아나키스트 정화암의 독립운동

Abstract

The study examines the life of Jeong Hwa-am and his contribution to the Korean independence movement. Jeong Hwa-am held great significance in the anarchist independence movement among Koreans living in China. He also endeavored to publish The History of Anarchist Independence Movement in Korea. To understand the history of the Korean independence movement, we need to study the life and achievements of Jeong Hwa-am. Jeong Hwa-am actively participated in the independence movement after experiencing the March 1st Movement of 1919. Afterward, he accepted anarchism in China. In 1924, Jeong formed the Korean Federation of Anarchists which was the first Korean anarchist independence movement group in China with Lee Hoe-yeong, Lee Eul-gyu, Lee Jeong-gyu, Baek Jeong-gi, and Ryu Ja-myeong. Subsequently, he participated in the anti-Japan movement in Quanzhou, China and published the official journal of the Federation titled The Conquest. In 1930, he led the efforts to build a base for the independence movement in Manchuria while supporting Korean People’s Association in Manchuria. In September 1931, he organized the group called Namhwa Korean Youth Federation in Shanghai and planned an armed struggle against Japanese colonists. The organization played a pivotal role in the ‘Ui-yoel-Tujaeng’ (literally, ‘heroic struggle’) in the 1930s along with Korean Patriotic Organization. When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, Jeong Hwa-am cooperated with members of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the Chinese to fight Japan. After the Liberation of Korea, he founded Joseon-Hakjeongwan and Shin-Chaeho Haksa to promote cultural exchange between China and Korea and preserve the relevant records. Then he returned to Korea, where he participated in various movements and anti-dictatorship activities based on his commitment to democratic socialism. He also wrote a memoir and an interview collection (Recollection of the Anti-Japan Movement by Revolutionists) while working on the restoration of the history of the anarchist independence movement in Korea. Jeong Hwa-am’s contributions reflected in this article can be summarized as follows. First of all, Jeong Hwa-am was a leader of the Korean anarchist independence movement, which attracted significant attention from the Japanese imperialists and China. He had steadfastly devoted himself to the anarchist independence movement. In and after the 1930s, he stood up against Japanese imperialists by organizing and leading heroic struggles by anarchists, which continued after the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War. As such, Japanese imperialists monitored Jeong’s activities, considering him as a threat. Secondly, Jeong Hwa-am’s experience between the March First Independence Movement and the Liberation on August 15th made him a living proof of independence movement in Korea. Even though Jeong chose anarchism as a way to overcome the limitations of nationalist and communist movements, he was deeply connected with independence activists across all factions and involved in most of the anarchist independence movement in China. These experiences made him an eyewitness to the independence movement and contributed to the restoration of the history of the anarchist independence movement. In addition, his experiences are significant in that they shed light on the independence movement in the Huanan region, which has been relatively less focused over the years. Thirdly, in the activities of Jeong Hwa-am, It should be noted that exchanges with many anti-Japanese officials such as China’s innovative personnel, the provisional government, and the Young Koreans Academy(興士團) stand out. Through his extensive personal relationships at home and abroad, It can once again evoke the aspect of the anarchist independence movement in China.