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100 years ago, in 1920, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea proclaimed the Independence War. And 20 years later, the Provisional Government, which was established in Chongqing, China, founded the Korean Independence Army. Progress for independence led to the establishment of the Korean Independence Army. But the reality seemed to be in a fog. The Provisional Government has assembled people to do independent movement in foreign lands and even in the difficulty of conscription. And they also tried to build up the military power of the Korean Independence Army by gathering the people scattered in China. In the second half of World War II, it secured sovereignty and came to fruition of the Independence War. This was the recognition of the will and capacity of the Independence War, which lasted for decades, and it was also a diplomatic achievement.

The Proclamation of the Ministry of Military Affairs of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, 

which promulgated the Universal Conscription System and the National Army (1920. 1) 

ⓒThe Independence Hall of Korea

<The Proclamation of the Military Department of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in 1920>

“The 20 million Korean people have celebrated the first year of the Independence War, which fought for death or freedom. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea informs 2 million compatriots in Russia and China, which will be the backbone of the Independence War.”

A ceremony to celebrate the founding of the General Headquarter of the Korean Independence Army(1940. 9. 17) 

ⓒThe Independence Hall of Korea

<The Declaration of the Establishment of the Korean Independence Army on September 15, 1940>

“The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea organized the Korean Independence Army in Chinese territory with special permission from the Chinese President, Chiang Kai-shek. We declare the establishment of the General Headquarter of the Korean Independence Army on September 17, 1922.“

The two documents above are the Independence War proclamation of 1920 and the Declaration of the Establishment of the Korean Independence Army of 1940. The Provisional Government has mobilized people to do independent movement at home and abroad, made diplomatic efforts, and engaged in military struggles. Government in exiles rarely have troops stationed in powerful nations. It was very special to establish an army in another country, as it stated that when the Korean Independence Army was founded, it was given special permission from Chiang Kai-shek. Of course, there was a case in which a great power stationed an army in a key military base. However, it was difficult to find a small country stationing troops in a powerful country. It was rarer in the first half of the 20th century, when imperialism prevailed.

We can think about the two meanings of the establishment of the Korean Independence Army. First, the Korean Independence Army was not created in a short period of time, but the fruit of the long-term military plan that continued after The Provisional Government was established. Second, the Korean Independence Army was stationed in foreign countries as an army of the Provisional Government. So they had to be approved and cooperated by the Chinese government on their presence and military action. This implies the reality of the Korean Independence Army.

The Study on the Korean Independence Army

The Korean Independence Army is a military organization symbolizing the Korean independence movement and is regarded as the origin of the ROK Armed Forces. But it is not too long since the historical status has been established. Only in the 1970s did research on the history of the independence movement begin. The study progressed as National Institute of Independent Movement History and National Institute of Korean History compiled historical data on the Provisional Government and the Korean Independence Army. The Korean Independence Army was only treated as part of the ‘military activities of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea’ or was recognized as an independent movement organization in which certain people participated. Then, study on the Korean Independence Army in academic terms has progressed since the publication of 『Research on the Korean Independence Army』(Han Si-jun) in 1993.

In the late 1980s, the government began rewarding the Korean Independence Army as a patriots. So, although interest in the Korean Independence Army grew, the study progressed slowly. In fact, only Korean historians who have written doctoral dissertations on the Korean Independence Army are Han Si-jun and Kim Kwang-jae. In other words, the interest of Korean society in the Korean Independence Army has increased steadily, but academic research has been insufficient.

In 2006, it is very meaningful that National Institute of Korean History published 『A Collection of Data on the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea - the Korean Independence Army』. This book includes data on the establishment, change, number of people, and change of organization of the Korean Independence Army, providing great convenience to the researchers. However, it is difficult to say that the study on the Korean Independence Army has progressed substantially. The same goes for research on the provisional government.

There are some things to overcome in order to advance the study on the Korean Independence Army. First, it should go beyond the history of stuffed by testimony and retrospectives of people from the Korean Independence Army. Sometimes their testimony and retrospectives contain exaggeration, arbitrary interpretation, and distortion. However, it is very difficult to completely deny or reinterpret the testimony and retrospectives that were historically based in the days when historical data were absolutely lacking.

Second, it should not be overlooked that the Korean Independence Army was an army stationed in other countries. Therefore, the reinforcement of the Korean Independence Army in the short period of the end of the war should be analyzed from a military point of view and evaluated in a realistic aspect.

Third, the Korean Independence Army should be evaluated from the long-term and macroscopic perspective of the Korean independence movement and the provisional government's Independence War. The Korean Independence Army inherited the history of the volunteer corps in the process of the country's collapse, and it was created as the Independence War progressed.

Running of Korean Independence Army ⓒThe Independence Hall of Korea

The Establishment and Reinforcement of the Korean Independence Army

The establishment of the Korean Independence Army was on September 17, 1940. But the plan has continued since the provisional government was established. The Provisional Government specified the organization of the army on November 5, 1919, and embodied the establishment of the ROK Army on December 18. At that time, the provisional government wanted to organize a corps from 13,000 to 30,000. But it was difficult to organize a force of this size in China. So the provisional government tried to start the Independence War by integrating and commanding the independence forces of Manchuria. Attempts to transfer the military ministry to Manchuria, and efforts to incorporate Seorogunjungseo and Bukrogunjungseo into the provisional government were part of the Independence War.

In the 1920s, the crisis continued inside the provisional government, and the situation in the Manchuria became disadvantageous to the independence forces, and the provisional government's Independence War continued to be difficult. However, in 1932, while the provisional government left Shanghai and took refuge several times, there was a paradoxical situation in which Korean military officers were trained under the cooperation of China. Young soldiers raised by an instructor from the independence force who was active in Manchuria at the Chinese military academy became the basis of the Korean Independence Army.

On July 15, 1937, shortly after the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, the Provisional Government held a cabinet meeting and established a military committee composed of Yoo Dong-ryul, Ji Cheong-cheon and Kim Hak-kyu. This committee was organized to rush the preparations for bloody battle to fulfill the last purpose. They were given the task of researching and writing the Independence War Plan, and also training military officers. And they formed a plan in 1938 to organize one unit and train 200 beginner officers. In 1939, they organized a military correspondent to recruit military personnel in Dongbei and Huabei, China. The Provisional Government's idea of the Independence War, and the military committee's plan, have progressed like this. This was not realized because the provisional government continued to move the place, but it became a reality as it was located in Chongqing.

On August 4, 1940, the Provisional Government established the General Headquarters, consisting of General Commander Ji Cheong-cheon and 30 elite agents. On September 17, the founding ceremony of the General Headquarters of the Korean Independence Army was held. The ceremony, where the Taegeukgi and China's Cheongcheon-Baegilgi were hang together, was attended by Chinese military commanders, 30 executives, and officials related to Provisional Government and Korean Provisional Assembly. However, even after establishing the General Command, military activities were restricted. This is because the Kuomintang Chinese Nationalist Party tried to control the Korean Independence Army under the jurisdiction of the Chinese Military Committee. In the end, the Korean Independence Army was deprived of its independent command by the nine norms that the Korean Independence Army should observe. But they drew the cancellation of nine norms in November 1944 after more than three years of negotiations.

The Provisional Government has overhauled the General Headquaters of the Korean Independence Army around this time. On October 3, 1944, a cabinet meeting was held to cancel the existing resolution that employees working for the Korean Independence Army should not be in charge of government office at the same time. On October 23, the government passed an amendment to the organization of the Korean Independence Army. They set up a Staff Office, Adjutant General's Department, Armed Forces Information and Education Office, Accounting Department, Military Law Office, Army Medical Department in the general headquarters, and the General Headquarters was the organization to lead the Korean Independence Army, but they were given the command and military authority of the provisional government.

And the Chinese government's aid plan for the Korean Independence Army was discussed in detail. As a result, only a small number of Chinese officers dispatched to the Korean Independence Army were left in Adjutant General's Department and Accounting Department, and all of the positions under the chief of staff of the general headquaters were taken by the Korean general. In particular, Staff Office, Armed Forces Information and Education Office, consisted of only Koreans, and many of the provisional government personnel moved to the general headquaters or held two positions. Young people who worked at the police station in Chongqing also played an important role in the general headquater of the Korean Independence Army. As such, the Korean Independence Army, which was restricted by China immediately after its establishment, grew its military power by acquiring sovereignty as it became more and more at the end of the war. The Battle of the British Army and the Korean National Army Liaison Unit against Japan in 1943, and the Eagle Project, which was carried out with the OSS of the United States in 1945, were possible because of the strengthening of the military status of the Korean Independence Army and the enhancement of troops.

The history of the Korean Independence Army

In 1943, the Provisional Government described the history of the Korean Independence Army. “The day the Defense Forces disbanded in 1907 was the day the Korean Independence Army was established. The Korean Independence Army has existed for 36 years. We have established a strong anti-Japanese army called the Korean Independence Army to take peace in Asia for the first time among the weakest ethnic groups in the East.” This shows that the roots of the Korean Independence Army begin with the volunteer corps organized when the national sovereignty is invaded by the Japanese imperialism.

The Korean Independence Army appealed to domestic and foreign Koreans and the world as follows. “If Korea has independence and freedom, China, the Soviet Union and Japan can stay without a struggle. If they do not fight, peace and prosperity in Asia are possible. If Asia is peaceful, the world's conflict can be reasonably resolved. If you seek peace in the world, save Korea and support the Korean Independence Army.” Their ultimate goal, world peace, was to begin with Korea's independence. After all, the Korean Independence Army was to achieve Korea's independence and to win peace. Therefore, we should make various efforts to restore the history of the Korean Independence Army and establish it in a modern way.

In 2020, the Republic of Korea celebrated the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean Independence Army and the 100th anniversary of the declaration of the Independence War. The Provisional Government negotiated with China for the independence of the Korean Independence Army and expressed the necessity and will of independence on the international stage. Today, we will have to rethink and move toward the true 'independence' spirit in the reality of conflict and division in Northeast Asia. I think of Sun Wen's emphasis and Kim Gu's favorite words, "It's hard to know, but it's easy to do." 

<Taegeukgi with Kim Gu's signature, which appealed for support for the Korean Independence Army>

Kim Gu wrote a letter to compatriots asking them to support the Korean Independence Army on the Taegeukgi and handed it to a pristine. “If we are not to be sad that our country is ruined, we must do this to enjoy freedom and happiness. We will devote our energy, manpower, and physical strength to the Korean Independence Army, overthrow Japan and complete the independence of our country.” ⓒThe Independence Hall of Korea