The Korean independence movement was a military and diplomatic campaign to achieve the independence of

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

from

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

. After the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, Korea's domestic resistance peaked in the

March 1st Movement The March 1st Movement, also known as the Sam-il (3-1) Movement (Hangul: 삼일 운동; Hanja: 三一運動), was a protest movement by Korean people and students calling for independence from Japan in 1919, and protesting forced assimilation ...

of 1919, which was crushed and sent Korean leaders to flee into

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

. In China, Korean independence activists built ties with the National Government of the Republic of China which supported the

Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea The Korean Provisional Government (KPG), formally the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a partially recognized Korean government-in-exile based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the period of Japanese co ...

(KPG), as a

government in exile A government in exile (abbreviated as GiE) is a political group that claims to be a country or semi-sovereign state's legitimate government, but is unable to exercise legal power and instead resides in a foreign country. Governments in exile ...

. At the same time, the

Korean Liberation Army The Korean Liberation Army, also known as the Korean Restoration Army established on September 17, 1940, in Chungking, China, was the armed force of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. Its commandant was General Ji Cheong-cheon, ...

, which operated under the Chinese National Military Council and then the KPG, led attacks against Japan. After the outbreak of the

Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vas ...

in 1941, China became one of the

Allies of World War II The Allies, formally referred to as the Declaration by United Nations, United Nations from 1942, were an international Coalition#Military, military coalition formed during the World War II, Second World War (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis ...

. In the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific T ...

, China attempted to use this influence to assert Allied recognition of the KPG. However, the United States was skeptical of Korean unity and readiness for independence, preferring an international trusteeship-like solution for the

Korean Peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

. Although China achieved agreement by the Allies on eventual Korean independence in the Cairo Declaration of 1943, continued disagreement and ambiguity about the postwar Korean government lasted until the

Soviet–Japanese War The Soviet–Japanese War (russian: Советско-японская война; ja, ソ連対日参戦, soren tai nichi sansen, Soviet Union entry into war against Japan), known in Mongolia as the Liberation War of 1945 (), was a military ...

of 1945 created a ''

de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...

division of Korea The division of Korea began with the defeat of Japan in World War II. During the war, the Allied leaders considered the question of Korea's future after Japan's surrender in the war. The leaders reached an understanding that Korea would be ...

into Soviet and American zones, eventually leading to the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

(1950-1953). August 15, the date of the

Surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Na ...

in 1945, is an annual holiday called ''

Gwangbokjeol The National Liberation Day of Korea is a holiday celebrated annually on 15 August in both South and North Korea. It commemorates Victory over Japan Day, when the United States and the Soviet Union liberated Korea from 35 years of Japan ...

'' ("Restoration of Light Day") in

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

, and ''Chogukhaebangŭi nal'' ("Fatherland Liberation Day") in

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...

History

Before Japanese rule

The last independent Korean monarchy, the

Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...

dynasty, lasted over 500 years (from 1392 to 1910), both as the Joseon Kingdom and later as the Empire of Korea. Its international status and policies were conducted primarily through careful diplomatic maneuvering with the power ''en vogue'' in China (during this period of time dynastic control of China saw the end of the

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fif ...

and the rise and fall of both the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

and the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

), though other interactions with other international entities were not absent. Through this maneuvering and a dedicated adherence to strict Neo-Confucianist foreign and domestic policies, Joseon Korea retained control over its internal affairs and relative international autonomy though technically a suzerain of the ruling Chinese dynasties for most of this period under the

Chinese tributary system The tributary system of China (), or Cefeng system () was a network of loose international relations focused on China which facilitated trade and foreign relations by acknowledging China's predominant role in East Asia. It involved multiple relati ...

. These policies were effective in maintaining Korea's relative independence and domestic autonomy in spite of a number of regional upheavals and a number of invasions (including the

Japanese invasions of Korea Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

from 1592–98 as well as the First and Second Manchu invasions of Korea). However, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the increase of Western imperialism, the weakening of China also made Korea vulnerable to foreign maneuvering and encroachment, both as a target in and of itself and as a stepping-stone to the "larger prize" of China. This period (roughly from 1870 until annexation by Japan in 1910) was marked in Korea by major upheavals, many intrigues, the inability of Joseon Korea and the later Empire of Korea to right itself amidst all of the maneuvering around it by foreign powers, numerous revolts, and other indicators of a turbulent time. By the end of the

First Sino-Japanese War The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between China and Japan primarily over influence in Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the p ...

in 1895 it was evident internationally that China could no longer protect its foreign interests, much less its own, against its opponents, and that its attempts to modernize its military and institutions were unsuccessful. Among other things, the

Treaty of Shimonoseki The , also known as the Treaty of Maguan () in China and in the period before and during World War II in Japan, was a treaty signed at the , Shimonoseki, Japan on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing China, ending the Firs ...

that ended the

in 1895 stipulated that China would relinquish suzerainty and influence over Korea, recognize Korea's full independence and autonomy, and end the tribute system which had linked China and Korea for many centuries. In practical reality, this stipulation implied the handover of primary outside influence in Korea from China to Japan, as Japanese forces had occupied positions in the

during the course of the war. This paved the way for the Japanese government to tighten its influence on Korea without official Chinese intervention. Korea was declared to be an

empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

in 1897 to put King Gojong on equal legal footing with his neighboring sovereigns and to fully sever Korea's superficial ties of suzerainty to China, however In 1905 the Eulsa Treaty made the Empire of Korea a

protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over most of its in ...

of Japan. In 1907, the

Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907 The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907 was made between the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1907. Negotiations were concluded on July 24, 1907.Korean Mission to the Conference on the Limitation of Armament, Washington, D.C., 1921-1922. (1922) ...

stipulated that Korea's policies would be enacted and enforced under the guidance of the Japanese resident general; and in 1910, through the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty, Japan officially declared its annexation of Korea, a move for which Japan had been preparing for an extended period of time. All of these treaties were procured under duress, and Emperor

Sunjong Sunjong, the Emperor Yunghui (; 25 March 1874 – 24 April 1926), was the second and the last Emperor of Korea, of the Yi dynasty, ruling from 1907 until 1910. Biography Crown Prince of Korea Sunjong was the second son of Emperor Gojong a ...

of Korea refused to sign them and considered them illegal and not binding (though he had no real power to oppose its enactment and enforcement). Notably, both the 1905 treaty (and by extension the 1907 treaty) and the 1910 annexation treaty were declared "already null and void" when the normalization of relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan was negotiated in 1965.

Japanese rule

The period of Japanese colonial rule that ensued was oppressive to a far-reaching degree, giving rise to many Korean

resistance movements A resistance movement is an organized effort by some portion of the civil population of a country to withstand the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability. It may seek to achieve its objectives ...

. By 1919 these became nationwide, marked by what became known as the

. Japanese rule was oppressive but changed over time. Initially, there was very harsh repression in the decade following annexation. Japan's rule was markedly different than in its other colony,

Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territori ...

. This period is referred to as ''amhukki'' (the dark period) in Korean historiography and common parlance in Korea. Tens of thousands of Koreans were arrested by the Japanese colonial administration for political reasons. The harshness of Japanese rule increased support for the Korean independence movement. Many Koreans left the Korean Peninsula for Manchuria and

Primorsky Krai Primorsky Krai (russian: Приморский край, r=Primorsky kray, p=prʲɪˈmorskʲɪj kraj), informally known as Primorye (, ), is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia, located in the Far East region of the country and is a part of t ...

in Russia, some of whom formed resistance groups and societies in

Manchuria Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer M ...

to fight for Korean independence.

Koreans Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply r ...

also carried out armed struggles against Japanese forces in Manchuria and Korea. In 1919 and 1920s, Korean independence army units engaged in resistance activities in Manchuria, which traveled across the Korean-Chinese border, using

guerrilla warfare Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run ta ...

to fight against the Japanese army. Some went to Japan, where groups agitated clandestinely. There was a prominent group of Korean Communists in Japan, who were in danger for their political activities. Partly due to Korean opposition to Japanese colonial policies, this was followed by a relaxation of some harsh policies. The Korean crown prince married the Japanese princess Nashimoto. The ban on Korean newspapers was lifted, allowing publication of ''

Choson Ilbo ''The Chosun Ilbo'' (, ) is a daily newspaper in South Korea and the oldest daily newspaper in the country. With a daily circulation of more than 1,800,000, the ''Chosun Ilbo'' has been audited annually since the Audit Bureau of Circulations w ...

'' and ''

The Dong-a Ilbo The ''Dong-A Ilbo'' (, literally ''East Asia Daily'') is a newspaper of record in Korea since 1920 with a daily circulation of more than 1.2 million and opinion leaders as its main readers. ''The Dong-A Ilbo'' is the parent company of Dong-A M ...

''. Korean government workers received the same wages as Japanese officials, though the Japanese officials received bonuses the Koreans did not. Whippings were eliminated for minor offenses but not for others. Laws interfering with burial, slaughtering of animals, peasant markets, or traditional customs were removed or changed. After the Peace Preservation Law of 1925, some freedoms were restricted. Then, in the lead up to the invasion of China and World War II, the harshness of Japanese rule increased again.

World War II diplomacy

Although the Empire of Japan had invaded and occupied northeast China from 1931, the Nationalist Government of China avoided declaring war on Japan until the Empire directly attacked Beijing in 1937, sparking the

. After the United States declared war on Japan in 1941, China became an Ally of World War II, and tried to exercise its influence within the group to support Pan-Asian and nationalist movements, which included stipulating a demand of the complete surrender of Japan and immediate independence of Korea afterwards. China tried to promote the legitimacy of the

Provisional Government of Korea The Korean Provisional Government (KPG), formally the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a partially recognized Korean government-in-exile based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the period of Japanese ...

(KPG), which was established by Korean exiles in China after the suppression of the March 1st Movement in Korea. The KPG was ideologically aligned with the Chinese government of the time, as independence leader

Kim Gu Kim Gu (, ; August 29, 1876 – June 26, 1949), also known by his pen name Baekbeom (백범; ), was a Korean statesman. He was the sixth, ninth, and president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea; a leader of the Korean indepen ...

had agreed to

Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and Jiang Jieshi, was a Chinese Nationalist politician, revolutionary, and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 ...

's suggestion to adopt the Chinese

Three Principles of the People The Three Principles of the People (; also translated as the Three People's Principles, San-min Doctrine, or Tridemism) is a political philosophy developed by Sun Yat-sen as part of a philosophy to improve China made during the Republican Era. ...

program in exchange for financial aid. At the same time, China supported the leftist independence leader Kim Won-bong and convinced the two Kims to form the unified

(KLA). Under the terms in which the KLA was allowed to operate in China, it became an auxiliary of China's

National Revolutionary Army The National Revolutionary Army (NRA; ), sometimes shortened to Revolutionary Army () before 1928, and as National Army () after 1928, was the military arm of the Kuomintang (KMT, or the Chinese Nationalist Party) from 1925 until 1947 in China ...

until 1945. China's National Military Council had also decided that "complete independence" for Korea was China's fundamental Korean policy; otherwise, the government in

Chongqing Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a municipality in Southwest China. The official abbreviation of the city, "" (), was approved by the State Co ...

tried to unify the warring Korean factions. Although Chiang and Korean leaders like

Syngman Rhee Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960. Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...

tried to influence the

U.S. State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other n ...

to support Korean independence and recognize the KPG, the Far Eastern Division was skeptical. Its argument was that the

Korean people Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply refer ...

"were emasculated politically" after decades of Japanese rule, and showed too much disunity, preferring a

condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...

solution for Korea that involved the Soviets. China was adamantly opposed to Soviet influence in Korea after hearing about Soviet atrocities in Poland since its liberation. By the

Cairo Conference The Cairo Conference (codenamed Sextant) also known as the First Cairo Conference, was one of the 14 summit meetings during World War II that occurred on November 22–26, 1943. The Conference was held in Cairo, Egypt, between the United King ...

, the US and China came to agree on Korean independence "in due course", with China still pressing for immediate recognition of the exile government and a tangible date for independence. After Soviet-American relations deteriorated, on August 10, 1945 the

United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, ...

agreed that China should land troops in Pusan, Korea from which to prevent a Soviet takeover. However, this turnaround was too late to prevent the

, as the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...

quickly occupied northern Korea that same month.

Ideologies and concerns

Although there were many separate movements against colonial rule, the main ideology or purpose of the movement was to free Korea from the Japanese military and political rule. Koreans were concerned with alien domination and Korea’s state as a colony. They desired to restore Korea's independent political sovereignty after Japan invaded the weakened and partially modernized

Korean Empire The Korean Empire () was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910. During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the Gwan ...

. This was the result of Japan's political maneuvers to secure international approval for the annexation of treaty annexing Korea. During the independence movement, the rest of the world viewed what was occurring in Korea as an

anti-imperialist Anti-imperialism in political science and international relations is a term used in a variety of contexts, usually by nationalist movements who want to secede from a larger polity (usually in the form of an empire, but also in a multi-ethnic so ...

anti-militarist Antimilitarism (also spelt anti-militarism) is a doctrine that opposes war, relying heavily on a critical theory of imperialism and was an explicit goal of the First and Second International. Whereas pacifism is the doctrine that disputes (esp ...

, and an anti-Japanese resistance movement. Koreans, however, saw the movement as a step to free Korea from the Japanese military rule. The South Korean government has been criticized as recently as 2011 for not accepting Korean socialists who fought for Korean independence.

Tactics

There was no main strategy or tactic that was prevalent throughout the resistance movement, but there were stages where certain tactics or strategies were prominent. From 1905 to 1910, most of the movement’s activities were closed off to the elite class or rare scholar. During this time, militaristic and violent attempts were taken to resist the Japanese including

assassination Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...

. Most of the attempts were disorganized, scattered, and leaderless to prevent arrests and surveillance by the Japanese. From 1910 to 1919, was a time of education during the colonial era. Many Korean textbooks on grammar and spelling were circulated in schools. It started the trend of intellectual resistance to Japanese colonial rule. This period, along with

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

’s progressive principles abroad, created an aware, nationalist, and eager student population. After the

March 1st movement The March 1st Movement, also known as the Sam-il (3-1) Movement (Hangul: 삼일 운동; Hanja: 三一運動), was a protest movement by Korean people and students calling for independence from Japan in 1919, and protesting forced assimilation ...

of 1919, strikes became prominent in the movement. Up to 1945, universities were used as a haven and source of students who further supported the movement. This support system led to the improvement of school facilities. From 1911 to 1937, Korea was dealing with economic problems (with the rest of the world, going through the Great Depression after World War I). There were many labor complaints that contributed to the grievances against Japan’s colonial rule. During this period, there were 159,061 disputes with workers concerned with wages and 1018 disputes involving 68,686 farmers in a tenant position. In 1926 the disputes started to increase at a fast pace and movements concerning labor emerged more within the Independence Movement.

Types of movements

There were broadly three kinds of national liberation groups: (a) the Christian groups which grew out of missionary efforts led by Western missionaries primarily from the United States prior to the Japanese occupation; (b) the former military and the irregular army groups; and (c) business and intellectual expatriates who formed the theoretical and political framework abroad.

Religious groups

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

arrived in Korea towards the end of the 18th century, facing intense persecution for the centuries afterwards.

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

and

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

missionaries followed in the 19th century starting off a renaissance with more liberal thoughts on issues of equality and woman's rights, which the strict Confucian tradition would not permit. The early Korean Christian missionaries both led the Korean independence movement active from 1890 through 1907, and later the creation of a Korean liberation movement from 1907 to 1945. Korean Christians suffered martyrdoms, crucifixions, burnings to death, police interrogations and massacres by the Japanese. Amongst the major religious nationalist groups were: *

Korean Presbyterian church Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK) was a Protestant denomination based in South Korea; it is currently separated into many branches. History The first Korean Presbyterian church was founded by Seo Sang-ryun in Hwanghae province in 1884. Shor ...

* March 1 Movement * Korean

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

Military and the Irregular army groups

Donghak Peasant Revolution The Donghak Peasant Revolution (), also known as the Donghak Peasant Movement (), Donghak Rebellion, Peasant Revolt of 1894, Gabo Peasant Revolution, and a variety of other names, was an armed rebellion in Korea led by peasants and followers of ...

: Donghak armies were spontaneous countryside uprisings, originally against corruption in the late Joseon dynasty, and later, against Japanese confiscation of lands in Korea. *

Righteous army Righteous armies, sometimes called irregular armies or militias, are informal civilian militias that have appeared several times in Korean history, when the national armies were in need of assistance. The first righteous armies emerged during th ...

: Small armies that fought Japanese military police, cavalry, and infantry most intensely from 1907–1918, but which carried on till the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. * Greater Korea Independence Army () * Northern Military Administration Office Army () * Greater Korea Independence Corps () * Korea Revolution Army () * Korea Independence Army () * Korean Volunteer Corps () *

Korean Volunteer Army The Yan'an faction () were a group of pro-China communists in the North Korean government after the division of Korea following World War II. The group was involved in a power struggle with pro-Soviet factions but Kim Il-sung was eventually ab ...

() *

: The Armed Forces of the

, took part in allied action in China and parts of Southern East Asia such as

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

. * Korean Patriotic Legion () * Heroic Corps () Supporters of these groups included French, Czech, Chinese, and Russian arms merchants, as well as Chinese nationalist movements.

Expatriate groups

Expatriate liberation groups were active in Shanghai, northeast China, parts of Russia, Hawaii, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Groups were even organised in areas without many expatriate Koreans, such as the one established in 1906 in

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

by Park Hee Byung. The culmination of expatriate success was the Shanghai declaration of independence. * Korean National Army Corps (), founded in June 1914. (Hawaii) *

Korean National Association The Korean National Association (; Hanja: 大韓人國民會), also known as All Korea Korean National Association, was a political organization established on February 1, 1909, to fight Japan's colonial policies and occupation in Korea. It w ...

() * Young Korean Academy ()

Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen (; also known by several other names; 12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925)Singtao daily. Saturday edition. 23 October 2010. section A18. Sun Yat-sen Xinhai revolution 100th anniversary edition . was a Chinese politician who serve ...

was an early supporter of Korean struggles against Japanese invaders. By 1925, Korean expatriates began to cultivate two-pronged support in Shanghai: from Chiang Kai-Shek's

Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Ta ...

, and from early communist supporters, who later branched into the

Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Ci ...

. Little real support came through, but that which did develop long-standing relationships that contributed to the dividing of Korea after 1949, and the polar positions between south and north.

Royalist influence

The constant infighting within the

Yi family The House of Yi, also called the Yi dynasty (also transcribed as the Lee dynasty), was the royal family of the Joseon dynasty and later the imperial family of the Korean Empire, descended from the Joseon founder Yi Seong-gye. All of his descendant ...

, the nobles, the confiscation of royal assets, the disbanding of the royal army by the Japanese, the execution of seniors within Korea by Japan, comprehensive assassinations of Korean royalty by Japanese mercenaries, and surveillance by Japanese authorities led to great difficulties in royal descendants and their family groups in finding anything but a partial leadership within the liberation movement. A good many of the

righteous army Righteous armies, sometimes called irregular armies or militias, are informal civilian militias that have appeared several times in Korean history, when the national armies were in need of assistance. The first righteous armies emerged during th ...

commanders were linked to the family but these generals and their righteous army groups were largely dead by 1918, and

cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

members of the families contributed towards establishing both republics post-1945.

List of notable leaders of the movements

Before Annexation Period

* Yi Han-eung *

Choe Ik-hyeon Choe Ik-hyeon (; 1833–1906, also transliterated as Choe Ik-hyun) was a Korean Joseon Dynasty scholar, politician, philosopher, and general of the Korean Righteous Army guerrilla forces. He was a strong supporter of Neo-Confucianism and a very ...

* Min Yeong-hwan * Shin Dol-seok *

Yi Tjoune Yi Tjoune (December 18, 1859 – July 14, 1907), also known as Yi Jun (이준), was a Korean prosecutor and diplomat and the father of the North Korean politician Lee Yong. Early life and education Yi Tjoune was born in Bukcheong in the prov ...

* Yi Wi-jong * Choe Sihyeong

Provisional Government

Ahn Chang Ho Ahn Changho, sometimes An Chang-ho (; , November 9, 1878 – March 10, 1938) was a Korean independence activist and one of the early leaders of the Korean-American immigrant community in the United States. He is also referred to by his pen na ...

Hong Jin Hong Jin (27 August 1877 – 9 September 1946), also known as Hong Myeon-hui, was a leader of the Korean independence movement. He is also sometimes known by his pen name Mano (만오, 晩悟), and his Christian name, Andre. He was born under th ...

(Hong Myun-hui) *

Jo So-ang Jo So-ang (조소앙, 30 April 1887 – 10 September 1958) was a politician and an educator in Korea under Japanese rule. He participated in the Korean independence movement. He participated in drawing up a draft of the proclamation of the i ...

Kim Kyu-sik Kim Kyu-sik, also spelled Kimm Kiusic ( Korean:김규식, Hanja:金奎植, January 29, 1881 – December 10, 1950), was a Korean politician and academic during the Korean independence movement and a leader of the Provisional Government of the ...

* Lee Beom-seok * No Baek-rin *

Park Eunsik Park Eunsik (September 30, 1859 - November 1, 1925) was a Korean historian and the second President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai during part of 1925. Soon after the impeachment of Syngman Rhee from the preside ...

Yang Gi-tak Yang Gi-tak (April 2, 1871 – April 20, 1938) was one of the leaders of Korean independence movement who served as the 9th president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea from 1933 to 1935. Korea Daily News In 1904, Yang and ...

* Yi Dong-hwi *

Yi Dong-nyung Yi Dongnyeong (also spelled Yi Dong-nyung) was a Korean independence activist. He served as the fourth (1926), seventh (1927–1930), eighth (1930–1933), tenth (1935–1939), and eleventh (1939–1940) President of the Provisional Government of ...

Yi Sang-ryong Yi Sang-ryong (November 24, 1859 – June 15, 1932) was a Korean Liberation activist, serving as the third president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea from 1925 to 1926. Yi Sang-ryong, along with Yi Si-yeong and Yi Dong-nyun ...

Edification movement leaders

* Han Kyu-seol * Jeong Jong-myeong *

Cho Man-sik Cho Man-sik ( ko, 조만식; pen-name Kodang; 1 February 1883 – 15 or 18 October 1950) was a nationalist activist in Korea's independence movement. He became involved in the power struggle that enveloped North Korea in the months following t ...

Yi Sang-jae Yi or YI may refer to: Philosophic Principle * Yì (义; 義, righteousness, justice) among the 三綱五常 Ethnic groups * Dongyi, the Eastern Yi, or Tung-yi (Chinese: , ''Yí''), ancient peoples who lived east of the Zhongguo in ancient Ch ...

* Yi Sang-seol

Leaders who engaged in armed struggle

An Jung-geun Ahn Jung-geun, sometimes spelled Ahn Joong-keun (; 2 September 1879 – 26 March 1910; baptismal name: Thomas Ahn ), was a Korean-independence activist, nationalist, and pan-Asianist. He is famous for assassination of Itō Hirobumi, the first ...

* * An Gong-geun *

Choi Jae-hyung Choi Jae-hyung (Korean language, Korean: 최재형, born 2 September 1956) is a South Korean politician and retired judge who served as the Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) from 2018 to 2021. He is a member of the National As ...

* Choi Jin-dong * Jo Do-seon * Yoo Dong-ha * Kang Woo-kyu *

Jang In-hwan Jang In-hwan (March 30, 1875 – April 24, 1930) was a Korean independence activist. He is best known along with Jeon Myeong-un for his role in the 1908 assassination of Durham Stevens, a former diplomat and Japan lobbyist. Incident Jang, ...

* Jeon Myeong-un *

Cho Myung-ha Cho or CHO may refer to: People * Chief Happiness Officer Surnames * Cho (Korean surname), one romanization of the common Korean surname * Zhuo (), romanized Cho in Wade–Giles, Chinese surname * Cho, a Minnan romanization of the Chinese sur ...

* Kim Ik-sang * Kim Ji-seop * Kim Sang-ok *

Lee Bong-chang Lee Bong-chang (August 10, 1900 – October 10, 1932) was a Korean independence activist during the Japanese occupation of Korea. In 1932, he attempted unsuccessfully to assassinate Japanese emperor Hirohito with a hand grenade, which became known ...

* Lee Hoe-yeong * Na Seok-ju * Park Jae-hyeok *

Park Yeol Pak Yol (1902–1974, born Pak Jun-sik) or Bak Yeol, was a Korean Anarchism in Korea, anarchist and Korean independence movement, independence activist who was convicted of high treason in Japan for conspiring to attack the Imperial House of ...

* Pyeon Gang-ryeol *

Yoon Bong-Gil Yun Bong-gil (21 June 1908 – 19 December 1932) was a Korean independence activist who set off a bomb that killed several Japanese dignitaries in Shanghai's Hongkew Park (now Lu Xun Park) in 1932. He was posthumously awarded the Republic of Ko ...

* Gu Young-pil * Kim Sang-yoon * Park Byeong-gil * Park Jang-ho * Baek Nam-sik * Baek Jung Gi * Yeom Dong-jin * Woo Deok-soon * Lee Seong-rim * In Han-soo * Chaechan * Kim Si-hyun * Lee Gu-yeon * Lee Jung-gu * Lim Chi-jung * Kim Doo-hwa * Won Tae-woo * Jeongshin * Chae Eung-eon * Han Sang-ryeol * Han Hoon * Hwang Byeong-gil * Ma Man-bong * Jang Gi-cho * Choe Ja-nam * Hyun Ik-cheol * Cho Maeng-seon * Lee Joon-yong * Im Deuk-san * Jang Chang-heon * Lee Jin-ryong * Kim Rip * Ok Kwan-bin * Oh Seong-ryun * Lee Jong-am * Kim Bong-hwan * Lee Kwang-su * Lee Hye-su * Hyun Joon-hyuk *

Ahn Doo-hee Ahn Doo-hee (alternative spelling: Ahn Doo-whi) (24 March 1917 in Ryūsen-gun, Heianhoku-dō, Chōsen – 23 October 1996) was a Korean lieutenant who carried out the assassination of independence activist Korean leader Kim Koo on 26 June 1 ...

Kim Jong-suk Kim Jong-suk (; 24 December 1917Suh Dae-sook. Kim Il Sung: The North Korean Leader. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988. – 22 September 1949) was a Korean anti-Japanese guerrilla, a Communist activist, North Korean leader Kim ...

Hong Beom-do Hong Beom-do (; russian: Хон Бом До; August 27, 1868 – October 25, 1943), was a Korean independence activist and general. Biography Hong was born in Chasong, North Pyongan. During his early life, he was a hunter who lived in Korea d ...

* Jeong Jin-ryong * Na Cheol * Kang Won-sang * Lee Kang * Lee Gyu-pung * Lee Beom-yoon * Won Tae-geun * Bae Gyeong-jin * Kim Seong-hwa * Tak Gong-gyu * Yoo Seung-ryeol * Kim Hong-il * Lee Gyeong-hee * Yang Geun-hwan * Yoo Seok-hyun * An Gyeong-shin * Lee Cheol * Hong Pil-ju * Oh Gi-ho *

Kim In-sik Kim In-Sik ( ko, 김인식, Hanja: 金寅植) is a former manager of the Korea Baseball Organization. He was the manager of the South Korean national baseball team in the late 2000s and again in the 2010s when he was named as such in June . ...

* Kim Dong-pil * Lee Hong-rae * Kim Kwang-chu * Park Hee-kwang * Kim Byeong-hyun * Lee Jae-myeong * Seo Sang-han * Na Chang-heon
Kim Chang-geun
* Lee Jun-yong *

Kim Tae-won Kim Tae-won (, April 12, 1965) is a Korean guitarist with over 30 years of experience in Korean music industry, currently leading one of the most successful rock bands in Korean music history, Boohwal. His life was dramatised in a four episode KBS ...

* Lee Yong-dam * Joo Sang-ok
Kim Taek-suJeong Chang-hwaBaek Un-hanLee Myeong-seoKim Geun-haHam IlKim Jin-hwa
* Lee Gi * Noh Eung-gyu
Seo Eun-guEom Hae-yoonNoh Gong-ilKim Choe-myeong
* Han Bong-su
Kang Sang-moKang Lee-bongMoon Tae-suShin Myeong-seonKim Dong-shinKang Jin-wonKo Du-hwanKwon Young-manKeum Gi-cheolHan Sang-seolKim Hyeon-gukWoo Jae-ryongKim Deok-soonKim Dong-sikKim Man-suKim Beom-iKim Byeong-rokKim Bong-wonKim Bong-hak
* Kim Seong-beom *

Kim Si-jung Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese fo ...

* Lee Kang-nyeon
Kim Sang-taeKim Young-cheolKim Seong-taek
* Hwang Byung-hak
Kim Eung-baekKim Lee-seopKim Il-wonKim Su-gokYun Heung-gonKim Jeong-ikCho Chang-hoJeon Tae-seonLee Dong-suKim I-geolKim Jong-cheolKim Jin-man
* Park Sang-jin
Kim Jin-wooJeong Un-ilChoi Byung-gyuKim Jin-junCho Chang-ryongKim Chang-gonKo Bong-junKim Han-jongKim Gyeong-taeIm Bong-juKwon Sang-seokJang Doo-hwanNa Byeong-samKim HanMoon Chang-hakPark Gi-han
* Lee Tak
Cha Byeong-jeSon Chang-junLee Woo-youngAn Gyeong-sikJoo Byeong-ungPark Jin-taePark Gi-jePark Do-gyeongPark Bong-seokPark Yeon-baekPark In-hwaPark Jung-seoMin Yang-giSeo Byung-heeSeong Ik-hyunSon Deok-oh
* Song Hak-seon
Yeo Haeng-ryeolYoon Heung-gonLee Kwang-hoLee Kyo-young
* Lee Seong-gu
Cha Do-seon
* Tae Yang-uk
Hong Sung-ikLee Myeong-gyun
* Cho Seong-hwan * Chae Sang-deok
Kang Mu-gyeongKim Won-gukKim Jun-seungNoh Jong-gyunMoon Yang-mokChoi Jeong-ik
* Jeong Jae-gwan
Lee Hak-hyunBaek Nak-ju
* Seo Il * Kim Chwa-chin
Sim Nam-ilAn Kwang-joOh Seung-taeAn Gyu-hongJeong Ki-chanAhn Byung-chanYang Seung-wooOh Sung-sulYoo Jang-ryeolLee Hyeon-gyu

Military leaders

* Hwang Byeong-gil * Ji Cheong-cheon * Kim Dubong *

Kim Jwa-jin Kim Chwa-jin or Kim Jwa-jin (December 16, 1889 – January 24, 1930), sometimes called by his pen name Baegya, was a Korean general, independence activist, and anarchist who played an important role in the early attempts at development of anarch ...

* Kim Wonbong * Lee Beom-seok * Nam Ja-hyun *

Park Yong-man Park Yong-man (); (2 July 1881 – 17 October 1928) was a Korean nationalist and independence activist who, after spending time in prison for reformist activities, immigrated to the United States of America. There Park was involved in the estab ...

* Seo Il * Seo Yun-je * Yang Sebong * Yun Se-ju * Bang Kyung-han *

Kim Il-Sung Kim Il-sung (; , ; born Kim Song-ju, ; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he ruled from the country's establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of ...

* Choi Jin Dong

Religion/Student leaders

Han Yong-un Han Yong-un ( ko, 한용운; August 29, 1879 – June 29, 1944) was a twentieth century Korean Buddhist reformer and poet. This name was his religious name, given by his meditation instructor in 1905, and Manhae (만해) was his pen name; his ...

* Kim Maria * Son Byong Hi * * Yu Gwansun * Choe Sang-rim * Lee Yong-do * Gye Ji-pung * Kim Gyo-shin * Kim Dong-seok * Kim Beop-rin *

Kim Seong-su Kim Seong-su (김성수, 金性洙; October 11, 1891 – February 18, 1955) was a Korean educator, independence activist, journalist, entrepreneur, politician and calligrapher, and the second vice president of South Korea from 1951–1 ...

* Na Geum-ju * Mangong * Park Sun-cheon * Park Young-hee * Park Hyeong-mu * Seo Yun-je * An Sang-deok * An Jeong-geun *

Yun Chi-young Yun Chi-Young ( Korea:윤치영, hanja:尹致暎, February 10, 1898 – February 10, 1996) was an independence activist, journalist, and politician, diplomat of South Korea. He was the first Interior Minister (1948), 2nd Republic of Korea Amb ...

* Lee Un-hyeong * Lee Jong-uk * Lee Chu-hyeong * Jeon Deok-gi * Cho Gi-shin * Chu Ki-chol * Cha Mirisa * Cha Sang-myeong * Choe Yong-shin * Hwang Ae-deok * Lee Su-heung *

Ham Tae-young Ham Tae-young, sometimes Hahm Tae Young, (October 22, 1873 – October 24, 1964) was a South Korean politician, pastor and leader of the Presbyterian Church of Korea. He was the third vice president of South Korea from 1952 to 1956. He was also a ...

Kim Iryeop Kim Il-yeop or Kim Iryŏp, (; 28 April 1896 – 28 May 1971) was a Korean writer, journalist, feminist activist, and Buddhist nun. Her given name was Kim Wonju (). Her courtesy and dharma name was Iryeop (). Life Kim Iryeop was born to a Metho ...

* Baek Seong-uk * Gil Seon-ju * Kim Byeong-cho *

Park Hee-do Park Hee-do (hang-lan:朴熙杜, born 20 March 1986) is a South Korea football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means ...

* Yongseong *

Son Byong-hi Son Byong-hi (April 8, 1861 – May 19, 1922) was a Korean religious leader and independence activist. He was born in Cheongju, in Chungcheong province. He became the third leader of Donghak (Eastern learning), an indigenous religious movement f ...

* Shin Seok-gu *

Oh Se-chang Oh, OH, or Oh! is an interjection, often proclaiming surprise. It may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Albums * ''Oh!'' (Girls' Generation album), 2010 * ''Oh!'' (ScoLoHoFo album), 2003 * ''OH (ohio)'', by Lambchop, 2008 * ''Oh!'', an E ...

Lee Seung-hoon Lee Seung-hoon (Hangul: 이승훈, Hanja: , ; born 6 March 1988) is a South Korean speed skater. He won a gold medal in the 10,000 metres, a silver medal in the 5000 meters at the 2010 Winter Olympics, becoming the first and only Asian man eve ...

* Kim Gyo-heon *

Jonghyeong Kim Jong-hyeong (, born April 13, 2002), better known mononymously as Jonghyeong (), is a South Korean singer and musical actor. He is the leader of the South Korean boy band DKZ and a member of its sub-unit Nine to Six. He starred in musical ...

* Yoon Se-bok *

Historians

An Jae-hong Ahn Jae-hong (, December 31, 1891 – March 1, 1965) was a Korean activist, politician, and journalist who participated in the Korean independence movement The Korean independence movement was a military and diplomatic campaign to achieve t ...

Choe Nam-seon Choe Nam-seon (April 26, 1890 – October 10, 1957), also known by the Japanese language, Japanese pronunciation of his name Sai Nanzen, was a prominent modern Korean historian, pioneering poet, and publisher, and a leading member of the Korean i ...

* Jeong Inbo * Mun Il-pyeong *

Shin Chae-ho Sin Chaeho, or Shin Chae-ho (; November 7, 1880 – February 21, 1936), was a Korean independence activist, historian, Anarchism, anarchist, Korean nationalism, nationalist, and a founder of Korean nationalist historiography (민족 사학, ''min ...

* Song Nam-heon * Song Du-yong

Writers/Poets

Sim Hun Shim Daeseop (12 September 1901 – 16 September 1936), more commonly known by his pen name Shim Hun (also spelled Sim Hun or Sim Hoonhttp://www.iansan.net/english/tourGuide/trace/ChoiYongsin.jsp?menuId=01014016), was a Korean novelist, poet, pl ...

* Yi Yuksa (Yi Wonnok) *

Yun Dong-ju Yun Dong-ju or Yoon Dong-ju (, ; December 30, 1917 – February 16, 1945) was a Korean poet born in Longing, Jilin, China,""Yoon Dongju" LTI Korea Datasheet available at LTI Korea Library or online at: who was known for his lyric poetries as ...

Soh Jaipil Soh Jaipil or Seo Jae-pil (January 7, 1864 – January 5, 1951), also known as Philip Jaisohn, was a Korean-American political activist and physician who was a noted champion of the Korean independence movement, the first Korean naturalized citi ...

* Kang Kyeong-ae * Gong Deok-gwi * Gwak Sang-hoon * Kim Kwang-seop * Kim Gyo-shin * Kim Seong-suk * Kim Jun-yop * Kim Hyun-chul * Baek Gwan-su * Mirok Li * Yi Sang-baek * Lee Jong-hak * Lee Hee-seung * Jang Do-bin * Chu Yo-han * Choe Du-seon *

Heo Jeong Ho Chong, Huh Chung, or Heo Jeong (; April 8, 1896September 18, 1988) was a South Korean politician and Korean independence activist, who served as the sixth Prime Minister of South Korea during the country's Second Republic. In 1960, he was a ...

* Hyun Jin-geon * Hong Seung-ro * Jung Nosik *

Kim Myeong-sun Kim Myeong-sun ( ko, 김명순, Hanja: 金明淳) (20 January 1896 – 22 June 1951) was a female Korean novelist and poet of the early 20th century. Life Kim Myeong-sun, who wrote under the pen names Tansil (탄실, 彈實) and Mangyangcho ( ...

Na Hye-sok Na Hye-seok (, 28 April 1896 – 10 December 1948) was a Korean feminism, feminist, poet, writer, painter, educator, and journalist. Her pen name was Jeongwol (). She was a pioneering Korean feminist writer and painter. She was the first female pr ...

* Park In-deok * Chung Chil-sung * Lee Jong-il *

* Kim Dong-sam * Kim Yak-yeon * Kim Chwa-chin *

Sin Ik-hui Sin Ik-hui (Hangul: 신익히, hanja: 申翼熙) (9 June 1894 – 5 May 1956) was a Korean independence activist and politician during the period of Japanese rule. He was Speaker of the National Assembly during President Syngman Rhee's first t ...

* Lee Beom-seok *

Communist leaders

Pak Hon-yong Pak Hon-yong (; 28 May 1900 – 18 December 1955) was a Korean independence activist, politician, philosopher, communist activist and one of the main leaders of the Korean communist movement during Japan's colonial rule (1910–1945). His nick ...

, a noted

communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, ...

leader * Yuh Woon-Hyung associated with Communists during the 20s, but later left * Gye Bong-woo * Kim Dan-ya * Kim San * Kim Yak-su *

Kim Jae-bong Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese f ...

* Kim Jun-yeon * Na Kyung-seok * Yoo Jin-hee * Yun Gong-heum * Yun Ja-young * Im Won-geun * Ju Se-juk * Cha Geum-bong *

Choe Chang-ik Choe Chang-ik (, 1896 – 1960) was a Korean politician in the Japanese colonial era. He was a member of the Korean independence movement. He was also known by the names Choe Chang-sok (최창석, 崔昌錫), Choe Chang-sun (최창순, 崔昌淳) ...

Ho Ka-i Alexei Ivanovich Hegai (russian: Алексей Иванович Хегай, ko, 허가이; 18 March 1908 – 2 July 1953), also known as Ho Ka-i, was a Soviet political operative in North Korea (DPRK) and leader of the Soviet Korean faction wit ...

* Ho Jong-suk * Ho Hon * Hyun Jeong-gyeong *

Kang Kon Kang Kon (; June 23, 1918 – September 8, 1950) was a Korean military leader active in Manchuria and the Korean peninsula as well as a politician during the years leading up to the Korean War and during the first stages of the Korean War in 195 ...

* Kim Kwang-hyop *

Kim Tu-bong Kim Tu-bong (16 February 1889 – March 1958 or later) was the first Chairman of the Workers' Party of North Korea (a predecessor of today WPK) from 1946 to 1949. He was known in Korean history as a linguist, scholar, revolutionary and poli ...

Mu Chong Mu Chong (, 1904–1952), born Kim Mu-chong (), was a Korean communist, independence activist, general and statesman of North Korea. He had been living in China for years when he joined the Chinese Communist Party fighting against the Japan ...

Kim Yong-bom Kim Yong-bom (18 August 1902 – 7 September 1947) was the Secretary of the North Korean Branch Bureau of the Communist Party of Korea The Communist Party of Korea () was a communist party in Korea. It was founded during a secret meeting i ...

Kim Ung Kim Ung ( or ; 1912 – ?) was a North Korean general and vice-minister of defence. He was a member of the Yan'an faction. Chinese military Kim fled China to avoid the Japanese occupation, and was trained at the Whampoa Military Academy in ...

* Kim Won-bong * Kim Il * Kim Chang-man *

Kim Chaek Kim Chaek (, 14 August 1903 – 31 January 1951) was a North Korean revolutionary, military general, and politician. His real name was Kim Hong-gye (). Life Kim Chaek was born in Sŏngjin, North Hamgyong, Korea, in 1903. He and his family ...

* Ryu Gyeong-su * Yi Kang-guk * Lee Hyo-sun *

Pak Kum-chol Pak Kum-chol ( ko, 박금철; 1911 – May 1967) was a North Korean politician. Having been a guerrilla during the anti-Japanese struggle, he became a high-ranking politician after the liberation of Korea. Pak aligned himself with his former gu ...

* Bang Ho-san * Paek Nam-Un * Sung Jusik * Oh Hwa-young * Yi Kuk-no * Lee Hyun-sang * Cho Myeong-seon *

Choe Deok-sin Choe Deok-sin (September 17, 1914 – November 14, 1989) was a South Korean Foreign Minister who later defected with his wife, Ryu Mi-yong, to North Korea. Choe was born in Uiju County, North Pyongan Province. In 1936, he graduated from th ...

* Choe Yong-dal * Choein * Choe Hyon * Ho Song-taek *

Hong Myong-hui Hong Myong-hui or Hong Myung-hee (; July 3, 1888 – March 5, 1968) was a Korean novelist during the colonial period, and later a North Korean novelist and state official. He was born in Dongbu-ri, Goesan county, Chungcheongbuk-do, where h ...

* Hwang Tae-seong *

* Choerin * Mun Si-hwan * Lee yung * Yi Dong-hwi *

* Kang Hae-seok * Kang Young-seok * Byeon Hee-yong * Bang Joon-pyo * Kang Dal-young * Jeong Jin-ryong *

Tjyongoui Yi Ouitjyong Yi (1884–1924(?)), also known as Yi Wi-jong, was a Korean diplomat and military officer. His name in Russian is Vladimir Sergeyevich Li (). His father Yi Beom-Jin was a politician. Yi Wi-Jong took part in World War I as a 2nd lieut ...

Foreign supporters

Ernest Bethell Ernest Thomas Bethell (3 November 1872 – 1 May 1909), who is also known by his Korean name (, ), was a British journalist who founded a newspaper, '' The Korea Daily News'', antagonistic to Japanese rule. Arrival in Korea In 1904, Ernest Be ...

Frank Schofield Frank W. Schofield (1889–1970) was a British-born Canadian veterinarian and Protestant missionary who was involved in the Korean independence movement against the Empire of Japan, Japanese Empire. Schofield graduated in 1910 from the Ontario V ...

Fumiko Kaneko or rarely Park Fumiko and Park Munja, was a Japanese anarchist and nihilist. She was convicted of plotting to assassinate members of the Japanese Imperial family. Early life Fumiko Kaneko was born in the Kotobuki district of Yokohama during the ...

* George Show *

Homer Hulbert Homer Bezaleel Hulbert (January 26, 1863 – August 5, 1949) was an American missionary, journalist, and political activist who advocated for the independence of Korea. Biography Hulbert was born in New Haven, Vermont, in 1863 to Calvin and Ma ...

Vladimir Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1 ...

Chou En-lai Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 January 1976. Zhou served under Chairman M ...

Mao Tse-tung Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC ...

Tatsuji Fuse was a Japanese lawyer and social activist. Fuse was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 2004 by the South Korean government for his efforts for Korean independence movement. Early life Fuse was born in the rural ...

References

Jin Y. Park, ed. 'Makers of Modern Korean Buddhism'Albany: State University of New York Press, 2009

External links

Brief article on Korean Independence
from Japanese Press Translations, Dartmouth College Library {{Authority control Republicanism in Korea 20th century in Korea Japan–Korea relations Foreign relations of the Republic of China (1912–1949)