Lee Wha Rang, April 12, 1998
It is true that the great majority of the Koreans who lived under the Japanese (1910 - 1945) collaborated with the Japanese in that they were obedient to the Japanese and bowed to the Emperor every morning. Many of them - especially the born-under-Japanese - even believed that they were Japanese and felt proud when the Emperor's Army kicked out white men from Greater Asia.
The Yellow Fever was not limited to Korea. The Last Emperor of China set up Manchuguo (a puppet state) and enlisted several hundred thousands volunteers for the Japanese war efforts. In occupied China, there was another puppet government (headed by a vice-president of Chiang's government) with its own puppet army. Malaysians, Indians, Vietnamese, Phillippinos, Thais and other Asians welcomed the Japanese "liberators".
Some were more collaborating than others. For example, many Koreans were forced to join the Japanese Army. They went along and did their duty for the Emperor. And then there were those who volunteered to die for the Emperor. In March 1947, the Provisional Assembly in for Legislation in South Korea drafted a law which would have designated those who served in the Japanese Army or the police on their own will and those who committed crimes against their countrymen or the Allied nationals as collaborators.
In North Korea, a broader definition of "traitors' was used: just about anyone who benefited economically was deemed a collaborator - scholars, merchants, landowners and capitalists were tagged as "traitors".
Both Koreas agreed that those who persecuted fellow Koreans as running dogs of the Japanese police or military should be branded traitors and punished. Regrettably, there was no shortage of traitors. Among them were graduates of the Manchurian Military Academy and Japanese Military Academy such as Lee Ung Jun, Kim Suk Won, Won Yong Duk, Jung Il Kwon, Park Jung Hee, Chae Byong Duk, Lee Yong Mun, Kim Jung Yol, Lee Hyng Gun and Jung Hae Hyuk.
These Koreans volunteered to die for the Emperor and formed Special Forces of Koreans to squash Korean nationalists in China. They should have been punished in 1945, but instead they were eagerly embraced by the US Military Government in Korea and put in key positions of the newly formed Korean army and police. The US military saw in these shameless traitors well trained, obedient and grateful servants. Their crimes against the Korean people and the allied nationals were overlooked. More importantly, the Korean people's hatred towards those who betrayed their country and worked for the Japanese were totally ignored or not realized.
We introduce some of the traitors below.
Jung graduated from the Japanese Military Academy in 1915. Several hundred officers of the Yi Army (Kwang-gun) attended this Academy prior to the 1910 annexation. Jung was promoted to captain in 1920 and major in 1934. Jung was attached to the Korea Army Command in Seoul as the propaganda chief. His main mission was to brainwash Korean youth of military age to induce them to die for the Emperor as soldiers, slave laborers and sex slaves.
Jung was also the chief censor of Korean newspapers. Jung worked for the Japanese military police (Gen-pei-dai) as an informant. Jung was allowed to escape to his adopted country Japan.
Kim was born in 1883 in North Korea. He graduated from Hansung Teachers School in 1909 during the Yi Dynasty. The Japanese police hired him as an interpreter after the annexation. His enthusiasm for going after Korean nationalists earned him the job of chief detective of the Kyongki Police in 1923.
Kim arrested Kang Wu Gyu. A special nationalist unit based in Siberia came to Seoul to assassinate the Japanese Governor General of Korea on August 5, 1919. The newly appointed Governor Saito was the target. Saito was coming to Seoul on a train. Huh Hyong was assigned to Yongsan Station and Kang Wu Gyo was at the Seoul Station. Kang threw a bomb at Saito but Saito was only wounded. Two Japanese were killed and several wounded, including Kim Dae Suk, by Kang's bomb.
Kim Dae Suk tracked and arrested Kang on September 17. Kwang was executed after lengthy tortures. Wu's comrades Huh Hyong, Choe Ja Nam, Oh Tae Young and several others were also arrested by Kim. On July 20, 1920, Kim arrested patriots Lee Sung Wu, Yun So Ryong, Kim Byong Whan. Kim personally tortured these patriots. In October 1921, Kim arrested Kim Whi Jung and Whang Jung Yun - key nationalist leaders operating in Seoul. In 1938, Kim forced 15 Korean students to enlist in the Japanese Army.
After liberation, Kim Dae Suk was arrested while attempting to escape to Japan. He was tried and sentenced to death in 1949. But he was set free by Rhee Syngman, presumably because the nationalists Kim Dae Suk tortured and killed were "Communists"!
Lee was born in 1891 in North Korea. He graduated from the Japanese Military Academy and saw some action in Work War I. After the October Revolution in Russia, Lee served with the Japanese Expeditionary Force in Siberia fighting the Bolsheviks and Korean nationalists.
He participated in the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and Japanese invasion of China. He (a colonel) was garrison commander of Wonsan when Word War II ended. The US Military Government in Korea in 1945 hired him. Lee was the first chief of staff of the S Korean Army. Later he served as Minister of Communication. He died in 1986.
Jun was born in 1910. He was well-known for his prosecution of Korean patriots. He was the ranking Korean serving the Japanese in Korea (Unbelievably he served as the military police commander in Rhee's Korea).
Jun worked tirelessly to spy on the people and sent many patriots to their death. He mobilized Korean labor for the Japanese war efforts. Jun went into hiding when the liberation came. Three of his underlings were beaten to death. The US Military came to his rescue and made him a provincial police chief.
More than 80% of the police in 1946 were former Japanese police or informants. The US military needed these traitors to finish the job of exterminating the nationalists and Rhee the 'devout' anti-Japanese needed them to stay in power.
In 1948, the National Assembly was keen on identifying and prosecuting Japanese collaborators. Jun was among the suspects, but Rhee came to his rescue and appointed him deputy commander of military police. The prosecutors were off limits to the military and many traitors found safe haven in the Korean army - in particular counter intelligence and military police!
In 1949, Jun mounted a counter offensive against the prosecutors who had been persuing Japanese collaborators. The opposition members of the National Assembly supported the prosecutors. Jun fabricated 'evidence' that they were Communists and succeeded in purging them.
On June 26, 1949, Ahn Tu Whi on Rhee's order assassinated Kim Ku. The police immediately arrested Ahn. But Jun's military police took Ahn away and managed to hide Rhee's crime. Ahn was released and lived under an assumed name until last year when a nationalist beat him to death. Many Kim Ku supporters suspect that Jun was involved in Kim Ku's assassination.
Jun immigrated to America in 1980 and his present whereabouts or status (dead or alive) is unknown.
Kim was born in 1890 in Gang-won-do. He had the 'honor' of capturing the most patriots for the Japanese. He worked for the Japanese police for 23 long years and won numerous awards for killing Korean patriots.
After liberation, Kim Duk Ki confessed to arresting more than 1,000 independence fighters. Kim was responsible for death of such patriots as Oh Dong Jin, Pyong Kang Ryol, Jang Chang Hyon and Kim Hyong Chul.
Oh Dong Jin was Supreme Commander of the Independence Army and conducted many successful campaigns against the Japanese forces in North Korea and China. He was one of the three top generals of the Army (the other two were Kim Dong Sam and Kim Ja Jin - the latter was assassinated by a fellow nationalist).
Another traitor Lee Sung Gun betrayed Oh Dong Jin. Lee was a police section chief in Pyongyang-bukdo at the time. Lee tortured Kim Jong Won (himself a renounced nationalist) into becoming a double agent. On December 1, 1927, Kim Jong Won told Oh that Choe Chang Hak (a rich Korean gold mine owner) wanted to give him money and wanted to meet him. Unfortunately, Oh fell for Kim's trap. After six years of torture, Oh was sentenced to life on June 24, 1932.
In April 1928, Oh's followers Kim Yuh Won and Choe Bong Buk attempted to rescue him. But they were arrested. Oh died in prison.
Kim Duk Ki killed another nationalist leader Jang Chang Hyon with a hunting rifle. Kim had Kim Hyong Chul and two of his comrades shot instead of arresting them.
Kim Duk Ki played a key role in defeating Yi-yul-dan. This secret nationalist group was established by Kim Wong Bong on October 10, 1919 in Kirin (Manchuria). Yi-yul-dan was responsible for several bomb attacks and assassinations. Kim Won Bong planned to blow up major railway stations, the Capitol, police stations, banks and Korean traitors. Kim Won Bong recruited Kim Si Hyon and Hwang Ok (a Korean working for the Japanese police) to smuggle in bombs for the 'Big Bang'.
But Kim Duk Ki had an informer among Yi-yul-dan and got wind of the bomb plot. On March 7, 1923 Hwang Ok and his comrades arrived safely at Ahn-dong with the bombs and small arms. Hong Jong Wu (a Chosun Ilbo reporter in Ahn-dong) provided a safe house for the would-be bombers. On March 12, they boarded a train and crossed the Yalu into Korea. They reached a safe house in Seoul undetected. Some of the bombs were hidden at Hansung Hotel (Sinyiju) and Hwang had 18 bombs with him.
On the follwing day (March 13), Kim Duk Ki sprang into action and arrested the would-be terrorists - Cho Dong Gun, Hong Jong Wu, Paik Yong Bu, Cho Young Ja and several others. The two leaders Kim Si Hyon and Hwang Ok were also arrested. Thus the largest operation planned by the nationalists was thwarted by a handful of Korean traitors.
On February 8, 1949, the South Korean police arrested Kim Duk Ki. He was sentenced to death for his crimes on July 1, 1949. But Rhee Syngman, a different breed of traitor, set him free. In June 1950, Kim Duk Ki was found dead on a mountain near his house. He "fell" while climbing the mountain.
Kim Suk Won (Kaneyama in Japanese) was the most famous Korean in Hirohito's Army. To his last day in 1978, Kim Suk Won was proud of his service records in the Japanese Army and published a glowing account of his exploits in "An Old Soldier's Lament".
Kim was born on September 29, 1893 in Seoul. He graduated from the Japanese Military Academy in June 1915. Kim participated in the Japanese invasion of Manchuria as a machine gun squad leader. In a single battle, his machine guns killed several thousands Chinese and Kim won 700 Won (about $200,000 in today's money) from his grateful Japanese masters.
During WWII, Kim Suk Won gave speech after speech at various schools in Korea urging the youth of Korea to follow his example and become glorious soldiers of the Rising Sun. He was stationed in Pyongyang and led special forces against the Korean nationalists in China.
After liberation, Col. Kaneyama of the Japanese Army was reborn as 'Col. Kim Suk Won' of Rhee's army. He was promoted to brigadier in April 1949 in command of the First Division. He was discharged in October over a dispute with Chae Byong Duk (Army Chief of Staff, a captain in the Japanese Army). When the Korean War broke out in 1950, he was recalled to active duty and given command of the Capital Division and later of the Third Division. Rhee wanted Kim Suk Won to take over his army but the Americans brought back Jung Il Kwon (a captain in the Japanese Army) from America to take over Rhee's army.
Col. Kaneyama's Japanese 'banjai' tactics came under intense criticism by his US advisors. Kaneyama (Kim Suk Won) carried a Japanese samurai sword. In the Pohang battle, he ordered his men to stay put and defend the city to the last man. Soon after giving his order, he fled south. Pohang was soon abandoned and Kim's 3rd Division evaporated.
Kim Suk Won was found hiding in a farm house. He was drinking makkule half naked. Two of his aids stood next to him with large fans trying to keep the great general comfortable. Kim Suk Won was relieved of his command soon after.
Lee was born on April 20, 1896 in Gangwon-do. He claimed to have graduated from Waseda University but there is no record of Lee Jong Hyon ever graduating from this university. In fact Lee's life story is mostly fabrications to hide his long-time service to the Japanese Empire as an undercover agent posing as an anti-Japanese fighter.
In 1930, he was sent to Manchuria for the purpose of infiltrating Yi-yul-dan. A fellow Yi-yul-dan member Yu Suk Hyon recalls that that he was introduced to Lee Jong Hyon by Gu Yun Hum (editor of Manchurian Daily). Gu was one senior to Yu and came from the same village in Korea. Gu was apparently instructed by the Japanese to help Lee infiltrate Yi-tul-dan.
Yi-yul-dan was formed in 1919 by Kim Won Bong. It engaged in assassinations, bombing, sabotage, etc. against the Japanese and the collaborators. Yi-yul-dan was an ideal cover for Lee Jong Hyon and Lee was allowed access to the inner circles of the nationalist movement.
Lee Jong Hyon helped the Manchurian warlord Chang Cho Ling to form "Communist Suppression Army" in 1930 - an organ dedicated to eradicating the Korean nationalists in Manchuria. Lee served as an advisor to the army and also a military tribune judge. He also commanded special commando units.
One of Lee's many victims were Kim Yi Sam - a Chosun Ilbo reporter stationed in Jang Chun. Kim got wind of Lee's duplicity. Lee invited Kim to his house for a social gathering and then arrested him. A few hours later, Kim was shot to death. Lee assassinated Sung Jin, a nationalist leader, in a public park. Lee fingered Nam Ja Hyon, another leader, and caused his death by the Japanese.
Lee was close to Kim Si Hyon, a fellow Yi-yul-dan. For some reason, Lee did not harm Kim. Kim was probably needed for Lee's cover story. After liberation, Kim returned to South Korea. He was executed for an attempted assassination of Rhee Syngman.
Kim Si Hyon and his comrades organized a united front of all anti-Japanese fighters in China. The front planned major actions in Korea, but it was uncovered and its members were arrested in Beijing. Lee Jong Hyong spared Kim Si Hyon's life.
Lee returned to Korea in 1941 and worked for the Governor General in Seoul. He continued his spy activities. Lee fingered Jang Myong Won, Kwon Tae Suk, Kim Mang Ryong, Kim Sun Ki, Lee San Hun, Park Si Mok and other patriots and caused their death.
After liberation, Lee became an ardent anti-Communist and a darling of the US Military Government. On November 25, 1945, Lee established an ultra-right-wing newspaper Daedong sinmun. Lee rejoiced at the news of Yo's assassination. Lee supported right-wing terrorists and the US Military was forced to shut him down for a few months.
Song Jin Wu's assassin Sin Dong Wun was helped by Lee. Paik Min Tae who threw a bomb at Yo Wun Hyong was a Lee protege. Lee aided Park Im Ho and Kim Si Je who attempted to assassinate anti-Japanese prosecutors.
Lee's so-called anti-Communist activity was an attempt to cover up his treason. In South Korea, anti-Communism washed away all sins committed against the Korean people. Anti-Communists were welcome by the Americans and by Rhee Syngman - no questions asked.
At last, Lee was killed in an 'accident' in February 1950.
To be continued
More than 50 years elapsed since our liberation from Japanese occupation, yet no complete account of our independence fighters exists. There are three versions: South Korean version, North Korean version and 'foreign' version.
North Korea's version claims that Kim Il Sung and his parents were the only anti-Japanese movement leaders. South Korea's version excludes all 'Communists' and omits references to Korean traitors who fought the nationalists on behalf of their Japanese masters. Neither Korea permits any deviations from the "official" history.
The third version is in general more "complete" than either of the "Korean" versions. Several noted Korean-Americans and American historians have published books based on Japanese, Chinese, American and Russian archives and eyewitness accounts.
There are inaccuracies and contradictions in published accounts of the anti-Japanese movement. For example, the accounts of Yi-yul-dan's 'big bang' plot as given above (South Korean version) give dates and participants which differ from those given the witnesses (see the link below).
Some nationalists gave up their fight and went over to the Japanese side - some on their own will and others under duress. The Japanese were adept at using family members to get at the fighters. Should their contributions as fighters be forgotten because of their treason? On the other hand, there were cases of traitors coming over to the nationalist camp. In most cases, there were welcome and their past crimes were forgiven.
With a 'democratic' president in South Korea at last, will we finally see the complete accounting of all patriots regardless of their color?