Kim Suk-won
Encyclopedia
Kim Suk-won was a major general
in the Imperial Japanese Army
during World War II
. He was the third-highest ranking ethnic Korean
in the Japanese Army behind Lt. General Hong Sa-ik
and Korean Crown Prince Euimin
.
, Kim was sent to Japan
for studies just before the Empire of Korea was annexed by Japan
in 1909.
Kim entered the 27th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1913. At that time, there were several students from Korea enrolled at the military academy. Many of those who opposed the annexation had already left to join in the movements for Korean independence; others followed the advice of Ji Cheong-cheon
, who argued that they should stay and learn military skills from the Japanese before joining the independence movements. However, Kim saw the annexation of Korea as an opportunity for advancement, and a chance to prove his loyalty to Japan. Following his 1915 graduation, Kim was assigned to the IJA 4th Division, based in Osaka
. In 1917, Kim was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant
.
During the 1931 invasion of Manchuria, Kim was captain of a mechanised artillery
division, which had a distinguished combat record. After the 1937 outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War
, Kim was further promoted to major
, and assigned to the IJA 20th Division based outside of Seoul, which was a singular indication of the trust that he had attained within the Japanese military. In May 1937, Kim led the 74th Infantry Regiment (based in Hamhung
and commanded by Kim Ik Uk) on a mission to eradicate Kim Il Sung's bandits in the border area around Mount Baikdu. However, his force of about 2,000 men walked into a trap set by Kim Il Sung at Chiensan Pass, some distance north of Hyesanjin and Kim Il Sung's ten heavy machine gun
s mowed down Kim Suk Won's Japanese troops. Kim escaped the encounter with only 200 survivors.
Kim was dispatched to mainland China in July 1937. Prior to departing, he announced that he intended to die for the Emperor in battle and asked that a school be established in his memory, to be financed partly by the 700 won
reward money he had received from Emperor Hirohito
for his previous victories in Manchuria
. However, this request alarmed the officials in the Japanese administration in Korea, who felt that such a school in honor of an ethnic Korean that might foster Korean nationalism.
Kim distinguished himself again at the Battle of Dingwon on July 28, 1937, where he led two companies of Japanese soldiers in a seven-hour hand-to-hand combat that smashed a Chinese division. He was awarded several medals and the Governor-General of Korea
gave his permission for a school, the "Won Suk Academy" to be founded in 1938. This academy is known today as Seongnam
Junior and Senior High Schools.
Following the 1939 implementation of the sōshi-kaimei
(name change) policy, Kim adopted the Japanese style name Kaneyama Shakugen, by adding the character for "mountain" to his Korean surname
Kim; his Japanese
given name "Shakugen" was just the Japanese reading of his Korean name.
Kim was promoted to lieutenant colonel
soon after the Dingwon battle, reassigned to the 78th Infantry Regiment of the IJA 20th Division, located in Yongsan.
In 1943, Kim was further promoted to major general
; he was active on the home front
in Korea during this time, giving speeches at schools and publishing articles in the official newspaper Maeil Sinbo encouraging Korean youths to volunteer to serve in the Imperial Japanese Army. He was also instrumental in the implementation of the draft
on the Korean peninsula, which began from January 20, 1944.
After the surrender of Japan
ended World War II
, Kim joined the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
's military affairs commission, and later the Republic of Korea Army
, where he held the rank of brigadier general
. In 1948, Korean President Syngman Rhee
put Kim in charge of the South Korean border units, and attempted to name him commander of the South Korean Army, but was overridden by General Walton H. Walker of the United States Eighth Army, who distrusted Kim's background.
Kim retired from active duty, but was recalled in early July 1950 due to the outbreak of the Korean War
. He published his memoirs in 1977. He retired again in 1956. After his death in 1978, he was buried next to Seongnam
High School, of which he was one of the founders. A bronze bust
of him remains standing on the school ground; in 2002, protestors attempted to have it taken down.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was the third-highest ranking ethnic Korean
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
in the Japanese Army behind Lt. General Hong Sa-ik
Hong Sa-ik
- References :...
and Korean Crown Prince Euimin
Crown Prince Euimin
Prince Imperial Yeong, the Crown Prince Uimin , also known as Yi Un, Yi Eun, Lee Eun, and Un Yi , was the 28th Head of Korean Imperial House, and the last crown prince of Korea....
.
Biography
Born in SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Kim was sent to Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
for studies just before the Empire of Korea was annexed by Japan
Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, also known as the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty, was made by representatives of the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1910. Negotiations were concluded on August 20, 1910...
in 1909.
Kim entered the 27th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1913. At that time, there were several students from Korea enrolled at the military academy. Many of those who opposed the annexation had already left to join in the movements for Korean independence; others followed the advice of Ji Cheong-cheon
Ji Cheong-cheon
Ji Cheong-Cheon , also known as Yi Cheong-Cheon was a Korean independence activist during the period of Japanese rule . He later became a South Korean politician...
, who argued that they should stay and learn military skills from the Japanese before joining the independence movements. However, Kim saw the annexation of Korea as an opportunity for advancement, and a chance to prove his loyalty to Japan. Following his 1915 graduation, Kim was assigned to the IJA 4th Division, based in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. In 1917, Kim was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
.
During the 1931 invasion of Manchuria, Kim was captain of a mechanised artillery
Self-propelled artillery
Self-propelled artillery vehicles are combat vehicles armed with artillery. Within the term are covered self-propelled guns and rocket artillery...
division, which had a distinguished combat record. After the 1937 outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, Kim was further promoted to major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, and assigned to the IJA 20th Division based outside of Seoul, which was a singular indication of the trust that he had attained within the Japanese military. In May 1937, Kim led the 74th Infantry Regiment (based in Hamhung
Hamhung
Hamhŭng is North Korea's second largest city, and the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province. In late 2005, nearby Hŭngnam was made a ward within Hamhŭng-si. It has a population of 768,551 as of 2008.-Geography:...
and commanded by Kim Ik Uk) on a mission to eradicate Kim Il Sung's bandits in the border area around Mount Baikdu. However, his force of about 2,000 men walked into a trap set by Kim Il Sung at Chiensan Pass, some distance north of Hyesanjin and Kim Il Sung's ten heavy machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s mowed down Kim Suk Won's Japanese troops. Kim escaped the encounter with only 200 survivors.
Kim was dispatched to mainland China in July 1937. Prior to departing, he announced that he intended to die for the Emperor in battle and asked that a school be established in his memory, to be financed partly by the 700 won
Korean won
The won was the currency of Korea between 1902 and 1910. It was subdivided into 100 chon .-Etymology:Won is a cognate of the Chinese yuan and Japanese yen.-History:...
reward money he had received from Emperor Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
for his previous victories in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
. However, this request alarmed the officials in the Japanese administration in Korea, who felt that such a school in honor of an ethnic Korean that might foster Korean nationalism.
Kim distinguished himself again at the Battle of Dingwon on July 28, 1937, where he led two companies of Japanese soldiers in a seven-hour hand-to-hand combat that smashed a Chinese division. He was awarded several medals and the Governor-General of Korea
Governor-General of Korea
The post of Japanese Governor-General of Korea served as the chief administrator of the Japanese government in Korea while it was held as the Japanese colony of Chōsen from 1910 to 1945...
gave his permission for a school, the "Won Suk Academy" to be founded in 1938. This academy is known today as Seongnam
Seongnam
Seongnam is the second largest city in South Korea's Gyeonggi province after Suwon and the 9th largest city in the country, with a population of nearly 1 million...
Junior and Senior High Schools.
Following the 1939 implementation of the sōshi-kaimei
Soshi-kaimei
Sōshi-kaimei was a policy created by Jiro Minami, Governor-General of Korea under the Empire of Japan, implemented upon Japanese subjects from Korea . As defined by Ordinance No...
(name change) policy, Kim adopted the Japanese style name Kaneyama Shakugen, by adding the character for "mountain" to his Korean surname
Korean name
A Korean name consists of a family name followed by a given name, as used by the Korean people in both North Korea and South Korea. In the Korean language, 'ireum' or 'seong-myeong' usually refers to the family name and given name together...
Kim; his Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
given name "Shakugen" was just the Japanese reading of his Korean name.
Kim was promoted to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
soon after the Dingwon battle, reassigned to the 78th Infantry Regiment of the IJA 20th Division, located in Yongsan.
In 1943, Kim was further promoted to major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
; he was active on the home front
Home front
Home front is the informal term commonly used to describe the civilian populace of the nation at war as an active support system of their military....
in Korea during this time, giving speeches at schools and publishing articles in the official newspaper Maeil Sinbo encouraging Korean youths to volunteer to serve in the Imperial Japanese Army. He was also instrumental in the implementation of the draft
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
on the Korean peninsula, which began from January 20, 1944.
After the surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
ended World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Kim joined the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was the partially recognised government in exile of Korea, based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the Colonial Korea.-History:...
's military affairs commission, and later the Republic of Korea Army
Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...
, where he held the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
. In 1948, Korean President Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee or Yi Seungman was the first president of South Korea. His presidency, from August 1948 to April 1960, remains controversial, affected by Cold War tensions on the Korean peninsula and elsewhere. Rhee was regarded as an anti-Communist and a strongman, and he led South Korea through the...
put Kim in charge of the South Korean border units, and attempted to name him commander of the South Korean Army, but was overridden by General Walton H. Walker of the United States Eighth Army, who distrusted Kim's background.
Kim retired from active duty, but was recalled in early July 1950 due to the outbreak of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He published his memoirs in 1977. He retired again in 1956. After his death in 1978, he was buried next to Seongnam
Seongnam
Seongnam is the second largest city in South Korea's Gyeonggi province after Suwon and the 9th largest city in the country, with a population of nearly 1 million...
High School, of which he was one of the founders. A bronze bust
Bronze sculpture
Bronze is the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures; a cast bronze sculpture is often called simply a "bronze".Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mold. Then, as the bronze cools, it...
of him remains standing on the school ground; in 2002, protestors attempted to have it taken down.