1919년 대한민국 임시정부 ‘파리한국대표부’의 외교활동 -김규식의 활동을 중심으로-

Abstract

Paris in 1919 was the ‘capital of the world’. After World War I, the Paris Peace Conference was a stage for a new reorganization of world order. Encouraged by the President Wilson’s national self-determination ideas, small and weak nations and several colonies made diplomacy by sending delegations to Paris, using the conference as an opportunity for their independence. Korea was one of them. First, Kim Kyu-Sik arrived in Paris as a representative of the Shinhan Youth Party and launched publicity campaigns to inform about the situation in Korea and the reality of the Japanese colonial rule. Secondly, he worked out to get the sympathy and friendly solidarity of influential media and leaders. Thirdly, he conducted activities with the task of submitting a formal petition on Korea’s independence to the Peace Conference. Kim Kyu-Sik set up the Korean Communication Agency on April 14, 1919, at Chateaudun Street, N.38, in the 9th Arrondissement of Paris, and began official promotional activities. First of all, a newsletter entitled Circulaire has been issued to provide information on the reality of Korea and to call for support for the Korean independence. This Circulaire had been sent to all media organizations in Europe and to the representatives of each country at the Peace Conference, as well as to all places which could influence the Peace Conference. On May 10, Kim Kyu-Sik formally submitted a Petition and a Memorandum to the Paris Peace Conference. The number of petitions and memorandums sent to several places was important. The Korean delegation has been completed by the arrival of Kim Tang in early May, Lee Kwan-Yong on May 18, Yeo Un-Hong and Hwang Ki-Hwan on June 3, and Jo So-Ang in late June. The Korean delegation also worked with a variety of people, including the French Socialist Party, the Human Rights Federation, journalists, and the delegations of small and weak nations, including the Chinese delegation. Among them, Li Yu-Ying and Emile Blavet’s help was greater than anything. In particular, through active exchanges with the members of the Human Rights Federation, a Korean Friends Society (Amis de la Corée) was founded later. The Korean delegation also sought solidarity with delegations and leaders from other small and weak nations. Among them, Ho Chi Minh had close relations with the Korean delegations members such as Kim Kyu-Sik, Jo So-Ang and Hwang Ki-Hwan. Kim Kyu-Sik participated as a promoter of the ‘Nations Rights Alliance.’ This federation was founded at the time to represent the rights of the small and weak nations and to inform the world about their situation. The Korean delegation also dispatched representatives to international conferences to clarify the harsh rule of Japan and the legitimacy of Korea’s independence. Kim Kyu-Sik sent a letter to the International Socialist Union, proactively expressing his intention to participate as a representative of the Korean Nation Union. Later, the mission was left to Lee Kwan-Yong and Jo So-Ang and a “Resolution on Korean Independence” was unanimously adopted at the Lucerne International Socialist Congress in Switzerland. After the departure of Kim Kyu-Sik from Paris, all work was centralized by Hwang Ki-hwan. Hwang Ki-Hwan rescued some Korean workers from Murmansk and moved them to the French Suippes village. They formed a legal “Korean Association of Koreans in France” to support the Korean delegation’s independence movement. The Korean delegation, which had a good relationship with the members of the Human Rights Federation, received a lot of sympathy and support from those who attended by holding a “Korean Problem Speech Conference” at the Geographical Auditorium on January 8, 1920. Kim Kyu-Sik and the Korean delegation who stayed in Paris for more than five months during the Paris Peace Conference were remarkable. Although their activities did not produce tangible results, it should be appreciated that the Korean nation’s desire for independence was widely known around the world through their activities. The diplomatic activities of the Korean delegation in Paris of the Korean Provisional Government, under a small number of people and in poor conditions, was a great independence movement that spread the goals and values of the March 1st Movement around the world.