李範奭의 생애와 독립운동

Abstract

Lee, Beomseok was an independence activist who had served in an Army for Korean National Independence, a Chinese army and a Korean Independence Army in Manchuria and mainland China. He was in the vanguard of the armed resistance against Japanese imperialism and his activity was energetic. In this paper, I examined the activity and role of Lee, Beomseok who took an active part in a Korean independence movement in Manchuria and mainland China during the Japanese occupation. Lee, Beomseok who was born in Seoul on the 20th of October, 1900 fled to China and entered the Cavalry Department of Winnan Martial Arts Teaching School (雲南講武學校) as the 12th annual enrollment, and grew into an excellent cavalry officer. Starting his career as an instructor of “Shinheung Military School” in October, 1919, he actively took part in armed resistance against Japanese imperialism. Serving as an instructor of “Bukrogoonjeongseo (an organization for the armed independence movement against Japanese imperialism)” from March, 1920, he threw his energy into raising the Army for Korean National Independence. Also he served in Solbatgwan Korean Communist Army and Koryo Revolutionary Army as the commander of the cavalry. In the meantime, serving in the Chinese military units under So, Byeongmoon, Ma, Jeomsan, Yang, Hoseong, Han, Bokgeo, Jo, Boklim and others after the Manchurian Incident in 1931, he took part in resistance against Japanese imperialism. Also he raised the Army for Korean National Independence as an instructor of the special class for Koreans of Luoyang Military Academy in 1934 and served in central cadet corps of Kuomintang as a company commander and instructor in June, 1936. As the Korean Provisional Government prepared the establishment of the Korean Independence Army in 1940, he participated in the Korean Independence Army. He formed the general headquarters of the Korean Independence Army with many other key figures in the Korean Provisional Government and was appointed the chief of staff. He resigned his post of the chief of staff in October, 1942 and became the commander of the second detached troop and strengthened the second detached troop as the main-force unit of the Korean Independence Army. Not only that, but he propelled the penetration operation into Korea as joint operation with OSS. But as his military operation couldn’t be realized because of Japan’s defeat, he insisted on dispatching the military unit with the mission of intelligence gathering and others. And at last he came to Korea as a member of the military unit with such an aim. Since then he supported activities to build up the Korean Independence Army in China and Korean people’s return to Korea. He returned to Korea via Incheon port with the members of the Korean Independence Army on the third of June, 1946. Participating in the armed struggle against Japanese imperialism for about 30 years in this way, he devoted himself to Korea’s independence. Serving in the army for Korean National Independence, the Chinese army and the Korean Independence Army, he adhered to the consistent line of armed struggle. He was one of the leading figures representing the armed struggle against Japanese imperialism in the history of the Korean independence movement.