The uprising in Juche 8 (1919) was an eruption of the Koreans' pent-up resentment toward Japan's colonial rule.

After occupying Korea, the Japanese imperialists had engaged themselves in violent repression and plunder, contending that the Koreans should obey Japan's law or die.

The Korean nation's wrath at their brutal atrocities finally burst into an anti-Japanese demonstration in Pyongyang, which rapidly developed into a nationwide uprising.

A great number of patriotic people including workers, peasants, youths and students staged anti-Japanese demonstrations for several days, shouting the slogan "Independence of Korea".

Upset by the uprising, the Japanese imperialists mobilized all their aggression troops, military policemen and cops stationed in Korea and many policemen and troops from the Japan proper to indiscriminately crack down on the demonstrators with firing and put streets and villages into flames throughout Korea.

Three days after the start of the uprising, they rained bullets on tens of thousands of demonstrators from Mangyongdae and other areas marching to the Pothong Gate in Pyongyang, turning streets into a sea of blood.

From the first day of the uprising to the end of May, more than 7,500 innocent people were killed, 46 900 arrested and jailed and 15,900 wounded.

For fear that their criminal acts be known to the world, the Japanese imperialists cut off all communications with other countries.

What they did against the people in the struggle against the invaders was an anti-ethical crime. Many years have passed since then, but their heinous crimes are still kept in memory of the Korean people, who will surely force Japan to pay dearly for them.