The first 'exile poetry' from the Japanese colonial era… Kyungjae Lee Geon-seung's 'Seohaeng Byeol-gok' revealed

A groundbreaking discovery has surfaced in the form of the first official 'Migrant's Statement' from the Japanese colonial era. The Korean scholar, Jeong Yak-yong, who fled to Manchuria after the 1910 annexation, penned the pioneering Korean-language 'Migrant's Song' titled 'Servant Star Song'.

The National Central Library, under the stewardship of Nam Yong-jun, announced the public unveiling of 'Servant Star Song' on the 13th. This rare manuscript, entrusted by its descendant, Ulsan University's distinguished professor, Ulsan Chief Professor, consists of 141 verses penned by Jeong in March 1911, just after his arrival in Manchuria.

The 'Migrant's Song' encapsulates the aspirations for independence and societal participation of independence activists or their families who sought refuge abroad during the Japanese occupation. Many women of independence activists penned various songs expressing their sorrow at the limitations and hardships of the reality.

The 'Servant Star Song' is hailed as the earliest recorded 'Migrant's Song', being composed immediately following Jeong's departure from the nation with a shattered sense of national pride. In the opening verses, Jeong reminisces about his aristocratic upbringing and lamented his missed opportunity to educate his successor. Subsequently, he recounts his journey along the migration route to Shinuiju, expressing concern over cultural landmarks and the influx of Western elements.

In the final segment, Jeong vividly portrays his fear and anguish accompanying the crossing of the Yalu River into Manchuria, revealing the complex emotions experienced upon reaching the Manchurian soil. He candidly reveals the conflicting feelings of hope for reinstating national sovereignty and the harsh realities of his new life.

Jeong, a member of the 'Ganghwa School' established by the last figure in the 'Ganghwa School' - Han Hyon-bo (1893-1950) - demonstrated a contradictory emotional state between hope for regaining national sovereignty and the stark realities of his new life. Dr. An Hyo-won, a senior advisor to the National Central Library, emphasized that this precious historical resource provides a profound insight into the inner struggles and external hardships faced by intellectuals during that tumultuous period.