History, written down, has helped solidify national identity and achieve autonomous development. Historical records or related books, based on facts, reveal the author's perspective, allowing readers to perceive history from multiple viewpoints.

So, for what purpose was the book Mother of an Independence Activist, Jo Maria written? This book, written in the form of a picture book with a short story, conveys a segment of Korean history in a concise and straightforward manner, centering on key words like "resentment," "justice," "national sovereignty," "peace," and "boldness." It portrays the history from the moment An Jung-geun assassinated Ito Hirobumi to the end of Jo Maria's life in Shanghai.

The main character of this book, Jo Maria, was An Jung-geun's mother. She did not settle for personal happiness but prioritized national identity, striving to overcome the suffering of the nation. When she heard that An Jung-geun would be executed, she suppressed her grief and comforted him facing death with advice and prayers, enabling him to move forward boldly.

Jo Maria is mostly remembered as the mother of An Jung-geun, but she herself was an active participant in the independence movement. She contributed actively to the Government Economic Support Committee for Overseas Koreans in China and led the National Debt Repayment Movement. Exiled in Russia, she boosted the morale of the Korean people and supported independence activists as their mother. Later she moved to Shanghai and played a role as an advisor to the Shanghai Provisional Government. She dedicated her life to the nation's independence, contemplating and practicing righteousness and goodness.

During the Japanese occupation, our nation lost its sovereignty and suffered unequal treatment. As the war progressed, exploitation intensified, and people had to live in greater poverty and hardship, with many wandering abroad. Koreans became second-class citizens, deprived of even the minimum rights guaranteed by international law. As the book records, "Ito, the enemy of Korea, killed many Koreans, but An Jung-geun, who killed Ito, was sentenced to death." Despite the efforts of international lawyers and renowned journalists, our nation could not save An Jung-geun.

Today, we have the power to protect ourselves. But do we feel the value of this sovereignty with gratitude? Do we remember it? I think we cannot confidently answer these questions. We must look back at the past, become stronger to create a peaceful future, and, like Jo Maria sending her son a shroud with a letter, step forward boldly and bravely. This book conveys this message: "We must remember more. Jo Maria was a courageous mother who fought for independence with her children and a proud independence activist."

Independence activists who risked their lives for the restoration of sovereignty could not even live in the country they loved so dearly due to Japanese oppression. If we live without trying to remember the names and noble sacrifices of Patriotic Martyr An Jung-geun and his mother, Jo Maria, whose remains we have not even been able to bring back to their homeland, regrettably, we are leading a shameful life.

This book tells Jo Maria's story easily and concisely. Though it appears to be a thin and simple picture book that can be read in one go, Jo Maria's life, which will be remembered for a long time, will make anyone who loves Korea, regardless of age or gender, reflect on their own life.