Kim Suk-won (general)

In thisKorean name,the family name isKim.

Kim Suk-won
Kim Suk-won in 1955
Born	(1893-09-29)29 September 1893 Seoul,Joseon
Died	6 August 1978(1978-08-06)(aged 84) Seoul, South Korea
Allegiance	Empire of Japan/Republic of Korea
Service/branch	Imperial Japanese Army Republic of Korea Army
Years of service	1915–1945 1948–1950, 1950–1956
Rank	Major general
Battles/wars	Second Sino-Japanese War World War II Korean War

Kim Suk-won
Japanese name
Kanji	Kim sơn tích nguyên
Transcriptions Romanization Kaneyama Sakugen
Korean name
Hangul	김석원
Hanja	Kim tích nguyên
Transcriptions Revised Romanization Gim Seogwon McCune–Reischauer Kim Sŏgwŏn

Kim Suk-won(29 September 1893 – 6 August 1978) was a Korean officer in theImperial Japanese ArmyduringWorld War II.Kim was one of the highest-rankingethnic Koreans in the Japanese Armyduring the Second World War. He later became a general in theRepublic of Korea Armyduring theKorean War.

Biography

Born inSeoul,Kim was sent toJapanfor studies in 1909 just before theEmpire of Koreawasannexed by Japan.

Kim entered the 27th class of theImperial Japanese Army Academyin 1913. At that time, there were several students from Korea enrolled at the military academy. Many of those who opposed the annexation had already left to join in the movements for Korean independence; others followed the advice ofJi Cheong-cheon,who argued that they should stay and learn military skills from the Japanese before joining the independence movements. However, Kim saw the annexation of Korea as an opportunity for advancement, and a chance to prove his loyalty to Japan. Following his 1915 graduation, Kim was assigned to theIJA 4th Division,based inOsaka.In 1917, Kim was promoted to the rank offirst lieutenant.

Invasion of Manchuria

During the 1931invasion of Manchuria,Kim wascaptainof amechanised artillerydivision, which had a distinguished combat record. After the 1937 outbreak of theSecond Sino-Japanese War,Kim was further promoted tomajor,and assigned to theIJA 20th Divisionbased outside of Seoul, which was a singular indication of the trust that he had attained within the Japanese military.

Second Sino-Japanese War

Kim was dispatched to mainland China in July 1937. Prior to departing, he announced that he intended to die for the Emperor in battle and asked that a school be established in his memory, to be financed partly by the 700wonreward money he had received from EmperorHirohitofor his previous victories inManchuria.However, this request alarmed the officials in the Japanese administration in Korea, who felt that such a school in honor of an ethnic Korean that might foster Korean nationalism.

Kim distinguished himself again at the Battle of Dingwon on 28 July 1937, where he led two companies of Japanese soldiers in a seven-hour hand-to-hand combat that smashed a Chinese division. He was awarded several medals and theGovernor-General of Koreagave his permission for a school, the "Won Suk Academy" to be founded in 1938. This academy is known today asSeongnamJunior and Senior High Schools.

Following the 1939 implementation of thesōshi-kaimei(name change) policy, Kim adopted the Japanese style nameKaneyama Shakugen,by adding the character for "mountain" to hisKorean surnameKim; hisJapanesegiven name "Shakugen" was just theJapanese readingof his Korean name.

In March 1939, Kim was promoted tolieutenant colonelsoon after returning Seoul, reassigned to the 78th Infantry Regiment of theIJA 20th Division,located in Yongsan. He awarded theOrder of the Golden Kite,3rd class. In 1944, Kim was further promoted tocolonel;he was active on thehome frontin Korea during this time, giving speeches at schools and publishing articles in the official newspaperMaeil Sinboencouraging Korean youths to volunteer to serve in the Imperial Japanese Army. He was also instrumental in the implementation of thedrafton the Korean peninsula, which began from 20 January 1944.

After World War II

After thesurrender of JapanendedWorld War II,Kim joined theProvisional Government of the Republic of Korea's military affairs commission, and later theRepublic of Korea Army,where he held the rank ofbrigadier general.In 1948, PresidentSyngman Rheeput Kim in charge of the South Korean border units, and attempted to name him commander of the Republic of Korea Army, but was overridden by GeneralWalton H. Walkerof the United StatesEighth Army,who distrusted Kim's background.

Kim retired from active duty, but was recalled in early July 1950 due to the outbreak of theKorean War.He was promoted tomajor generaland retired again in 1956. Kim published his memoirs in 1977.After his death in 1978, he was buried next toSeongnamHigh School, of which he was one of the founders.Abronze bustof him remains standing on the school ground; in 2002, protestors attempted to have it taken down.