Koreans and the China Affair
Government-General of Chosen
PATRIOTIC movements arising among Koreans through the impelling force of the present China Affair constitute an epoch-making phenomenon. In marking the 27th anniversary of the Japanese administration of the Government-General which came in October, 1937, these movements were of far greater significance than any formal celebration. Moreover, they have spread beyond the boundaries of the peninsula into Japan proper, Manchoukuo, North China, Shanghai and all other places where Korean communities exist.
The remarkable manifestation of patriotism on the part of Koreans as members of the Japanese nation may come as a pleasant surprise to close observers of Korean affairs at home and abroad. Such an attitude toward Japan is, in reality, something which has not sprung up with the outbreak of the present incident but has been fostered, since the Manchurian Affair in 1931, through the increase of understanding by Koreans of Japan's status among world Powers as the promoter and guarantor of prosperity and stability in East Asia. The genuine enthusiasm of their patriotism, however, has been deeply significant and more than could be expected : it has been demonstrated almost in an equal degree as that of the Japanese, and in this demonstration even those masses in the lower strata of society, including women and children, who were naturally regarded as having little appreciation of the present emergency, have not been behind others. Accordingly, Mr. Rokuichiro Ohno, Deputy Governor-General, in a radio broadcast from Keijo (Seoul) on September 8, 1937, bore testimony to the fact. He stated in part :
The two peoples of Japan and Korea, between which there may have been a close ethnic bond in ancient times, gradually developed their respective languages, customs and manners not at all in common as they were long separated by the sea. Naturally they experienced certain difficulties, even after the annexation, in gaining a community of sentiment and ideas as the members of the Japanese nation. Alienation was manifested on the part of the Koreans during one stage of the Japanese rule in various unfortunate incidents, and was regarded on the part of the Japanese as something irreconcilable, in the depth of
their minds. Since the years following the Manchurian Affair, however, this gloomy state of affairs has gradually been improved and a bright atmosphere has come to permeate the whole peninsula. With the present affair a slight coolness that may still have persisted between certain quarters of the two peoples has been perfectly eliminated. This fusion of the two peoples, a complete union in ardent patriotism as members of the Japanese nation, I am strongly convinced, is something which can be conceived not in terms of administrative and political policies but in terms of Providence and human destiny. The two peoples are, to my mind, destined to be one in purpose, aspirations and ideals.
Outstanding Instances of Patriotism
Highly significant was the statement of the Deputy Governor-General, but what were the facts on which his statement had been based ? Many highly remarkable instances of the manifestation of the patriotic sentiment, quite similar in nature and extent to those found in Japan proper, have been reported, and it would be but arbitrary to select a few of them as outstanding. In view, however, of the history and characteristics of the Korean people, the following can be offered as the most noteworthy instances.
Movements within various ideational, religious, quasi-religious and cultural organizations are truly indicative of the new trend. The Daito Minyu-kai, a young men's organization composed mainly of those converted from the communist movement, has been actively engaging for these two years in an educational campaign, earnestly advocating pan-Asianism on the basis of its newly grasped conception of the world situation. This organization was first to rise to the occasion, intensifying and enlarging its educational activities, particularly with reference to the present emergency, which action of course greatly influenced the thinking and activities of young Korean intellectuals all over the peninsula.
As for quasi-religious organizations, the Chonto-kyo is the largest and most influential with some 1,000,000 adherents. This group acted as the central force in the insurrection of 1919, made a turn in the direction of patriotism during the Manchurian Affair, and has now taken a clear and definite stand along the latter line, cooperating with other organizations of similar nature such as the Shichokyo and the Sanze-kyo in the activities of enlightening their adherents, raising the national defence fund, and comforting the families of soldiers at the front. Nor has the organization of Confucian
scholars been behind other groups in responding to the nation's call. Formerly, these scholars were blind admirers of things Chinese, influenced naturally by their study of the Chinese classics. The present affair, however, has entirely changed their conception of the neighbouring Republic, as they had already been disillusioned with regard to her culture and actual conditions following the affair of 1931. They were awakened to the cultural mission of the Japanese Empire as the guardian of the moral principles of the East. Accordingly, they have been carrying out programmes of education on the significance of the present affair and have conducted religious services in support of the national cause of Japan. This attitude of Confucian scholars in the communities where the Confucian system of ideas persists as a strong cultural force has had far-reaching influence on the popular mind.
Most significant, however, is the change in the attitude of the Christian Churches. Both the Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches, the most important and powerful religious organizations in Korea, with a long history of missionary activities and of Western influences, which in the past had frequently taken an attitude of non-cooperation with the Japanese administration, and further had identified themselves with movements of the narrow type of Korean nationalism, now stand definitely for the cause of the Japanese Empire. All denominations and missions, one after another, have held services and prayer meetings specially for the Imperial forces and their Japanese and Korean brothers in China. Special campaigns of education have also been effectively conducted, with the result that large contributions have been collected for the national defence fund. A word concerning the activities of Baron Yun Chi-ho, a famous Christian leader, may be relevant in this connection.
Baron Yun has long been regarded as the foremost Christian leader and educator in Korea. He has taken the lead, since the outbreak of the present affair, in the united movement of all religious and quasi-religious organizations for upholding the cause of the Empire through religious services and educational meetings in which he has acted as chairman and as one of the principal speakers. He has, moreover, contributed 5,000 yen toward the defence fund, thus encouraging his Korean associates by word and deed in devotion to the great national cause. His former status as a distinguished diplomat in the old Korean Government and his recognized leadership of long standing in Christian as well as Korean nationalist movements must undoubtedly have rendered his change of attitude and activities peculiarly valuable in promoting a sense
of unity and patriotism among Koreans as members of the Japanese nation, especially among those groups which had long been regarded as most antagonistic.
Under these circumstances, it is natural that Korean organizations working for the union of the two peoples and the realization of the pan-Asiatic ideal such as the Jichu-kai, Daito Doshi-kai and Toi-kai should respond to this great united patriotic movement. Patriotic organizations composed jointly of Japanese and Koreans such as the Imperial Association for Supporting the Men in the Services, Red Cross Society, Navy Association, Volunteer National Defence Association, Provincial Unions of Young Men's Associations, Social Welfare Work Association and Union of Cultural Work Associations have also joined in the movement which has swept the entire peninsula.
This tide of rising patriotism has also carried in its stream newspapers in vernacular Korean, many of which had persisted until recently in Korean nationalism. It was one of these that gave rise to public discussion at the time of the Olympic Games in 1936 by reproducing a picture of Mr. Son Ki-zun, Korean winner of the Marathon race, after erasing the rising sun mark on his breast. The Korean language papers have not only changed their tone with the exaltation of patriotic sentiment, but have also taken the lead in advocating and emphasizing the complete unity of the two peoples and the united front of the Empire.
Activities of women's organizations are extraordinary phenomena in Korean life, especially among the upper classes. Traditionally, women are discouraged from engaging in any activities outside their own homes ; but now they cannot keep themselves from expressing ardent patriotic sentiments. Accordingly, the Patriotic Gold Hair-Pin Association has been organized in Keijo for the purpose of doing its share in serving the country on the home front. On the occasion of its inaugural meeting, its president, Viscountess Yun Duk-yen, and many of its members offered their gold hair-pins, which are regarded as the invaluable articles commemorating their weddings, toward the defence and comfort funds.
Outside the Peninsula
Koreans living without the peninsula have also been captured by the same sentiment of patriotism in an equal, if not higher, degree. In particular, those living in China, where the effect of the affair has been immediate, have offered themselves in direct service to their country. In Tientsin, immediately following the outbreak of the
incident near Marco Polo Bridge, some 200 Korean young men organized themselves as a special volunteer corps and served daringly under the command of an officer of the Imperial Army in constructing defence works and bridges, effecting communications, carrying and caring for the sick and wounded soldiers, and in many other useful ways. Some of them, while assisting garrison forces in defending the town, were wounded and others died. On one occasion when a death band was organized to effect communication between severed lines of our commissariat, many of them immediately volunteered themselves as its members, to the grateful emotion of Japanese officers and men. Not a few Koreans at present are on the North China front as members of automobile corps, and their letters sent home truly embody the highest spirit as members of the Japanese nation.
Koreans in Shanghai have not been at all backward in demonstrating their sentiment for the Empire. They have been engaging in important activities behind the lines under the best discipline. Many of them have rendered valuable service to the Army, acting as interpreters and chauffeurs. Some 180 men remained even after the general evacuation of Japanese residents, relieving the regular soldiers of all kinds of fatigue duties. Furthermore, what has moved the hearts of the military authorities was their act of self-sacrifice in contributing 400 yen toward the comfort fund out of their needy purses.
The complex character of Shanghai as an international city has facilitated in the past all kinds of underhanded activities of an international nature, and a fair number of Koreans who were staunch adherents of Korean nationalism and Communism and who had intimate relations with the Kuomintang as well as with the Chinese Communists have been living there. The Chinese authorities in Shanghai, however, have completely changed their attitude toward those Koreans since the outbreak of the affair, subjecting Japanese and Koreans alike to atrocious treatment. The Japanese authorities, on the contrary, have extended protection even to those on the black-list on ideational charges. This generous attitude of the latter has awakened radical Koreans to the sense of their being members of the Japanese nation. " We Koreans have realized for the first time the blessing of living under the flag of the rising sun," has been their confession, which undoubtedly represents the minds of the 39,000 Koreans in China.
As Koreans are not subjected to the conscription system, there have been no Korean regular soldiers fighting at the front. There have, however, been several regular officers in the Imperial Army
who are fighting as ably as their Japanese colleagues. Major Kim, in command of a certain unit, fought most daringly at Nanyüan. In view of these manifestations of ardent patriotism and in response to the earnest and sincere wishes of Korean young men to share the responsibility of national defence, a system of voluntary service in the regular army is now being framed, and is expected to be carried out in April.
In Manchoukuo approximately 900,000 Koreans are joyfully contributing to the ideal of the moral Empire established on the principles of cooperation and concord of all its peoples. Their activities in support of the present Japanese endeavours have been conducted somewhat along the same lines as in Korea, and under the leadership of such organizations as the Korean People's Association and the Korean Branch of the Kyowa-kai (the Society for Promoting Cooperation and Concord of Peoples). There have of course been many individual cases of remarkable expressions of patriotism.
Expression of the same sentiment among the 800,000 Koreans living in Japan proper has naturally taken different forms. A significant aspect has been the decision not to act separately as Korean groups but to participate in general activities. This participation of Koreans in general movements is producing the highly satisfactory result of eliminating misunderstandings and prejudices which had unfortunately existed between the two peoples.
A New Korea and Its People
This account of Korean patriotism in connection with the present affair, though limited to certain aspects of its manifestation, will be sufficient to enable readers to appreciate the peculiar character of the Korean problem and the successful endeavours of the Japanese Government in solving difficult problems. The difficulty of fusion of two peoples into a national consciousness has been experienced all too frequently in the past both in the West and the East. In the relationship between the two peoples of Japan and Korea, however, that difficult task is being accomplished, as if by a miracle, through forces created by the impetus of the China Affair. We cannot but be reminded, on the one hand, of the excellence of the political principles originating in the ideal of the moral Empire, the ideal upon which the Japanese Empire has been founded and, on the other, of the insight and wisdom of the Korean people. It can rightly be said, therefore, that the conflict with China has constituted an active medium, if not the basic cause for creating the present
happy state of affairs. There are of course certain fundamental causes which can be summarized somewhat as follows :
1. The political principles in accordance with the Imperial will which would treat all subjects of the Empire with equal benevolence have gradually been appreciated by the Koreans with the realization of concrete measures for promoting their happiness and prosperity.
2. With the augmentation of educational work and the diffusion of the Japanese language, important factors contributing to unfortunate misunderstandings between the two peoples have been removed, lessening the differences in living and enhancing good relationships between them.
3. The sentiment for a return to things ancient in relation to the ethnic origin of and the cultural intercourse between the two peoples has arisen among the Korean intellectuals with the exploration of former history.
4. In recent developments in the situation of East Asia, beginning with the Manchurian Affair, the position of the Empire in that part of the world and its true strength have come to be comprehended by the Koreans.
With regard to the historical significance of these phenomena, further elaboration may be necessary. For this purpose the message sent to the people in Japan proper by General Jiro Minami, Governor-General, on the closing day of the National Spiritual Mobilization Week, October 19, 1937, is quoted below in outline :
I have been most profoundly moved by the way in which the entire nation has risen in perfect unity to the current emergency, giving full scope to the traditional spirit of the Empire by dissolving all opposition and friction in domestic relations. The significant achievement of the Imperial Army in action against the Nationalist Government and its Army has much to do with the consolidation along the home front. It is indeed a source of inspiration to me.
In this momentous hour of our history, I wish to remind you, our compatriots in the main islands, that within the unity of the Japanese Empire exist 23,000,000 people in the Korean Peninsula as integral component parts. Those who are aware of the vital importance of the spiritual union of the two peoples in the work of promoting peace and prosperity in East Asia, I am convinced, must appreciate fully the significance of the ardent patriotism demonstrated by our Korean brothers in connection with the present affair. This expression of their patriotism, which has taken different forms, has been done
most spontaneously in all cases ; it can only be understood as the consummation of the movement of thought which has become increasingly marked since the Manchurian Affair. Thus between the people in the main islands and the entire people in the peninsula now exists a community of will and sentiment, of pride and self-confidence, of purpose and mission as Japanese subjects.
This month, the month of October of the present year, is a memorable one for the Government-General of Chosen as the month on which the 27th anniversary of its inauguration falls. My mind is filled with a sense of deep gratitude for this spiritual achievement, which is, in reality, no other than the fruit of the endeavours of our predecessors, and which I firmly believe constitutes a way of celebrating the anniversary infinitely more significant and fitting than any elaborate programme.