북한의 남한 점령기 ‘의용군’ 동원과 운용: 의용군명부․포로심문조서를 중심으로

Abstract

North Korea mobilized between 50,000-100,000 South Korean people in the occupied regions during early phase of the Korean War. At first, it was publicized as volunteers, but became a regional and organizational allotment by the occupied authorities. At last, the forced street conscription and random men capture system prevailed. The mobilization of Seoul citizen as Korean Peoples Volunteer Army(KPVA) started in July, and mobilization of other areas started in August. The quantity and mobilization speed of KPVA were strictly calculated by the Headquarters of the North Korean Peoples Army, and practiced through the administrative and military channels of occupied regime, such as Peoples Committee, Police Department, and Democratic Youngman's League. For the preparatory research, Peoples Committee scrutinized census to calculate the possible human powers as well to check their background. In rural areas, about 16 percent of the conscript lists were mobilized. There were no more human resources in the occupied areas in late August when the North Korean Army concentrated at the Naktong defense line faced upcoming fatal defeat. The KPVA was conscripted in villages and transferred to the cities and counties, then marched to the Naktong battle fields. It took about a month because of the U.S air raids. Political and ideological indoctrinations were given but there were few training and weapons for KPVA. Long march, fatigue, and bad food affected the morale of KPVA. The morale of KPVA was very low, because of forced conscription, no training, food shortage, the U.S. air raids, and increased death possibilities. They were used and regarded as expendable supplies by North Korean Forces. The characteristics of KPVA were complex, because they had both aspects of volunteers and mobilized conscriptees, North Korean soldiers in the battle field and victims in nature. Most of the KPVA who had no military training had a fate to be the bullet bait. The KPVA who worried about the growing crisis defected and surrendered to the United Nations forces. At some cases, the KPVA hurt himself to avoid the destined death. The captured KPVA by UN forces were lucky but the severe struggle of prisoners between pro-Communist and anti-Communist groups in the prisoner of war camp was waiting for them. The experience of KPVA by the South Korean during the Korean War became the vivid example for the actual Communist life as well as motive for the anti-Communist trends after the end of war.