The Korean Volunteer Corps ( Korean : 조선의용대 ), alternatively the Korean Volunteers , Korean Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army , or the International Brigade was a militant Korean independence activist army founded in Hankou , Hubei , Republic of China on October 10, 1938.
59-695: It operated under the leadership of General Kim Won-bong as the Korean National Revolutionary Party 's military organization. It was classified as an organization under the Korean National Vanguard Alliance. Before the Sino-Japanese War , independence activists active in mainland China joined the camp of Kim Ku and Kim Won-bong , who had friendly relations with the Kuomintang government, and received economic help from
118-804: A comprehensive union of national units. Just as the communists formed the Eighth Route Army after the national-communist cooperation, the Korean people should also organize an independent unit. Japanese anti-war activist Kazuo Aoyama drew up a plan to organize the Joseon Volunteer Corps, and included Wang Bong- saeng, head of the Institute of International Affairs, Jin Seong, head of the Political Department, Chow En -lae and Jang Yeo-saeng, deputy heads of
177-583: A conference at Lushan where the Koreans accepted an offer of large amounts of money and agreed to support a united front against Japan. In September, the Korean leaders were called again and asked to mobilize young Koreans for intelligence duties. On 1 December 1937, eighty-three young Korean men were enrolled in the particular training unit of the Shengtze Military Academy in Nanjing. The majority were from
236-566: A difference in line between the early and late Guilin period. The initial emphasis was on infiltrating the country and organizing anti-Japanese riots. This has been the long-standing line of Korean leftists in China's jurisdiction since the early days of the Heroic Corps. On the other hand, in the latter half of the period, winning over the Korean people in North China and Northeast China was presented as
295-638: A diplomatic approach as opposed to guerrilla action and was aligned with the United States, while the KNRP was aligned with the Soviet Union. The Provisional Government and Korean National Party had few followers and achieved little before 1937. In 1937 a leftist wing of the KNRP split off to form the Korean National Front headed by Choe Chang-ik and others. Hostilities between Japan and China began with
354-540: A major tool in the anti-Japanese movement. However, reorganizations were carried out by the Military Committee of the Chinese National Government, and included Park Hyo-sam, Lee Ik-seong (deputy commander of the 3rd district division), Lee Ji-gang (Secretary of the 2nd district division), and Moon Jeong-il (文正一, 3rd division commander of the 2nd district division) was active in the North China region of
413-525: Is why the Joseon Volunteer Corps was also called the International Volunteer Army. It was sponsored by the Kuomintang government and its activities were divided into the first and second zones. Kim Won-bong, Choi Chang-ik, Kim Seong-suk, Yu Ja-myeong, etc. participated as political members of the Military Committee. Park Hyo-sam was in charge of the first zone, and Lee Ik- seong was in charge of
472-757: The Chinese Communist Party revolutionary base area in Northwestern China. Although the Chinese Nationalist government did not consider the KNRP a radical organization, they began favoring Kim Ku's group. In the 1940s, the KNRP, whose members were generally younger and more progressive exiles, challenged the authority of the Korean Provisional Government (KPG) in Chongqing . There were reports that Kim Ku had "accepted arrangements from
531-584: The Hawaiian branch of the KNRP. In 1940 he worked closely with Kim Kyu-sik and Kim Ku in Chongqing. In 1946, after Korea had been liberated from Japan and placed under an American military government, Soon Hyun was denied permission to return to Korea, probably because of his position in the party. The Methodist clergyman Lee Kyungsun headed the China Aid Society , Korean Volunteers Corps Aid Society in China and
590-705: The Korean Restoration Army (KRA) in September 1939, which Kim Ku wanted to keep as an independent unit, without first obtaining approval from the Chinese government. The Chinese government wanted to bring the KIP and KNRP together. When this proved difficult, from 1941 onward, they came to favor Kim Ku's KIP. In the summer of 1941, some members of the KNRP and its military arm, the Korean Volunteers Corps, moved to
649-467: The Marco Polo Bridge Incident on 7 July 1937. At this time, the two main Korean exile parties were the rightist Korea Independence Party , or KIP, supported by Kim Ku, Jo So-ang, and Ji Cheong-cheon and the leftist Korean National Revolutionary Party (KNRP) led by Kim Yak-san and Kim Kyu-sik. On 10 July 1937, the Chinese government invited Kim Won-bang, Kim Ku, and other Korean leaders to
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#1733085588690708-417: The "isms" or political program of any particular class. If, under circumstances such as the present when the "isms" and political programs are opposing each other, we try to control everyone with the "ism" or political program of a particular class, we shall end up with one particular class exercising dictatorship over the nation or with all the members of the nation except for that particular class excluded from
767-705: The American Branch (Los Angeles) of the KNRP, organizations that were in favor of armed action. He later joined the American Communist Party, and in 1949 returned to North Korea. Kilsoo Haan of the Hawaiian Sino-Korean People's League tried to associate himself with the KNRP on the mainland, but they did not take him seriously. Dr. Syngman Rhee , who claimed to represent the KPG, would not cooperate with Kilsoo Haan. American intelligence agencies doubted
826-574: The Anti-Japanese War was a 'war of justice', a military struggle and resistance against the invaders. China attempted to make up for its military inferiority through moral superiority, and the Joseon Volunteer Corps was established with the mission of propaganda against the Japanese army and against the Chinese. The Joseon Volunteer Corps, which gained the unified support of the Kuomintang government through China's second national-communist collaboration,
885-538: The Central Headquarters of Tongjihoe of Hawaii with the smaller Sino-Korean People's League of Hawaii, Korean Independence Party, KNRP of Los Angeles, Korean Women's Patriotic Society of Los Angeles, Korean Women's Relief Society of Hawaii and Korean Independence League of Hawaii. The member groups remained intact and continued their internal programs, but the UKC was to administer all political and diplomatic activities of
944-562: The Chinese government lent support to Korean nationalists. The Korean Anti-Japanese Front Unification League was created on 10 November 1932, but disagreements persisted. In an attempt to form a unified front, the Korean National Revolutionary Party (KNRP) was formed in Shanghai in 1935 through a grouping of left-wing nationalist Korean parties. Organizers were Kim Kyu-sik , Kim Won-bong and Jo So-ang . The strongest of
1003-535: The Chinese government which restricted the Korean revolutionary movement in return for a monthly subsidy." The KNRP gained support from the Chinese to form the Korean Restoration Army, which had 3,600 men in 1943. The army was held in rear areas but, to a limited extent, engaged in propaganda, intelligence, and guerrilla activities. In October 1942, two leftists were admitted to the National Council of
1062-683: The Friday Forum just before the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war to discuss the situation. They came to the conclusion that the future of Korea lay with the Communist bloc, not with the US and Western capitalist countries. They eventually became the North American affiliate of the KNRP, raising money to arm Korean revolutionaries in China and encouraging members to volunteer for the Korean Restoration Army. In
1121-605: The Japanese military and making broadcasts using loudspeakers. This did not change even after they moved to the Eighth Route Army area, and it was not until August 1945 that they were reorganized into a combat unit, and at the end of 1945, they entered Manchuria and expanded into a combat unit. In March 1941, armed forces were deployed to Beijing, Hebei Province, Shimen, Henan Province, Jiangde, Qingdao, Shanghai, and Chongxiang County in Hebei Province. A political operation team
1180-474: The Joseon Volunteer Corps also played a significant role in its publication. They translated various reports and speeches written by Koreans into Chinese. The purpose of publishing Joseon Volunteer Corps News was to provide a forum for discussion, exchange of experiences, and mutual criticism to develop anti-Japanese activities through the Korea-China alliance. The distribution area of Joseon Volunteer Corps News』
1239-664: The Joseon Volunteer Corps was supposed to be under the command of the Political Department of the Chinese Military Commission, in spirit it was an anti-Japanese unit under the guidance of the Korean National Front Alliance, which was mainly composed of Koreans. At the 30th Cabinet meeting in May of the same year, Kim Won-bong, commander-in-chief of the Volunteer Corps, was inaugurated as the deputy commander of
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#17330855886901298-528: The KNRP military department. Kim Won-bong had more influence in Nanjing , but Yi Chong-chon had more power in Manchuria. Yi Chong-chon was ideologically closer to the rightist Kim Ku than he was to Kim Won-bong. In August 1936 an unauthorized plot by Kim Won-bong to use bombs against the Kuomintang government and the Japanese was discovered. Yi Chong-chon's supporters used the incident to try to expel Kim Won-bong from
1357-611: The KNRP. In October–November 1935 Kim Ku's followers and others who had refused to join the united front or who had defected from it began to meet as the "Temporary Session of the Legislative Assembly of the Provisional Government", and formed a cabinet of ministers. The Provisional Government (KPG) attacked the KNRP and formed a new party, the Korean National Party, with Kim Ku at its head. The KPG favored
1416-597: The KNRP. The Chinese government abandoned Shanghai on 8 November 1937 and Nanking on 13 December 1937. Most Koreans of both main parties followed the government in its retreat. Before this, they had formed a federation. In May 1938, there was an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Kim Ku. The power of the right-wing nationalists declined after this until 1940. The KNRP established the Korean Volunteer Corps as its military organization in October 1938, which, in practice,
1475-524: The Korean Volunteer Corps were diverse, including combat, detection of Japanese military government or information collection in occupied areas, interrogation of Japanese prisoners of war and ideological work, propaganda work against the Japanese army, propaganda work against the Chinese army and people, and translation of enemy documents. The Joseon Volunteer Corps was launched not as a combat unit but as an armed political propaganda unit. For China,
1534-486: The Korean Volunteer Corps. In 1941, communist Choi Chang-ik, who was Kim Won- bong's rival within the volunteer corps, worked with the Chinese Communist Party to prevent Kim Won-bong from coming to North China when the volunteer corps moved to North China, and took control of the volunteer corps in North China by putting forward Kim Moo -jeong, Kim Du-bong, and Han Bin. From this point on, the Joseon Volunteer Corps
1593-670: The Korean independence movement. The KNRP provided funds to the Korean Christian Association, which sent care packages to Korean Americans who had joined the military, as did the Korean Methodist Church of Los Angeles (KMCLA). The KNRP of America began to publish a weekly paper in English and Korean on 6 October 1943. Korean Independence was produced in Los Angeles on premises on West Jefferson Boulevard. Diamond Kimm
1652-433: The Kuomintang government establish a unified policy for the independence of Joseon. Park Geon-woong's Chinese friend Na Cheong also contributed to the 'Joseon National Front' and argued for the need for a Sino-Korean united front, saying that 'equal cooperation' and 'unification guidance' were important. In other words, the Korean people should independently lead the revolution and the Kuomintang government should regard this as
1711-593: The Kuomintang. The Korean Patriotic Organization , the Korean People's Party [ ko ] , the Heroic Corps , and the Korean National Revolutionary Party tended to be run according to the will of Kim Gu and Kim Won-bong rather than being run by the democratic consensus of all members. Accordingly, Park Geon-woong argued that partial, secret, and intermittent activities should be changed to comprehensive, open, and continuous. Therefore, Park Geon-ung demanded that
1770-586: The Liberation Army following the expansion of the position of deputy commander in the Liberation Army, and the Volunteer Corps was incorporated into the 1st zone of the Liberation Army on May 18. With this opportunity, the liberation army was strengthened into three zones. In the 1st Zone of the Liberation Army, Deputy Commander Kim Won-bong served as the zone commander, General Affairs Manager Lee Jip-jung, 1st District Commander Lee So-min, and 3rd District Commander Park Hyo-sam were appointed. The first organization
1829-444: The Liberation Army, and Kim Won-bong was inaugurated as the head of the military affairs department. Korean National Revolutionary Party The Korean National Revolutionary Party ( Korean : 조선민족혁명당 ; Hanja : 朝鮮民族革命黨 ; MR : Chosŏn Minjok Hyŏngmyŏng-dang ), or KNRP , was a nationalist party formed by exiles in Shanghai in 1935 to resist the Japanese occupation of Korea. At first it
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1888-495: The Political Department, Kang Taek, second head of the Political Department, Chung -han Ha, secretary-general of the Political Department, and Chairman of the Military Committee. Chiang Kai-shek 's consent was obtained. Kazuo Aoyama's draft stated that an independent Korean unit of about 100 people would be created and organized by the Central Executive Committee of the 'Japan, Korea, Taiwan Anti-Fascist Alliance'. That
1947-524: The Provisional Government in Chongqing, Kim Kyu-sik and Chang Kon-sang. The leftists were uncooperative, and a constitutional revision was delayed until April 1944. In the following elections, the Korea Independence Party won eight seats on the council, the KNRP won four chairs, and one seat each went to the Korean People's Liberation League and an anarchist. Kim Ku remained president, Kim Kyu-sik
2006-627: The US the Korean National Association (KNA) and most established Korean immigrants supported the rightist Korean Independence Party. The KNRP and the Sino-Korean People's League, established in Hawaii in the early 1930s, represented the small leftist minority of Korean Americans. Its supporters engaged in fundraising to help military efforts in China and staged protests against Japan. Soon Hyun (1879–1968) founded and became chairperson of
2065-527: The US were classified as Japanese nationals their status would be uncertain when the US entered the war against Japan. It made clear that the organization was, "voluntarily motivated by patriotism and furthermore of war efforts against Japan" and would assist the United Nations in recovering Korean independence. The UKC included the Korean National Associations of North America and Hawaii and
2124-429: The activities of the Joseon Volunteer Corps were published. Some were transcriptions of speeches given at commemorative rallies, and some were newly submitted by author. It contained articles sympathizing with the situation of the Korean people, articles praising the resistance movement of the Korean people, and articles expressing gratitude for the activities of the Korean people and the Korean Volunteer Corps in supporting
2183-605: The collapse of the U.S.-U.S.S.R. Joint Commission must be tantamount to scratching one's itching back. For they know the success of the Joint Commission's work in establishing a democratic Korean provisional government based on the Moscow Decision will mean the dawn of a new Korea for the Korean people, by the Korean people ... And it will mean the death knell to those pro-Japanese Korean collaborators, national traitors, pro-fascists, reactionaries, blood-sucking profiteers who are
2242-650: The founding groups was the Uiyǒldan , whose leader Kim Won-bong became leader of the new party. It had a military front with the goal of ending Japanese imperialist rule. When it joined the KNRP the Korean Revolutionary Party had a small army. with about 400 weapons and 1,000 members. About 200 of its soldiers stayed behind in Manchuria. The KNRP's political program justified arming the masses for armed resistance in its organ The National Revolution as follows: The national unification front cannot be controlled by
2301-687: The influence of figures from the Chiang Kai-shek faction of the Kuomintang Party. The Kuomintang government judged them to be left-wing revolutionaries and placed them on the front lines. In February 1939, about 7,000 Korean troops rebelled near Gwangju and killed Japanese officers, and these conscripts joined the volunteer corps. The Volunteer Corps was not a regular combat unit. They carried out guerrilla warfare, and since there were many members who could speak Korean, Chinese, and Japanese, they were in charge of propaganda work, distributing leaflets to
2360-412: The most important strategy. This change in route is presumed to reflect the results of the Korean 'captive' operation. One of the noteworthy aspects of Joseon Volunteer University Newspaper』 is that wood carvings and prints were consistently published. Joseon Volunteer Corps Newspaper contained many woodblock prints by famous Chinese artists. Because woodblock prints had excellent visual effects, they became
2419-698: The motives and authority of Kilsoo Haan, and were not sure whether any of the exiles would be able to establish a viable government in Korea after Japan had been defeated. In the spring of 1941 the United Korean Committee in America (UKC) was formed to unify all Korean groups in the United States and Hawaii. The UKC mandate was to support the KPG in China and Syngman Rhee, director of the KPG's Korean Commission in Washington, D.C. The UKC understood that since Koreans in
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2478-555: The number to 81 in May 1941. Ultimately, at the 28th Cabinet Meeting of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in April 1942, it was decided to incorporate it into the Liberation Army. When Kim Won-bong, who had lost overall control of the volunteer corps, joined the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in July 1942, part of the volunteer corps was incorporated into the 1st Zone of
2537-747: The proteges of the AMG (American Military Government) in Southern Korea and through whom the hounds of American monopoly capitalists are conspiring converting Korea into the Second Philippines and Greece. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Immigration and Naturalization Service placed the party under surveillance. The FBI, Immigration and Naturalization Service and the House Un-American Activities Committee began harassing
2596-543: The rear of the Japanese Army. However, if this was judged to be impossible due to security and transportation issues, the troops advanced to the rear of the Chinese Army's 1st unit and were in charge of assisting the Chinese Army for propaganda purposes. In cases where such operations were difficult, active activities were carried out by secretly dispatching sophisticated elements not only to key locations such as Shanghai, Tianjin, and Beijing, but also to various places such as Japan, Joseon, Taiwan, and Manchuria. The activities of
2655-435: The resistance against China. In addition, practical content, such as methods of propaganda against enemies, was also included. Meanwhile, an article related to the route of the Joseon Volunteer Corps was also published. Writers who had an important influence on setting the route included commander Kim Won-bong, political leaders Kim Seong-suk and Kim Hak-mu. The method of struggle revealed in Joseon Volunteer Corps Newspaper had
2714-721: The second zone. The first zone was created with 42 members, including members of the National Revolutionary Party, and the second zone was created with 74 members centered on the Vanguard Alliance. The highest organization was the leadership committee, which consisted of Lee Chun-am, Kim Seong-suk, Choi Chang-ik, Yoo Ja-myeong, and two members of the political department. The initial members were Commander-in-Chief Kim Won-bong, Deputy Commander Shin Ak, Political Assistant Kim Hak-mu, Assistant Member Lee Dal, Propaganda Commander Kim Chang-je, and General Affairs Director Lee Jip-jung. There were 200 people, including Lee Hae-myeong, director of affairs, and Han Ji-seong, director of foreign affairs. At
2773-456: The time of its founding, the Joseon Volunteer Corps was organized into the headquarters department, the 1st district unit, and the 2nd district unit. Afterwards, the head office and the 1st district were divided in half and combined to expand and develop into the 1st and 3rd zones, respectively, and the 2nd district was reorganized into the 2nd zone. Initially, the number of troops was only about 200, but by February 1940, it had reached 314. Although
2832-625: The united front of the national movement. From 1933 onward the Chinese Nationalist government had repeatedly given in to Japanese demands, including the June 1935 He–Umezu Agreement to remove objectionable troops and officials. The KNRP decided to send trained agents into Korea, North China and Manchuria to create confusion through assassination of Japanese officials and destruction of installations. Fifteen agents were sent to Manchuria in March 1936, and later that year forty or fifty more agents were sent to Korea, North China and Manchuria. There were tensions between Kim Won-bong and Yi Chong-chon, head of
2891-400: Was agreed to place Korea under a trusteeship for up to five years, an agreement strongly opposed by Koreans of all political orientations. Syngman Rhee emerged as the moderate and conservative leader in the south, while Kim Il Sung was supported by the Russians in the north. The KNRP was dissolved in 1947. A group of Korean students in Southern California began to meet in what became known as
2950-420: Was also dispatched. One of the notable activities of the Korean Volunteer Corps Headquarters was the publication of the brochure 『Korean Volunteer University Newspaper. Joseon Volunteer Corps News』 was first published on January 15, 1939. It is presumed that at first the political group was responsible for publication, and after October 1939, the expanded editorial committee took responsibility. Chinese members of
3009-446: Was controlled by the Chinese National Military Council. In May 1939, the two Korean leaders issued an "Open Letter to Comrades and Compatriots" in which they confessed that they had been wrong in failing to unite in the past and called on all Koreans to join. They advocated merging all the existing organizations into a single new united organization. However, their followers on the left and right resisted unification. The KIP established
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#17330855886903068-417: Was dissolved in 1947. After the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894–95 Japan' influence in Korea rose steadily. Japan fully annexed Korea in 1910. The Korean Provisional Government (KPG) was established in Shanghai on 11 April 1919, with Syngman Rhee designated premier. The KPG was pulled apart by disagreements between Communists, liberal democrats and rightists. After the Japanese occupied Manchukuo in 1931
3127-417: Was established as a support unit of the Kuomintang government army and fought against the Japanese army in mainland China. The members received 20 won in monthly food expenses and 10 won in operating expenses from the Kuomintang government . paid by the Chinese side. Although the Joseon Volunteer Corps took the form of equal cooperation between Korea and China in the larger scheme of things, it was actually under
3186-411: Was freed from the influence of Namuisa. The North China Division of the Joseon Volunteer Corps was expanded and reorganized into the Korean Volunteer Army . They are referred to as the Yan'an faction after the establishment of North Korea. The Korean Liberation Army was founded by the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in September 1940, some people participated and some left, reducing
3245-532: Was organized into two divisions. The 1st Division was led by Captain Park Hyo-sam and was active in the Hunan and Jiangxi areas. And the 2nd District was active in the Anhui and Luoyang areas under the command of Lee Ik-bong. The headquarters was initially located at No. 1, Dongling Street, Shudong Gate, Guilin, Guangxi Province, but later moved to Aguanbo, Chongqing City. The Joseon Volunteer Corps planned to send many party members to Manchuria, rally their comrades at Mirsan-hyeon (密山縣) as their headquarters, and disrupt
3304-564: Was the general manager. Kilsoo Haan contributed articles to the paper that reflected his leftist and Christian views. The organization worked for Korean independence during the Pacific War , and often published editorials that supported America's efforts in the struggle against Japan. After the war ended in August 1945 the paper began to publish editorials opposed to the American military government in South Korea. An editorial on 16 July 1947 said: Of course, for those Americans in Southern Korea who are practicing ABC of imperialism—divide and rule,
3363-410: Was the main nationalist Korean political party, but as the Sino-Japanese War (1937–45) progressed the rival Korean National Party, later Korea Independence Party , gained more influence with the Chinese Nationalist government in Chongqing and came to dominate the Korean Provisional Government . The KNRP of America was a significant factor as a source of funds and a link to the US government. The KNRP
3422-424: Was very wide. It was distributed throughout various theaters and cities, and subscriptions were also possible overseas. The contents of Joseon Volunteer Corps Newspaper were largely divided into three parts. First, it was about the activities of the Joseon Volunteer Corps. Among them, there was a lot of news about the 1st District's frontline activities. Second, many articles by Chinese people encouraging and advising
3481-422: Was vice president, and Kim Won-bong was appointed Minister of Military Affairs. After the defeat of Japan the US and Soviet Union agreed on a temporary partition of Korea with the 38th parallel as the dividing line until a unified Korean government could be established. Kim Kyu-sik met Kim Il Sung of North Korea and urged him to support a unified, independent Korea. At a conference in Moscow in December 1945 at
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