Meritorious Service Record

In late February 1919, in Hoeryong, North Hamgyeong Province, Archibald Harrison Barker met Kang Bong-u (姜鳳羽), a teacher at a Christian school in Yongjeongchon. Kang, who was preparing for the independence movement, sought out Barker for support. Encouraging him, Barker stated, "This is the perfect opportunity. Many have discussed this, and you have my full support."
According to a Japanese Government-General report dated April 30, 1919, Barker, who was living in Hoeryong at the time, was suspected of instigating church members to participate in the independence movement. He regularly reported detailed information on the March 1st Movement, including the number of participants and their occupations, name, age, number of casualties and arrests, executions, protest details, and photographs, to the British Consul General in Seoul.
From June 25, 1919, he attended the annual meeting of the Canadian Presbyterian Korea Mission in Wonsan. On July 10, 1919, at the same meeting, he joined other missionaries in sending a protest letter to Japanese Governor-General Hasegawa Yoshimichi (長谷川好道), condemning Japanese atrocities against Koreans.
Barker was later transferred to the Yongjeong Mission Station, where he also served as principal of Eunjin Middle School (은진중학교). In October 1920, when the Japanese army invaded Gando (간도) and carried out the Gando Massacre (경신참변), churches under Barker’s supervision suffered significant damage.
On December 20, 1920, he met with Tao Bin, the Chinese provincial governor of Yanji, to inquire about China’s policy regarding the stationing of Japanese troops and to discuss the damages suffered by Koreans during the Gando Massacre. He also negotiated for the release of Kim Yak-yeon (金躍淵), the principal of Myeongdong School (명동학교), who had been imprisoned in Juzijie (국자가) Prison. Barker successfully secured confirmation from Chinese authorities that Kim would not be handed over to the Japanese.
However, Barker faced increasing obstacles from Japanese officials and Chinese authorities regarding Christian missionary activities in the region.
In 1923, due to health issues, he took an early sabbatical and returned to Canada. He was unable to recover and passed away in Toronto in 1927.
In 1968, the South Korean government posthumously awarded Archibald Harrison Barker the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Independence Medal) in recognition of his contributions to Korea’s independence.