8.15 직후 함흥지역 일본인 귀환단체의 조직과 활동

Abstract

This article is a summary of Organizations for Repatriation of the Japanese in Hamheung, especially Hamheung Japanese Committee, in order to understand the activities for repatriation of Japanese settlers in the north of the 38th parallel after the collapse of Japan in 1945. ‘Hamheung Japanese Sewakai’, which was organized for the first time in Hamheung, reflected the social relations of the colonial Korea in its composition. This nationalistic nature was unable to correspond to the changing situation in the north of the 38th parallel, and on December 3, 1945, Hamheung Japanese Sewakai was completely renovated into the ‘Hamheung Japanese Committee’. In addition, Isogaya-Sueji and Matsumura-Gisio who had formed a friendly relationship with Korean people before the collapse of Japan, made a new moment of Hamheung Japanese Committee activities. Based on mutual trust, they focused on communication and cooperation with related organizations of Joseon and the Soviet Union. Through these efforts, it is possible to solve various problems such as various relief activities for residence of Japanese and refugees before returning to Japan, efforts to solve problems of Group refugees such as ‘bupyeong problem’, and the return of ‘Group escape’ method. As a result, a large number of Japanese and refugees from Hamkyung Province could return to Japan between March and June 1946, before the announcement of official Repatriation. This illegal escape was possible because of the ‘implicit’ and ‘active’ support of the Joseon and Soviet authorities. Therefore, the ‘Group escape’ by the Hamheung Japanese Committee at this time was semi-legal in fact. On the other hand, they have used the problem of ‘remaining of Japanese engineers’ as a negotiation card to receive various supports under the judgment that it is impossible for Korean comrades to construct a new Joseon without industrial-based reconstruction. This is a win-win for both Koreans and Japanese.