left-leaning KNRP made a point of hosting a joint ceremony to bridge their political divide and demonstrate unity to observers.{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=|p=226}}

During the colonial period, independence activists scheduled speeches, rallies, and protests for the day. In Korea and amongst [[Koreans in Japan]] and [[Koreans in China|in Manchuria]], these events were often hosted in secret.{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=208–212}} The newspaper ''[[The Dong-A Ilbo]]'' openly commemorated the day in Korea on a number of occasions and was punished for doing so.<ref>{{Citation |script-title=ko:동아일보 (東亞日報) |url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0016629 |access-date=2024-03-09 |publisher=[[Academy of Korean Studies]] |language=ko |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]]}}</ref>

Commemorations typically involve readings of the declaration, speeches, nationalist music, and the displaying of nationalist symbols, particularly the ''[[taegeukgi]]'' (flag). A number of songs have been written and performed for these meetings, with several attested to in Shanghai and Manchuria in the 1920s.{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=220–221}} Scholar Choe Seon-ung ({{Korean|hangul=최선웅|labels=no}}) wrote that for the left-leaning [[Korean National Revolutionary Party]] in the 1930s, efforts were made to reduce the number of nationalist symbols in ceremonies, so as to promote [[proletarian internationalism]].{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=|p=227}} Social events, especially dinners (or if funds were insufficient, refreshments), and events such as sports festivals, also accompanied many ceremonies.{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=|p=222}} Koreans are also attested to boarding cars decorated with nationalist symbols and driving around whilst distributing leaflets about the independence movement.{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=|p=222}}

Commemorations have historically been funded by private donations, organization membership fees, and government grants. There are records of Koreans across the economic and social spectrum in Russia, China, the United States, and Cuba donating money for commemoration events.{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=213–215}}

Choe argues that after the [[division of Korea]], ceremonies reflected the increasing political polarization. In the southern [[United States Army Military Government in Korea]] (USAMGIK), right- and left-leaning groups held separate commemorations. Right-leaning groups continued to prominently display nationalist symbols.{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=226–227|p=}} Ceremonies also came to involve Korean reunification sentiment.{{Sfn|최|2009|pp=227–228|p=}}