“If Japan loses, Koreans will fight each other, divided by foreign powers”: June 1945 warning by Korean collaborator (박춘금, 朴春琴) who urged authorities to redirect Korean nationalism into support for Imperial Japan

This is a translation of a Japanese newspaper roundtable discussion from June 1945, held just two months before Imperial Japan’s defeat in World War II. The participants included senior Japanese officials—an army major general, colonial administrators, and publishing executives—as well as Park Chun-geum, a prominent Korean collaborator and former parliamentarian who was highly trusted by the colonial regime.

Despite his reputation, Park offers an unusually lucid view into the mindset of Koreans at the time. He had spoken directly with Korean youth who feared that if Imperial Japan lost, the peninsula would descend into chaos. Multiple foreign powers—the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union, the Chinese Nationalists (Chongqing), and pro-Japanese factions—would all try to assert control. Park warns that Koreans would end up fighting each other, and that the only way to prevent this disaster was for Imperial Japan to trust Koreans, give them hope, and reframe the war as a defense of Korea itself.

Park was essentially calling for a redirection of Korean nationalism—not its suppression—toward protecting the homeland by fighting under the Imperial Japanese banner.

But the Japanese participants could not comprehend this, and ignored Park's concerns. They refused to leave their own reality bubble, insisting upon maintaining the ideology of naisen ittai (內鮮一體, Japanese-Korean Unification), which was fundamentally incompatible with permitting Korean nationalism. This meeting is a striking case of hypernormalization—a regime clinging to its official ideology and pretending that business as usual could continue, even as the empire was disintegrating.

What makes this article especially remarkable is that it was published during the final phase of the Battle of Okinawa, with the clear possibility that the Korean peninsula itself could soon become a battlefield. For years, propaganda had vaguely warned that “we will become slaves” if Imperial Japan lost—but here, for the first time, you see detailed, realistic predictions: a fragmented, occupied Korea and internecine warfare. That level of candor—speculation on Imperial Japan’s defeat and Korea’s postwar future—appearing in a Japanese newspaper in 1945 is extraordinary.

Even more striking, the article predicts that Soviet forces would enter Korea, despite the USSR not yet being at war with Imperial Japan at the time. The only real inaccuracy is the assumption that the Chinese Nationalists (referred to as "Chongqing" after their capital) would prevail in China’s civil war. Otherwise, the forecast is hauntingly accurate.

The roundtable also touches on the organization of Korean Volunteer Corps, intended to mobilize civilians—even girls as young as 12—into makeshift militias similar to Germany’s Volkssturm. At this stage in the war, Japanese authorities were already training some Koreans with bamboo spears, preparing them for suicidal banzai charges against Allied forces.

In short, this roundtable reveals a desperate colonial regime completely out of touch with the sentiment of the Korean people, refusing to accept reality, and still insisting on ideological unity while the empire’s collapse was imminent.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 1, 1945

Expectations for the National Volunteer Corps
(Roundtable hosted by Keijo Nippo newspaper, Part 4)
Resolving Ideological Problems
Instill Political Ideals!

Mr. Park Chun-geum (박춘금, 朴春琴) (former member of the Diet): Until recently, I did not understand the feelings of the Korean youth. However, I sensed something lately and gathered some young people together. I asked them: “What do you think will happen to the Korean peninsula if Japan loses the war? And what will happen if Japan wins?” I asked them to speak frankly. They responded with something interesting:

“If Japan loses, five or six different forces will come into the Korean peninsula—such as the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union, the Chongqing government, and pro-Japanese elements—splitting into factions and fighting among themselves. The 26 million people on the Korean peninsula will end up killing each other. That would bring the greatest misfortune to the Korean people. Therefore, we hope the Japanese people will fully trust the Koreans and allow us to contribute as well. We would like you, Chun-geum, to convey this message.”

Thus, I believe it is necessary to fully grasp the spirit of the youth. To achieve this, we must provide hope to the Korean people. Up until now, they have been told endlessly to become loyal subjects of the Empire. What is needed now is to give them hope. Entrust the structure of the national body to the Korean people and say, “You can do it. The peninsula is your homeland.”

In short, what is most important at this moment is that the Japanese people sincerely trust the Koreans and give them hope and a sense of cooperation. If we do that, the Korean people will gladly give their lives as Imperial subjects. Also, we must genuinely demonstrate that the motivation behind the Greater East Asia War is the liberation of the peoples of Asia.

I would like to see this kind of roundtable held once more, and with a broader range of participants. I believe it would be extremely effective in stimulating public opinion and providing useful guidance to the authorities.

Mr. Kurashige Shūzō (Imperial Army Major General, Secretary General of the Korea Headquarters of the Patriotic Women's Association): On the 14th, Prime Minister Suzuki clarified the operational policy of the National Volunteer Corps, stating that the Corps’ essential mission is to embody ethical principles and serve the nation.

I have always believed that the foundation of national governance lies in clarifying the national body and rectifying moral principles in order to carry out the war to its conclusion. From this perspective, I believe the National Volunteer Corps should become a central element of current political efforts.

Accordingly, in organizing this system, the government must ensure that its principles are thoroughly understood by the officials directly involved—the heads of provinces, districts (gun), prefectures, towns (eup), and townships (myeon).

Mr. Ishida Kōzō (President of Jinmonsha Publishing): Leaders should be chosen from among the local bosses with real political capability. Ultimately, without political skill, the endeavor will likely fail.

In any undertaking, I believe it is more effective when politically aware people are involved. Organizing a volunteer corps of 26 million requires instilling a political ideal. In order to instill a lofty ideal, political awareness is necessary.

Mr. Park: This is not a time to discuss the grand plans of a hundred years. What matters now is winning the war. To that end, we must secure even greater cooperation from the Korean people. That means giving them hope.

Mr. Matsumura Kōichi (Executive at Korean Aircraft Company, Director at the Ministry of Culture and Information): From what I have heard, two main issues have been raised. One is the matter of political awareness. To be clear, this is an ideological issue. In Korea, a national movement cannot be launched unless the ideological issues are resolved.

Therefore, if a National Volunteer Corps is to be created, we must resolve ideological problems to a certain degree, or else it will be ineffective. I believe no one would disagree with this.

The most solid method would be to resolve these ideological issues and then build the National Volunteer Corps with mainland Japanese at its core and Koreans supporting it.

Mr. Ishida: I fully agree with the first part of what you said. There is no alternative but to resolve Korea’s ideological issues before moving forward.

As for the lingering, unresolved ideological discontent that remains today, I believe it can only be resolved through something like the Volunteer Corps—something combat-oriented. This applies equally to both mainland Japan and Korea. There are unique elements to the complexity of Korea’s ideological issues.

Mr. Matsumura: There is a large qualitative difference between the Korean Volunteer Corps and that of mainland Japan. As for the ideological question, how can it be resolved? If mainland Japan fully trusts the Korean side, and the Korean side fully trusts mainland Japan, then it can be resolved. Achieving that trust will only be possible by fighting the war together. In organizing the Volunteer Corps, I believe Korea’s unique characteristics will naturally emerge.

Mr. Kurashige: The ideological issue is a difficult one, but in our Patriotic Women's Association, for example, when we gather and talk a few times, no real problems arise.

In other words, mutual understanding leads to resolution. If we develop close relationships with each other, we will understand one another. In that case, the concept of Japanese-Korean unification becomes a non-issue.

Mr. Yokomizo (President of Keijo Nippo newspaper): We are truly honored to have gathered you all here today—individuals with rich experience, deep insight, and aspirations regarding the national movement—to provide frank and unreserved opinions about the organization of the National Volunteer Corps.

For our newspaper, which bears the serious responsibility of guiding public opinion, today’s discussion was highly informative. Above all, all policy measures today must focus on winning this war. Therefore, even if a new structure for the National Volunteer Corps is established, it must ultimately aim to achieve maximum effectiveness for victory. All specific strategies must therefore be directed toward this objective.

(End)

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年6月1日

国民義勇隊に期待する（本社主催座談会４）
思想問題の解決
政治的理念を持たせよ

朴春琴氏（元代議士）：私は此の頃の半島青年の気持というものを知らなかった。ところが最近感ずるところがあって青年を集めて私は大体こういうことをいった。『日本が戦に負けたら半島の運命はどうなるか。それから日本が戦に勝ったら朝鮮の運命はどうか』、こういうことで忌憚なく話してくれといった。すると面白いことをいっていた。『日本が負ければ今度は半島には五つも六つもの勢力が入って来る。例えば米英とかソ連とか重慶とか或は親日とかそういうような分子に分れてお互いに闘争する。そうすると二千六百万がお互いに殺しっこをやる。こうなったら半島人は最も大いなる不幸に陥る。故に我々はこう考える日本人が全面的に朝鮮人を信頼して我々にも働かせて貰いたい。そのことを春琴さんから話してくれ』、とそういうことをいっていた。

そこで青年達の魂というものを相当掴む必要があると思う。それがためには何とか半島人に希望を与えなくてはならぬ。今まで単に、お前たちは皇国臣民になれということを耳にタコが出来る程いわれている。そこで希望を与えることだ。今度の国体も半島人に委してお前達がやるのだ。半島はお前達の郷里だという風にやる。何といってもこの際は内地人が大きな気持で半島人を信頼して希望を持たして協力せよというならば、半島人は喜んで皇国臣民として命も捨てる気になる。そして日本民族が大東亜戦争を起した動機はアジア民族の解放にあるのだということを本当に示してやる。

今日のような会をもう一回やってほしい。そして出席者の範囲をもっと広くしてやってほしい。そしたら当局の参考に与論の振起に非常に効果があると思う。

倉茂周蔵氏（陸軍少将、日婦朝鮮本部事務総長）：十四日に鈴木首相は国民義勇隊の運営方針を明らかにされたが、国民義勇隊員は道義をもって国民を貫くことをもって本義と致すものであるといわれた。私は国政の基本は国体を明かにし名分を正し、もって戦争を完遂するにあると常々考えているのであるが、この国民義勇隊はこの意味から申しても今日の政治の要点になるべきものであると思う。

従ってこの組織に当っては政府側においても直接その衝に当る道、郡、府、邑、面、等の長に対してよく其の趣旨を徹底せしめられたい。

石田耕造氏（人文社社長）：指導者は一地方の親分で政治的能力のある人物を選ぶがよい。要するに政治的能力乃至手腕の少ない人はどうもうまく行かないのではないかと思う。何事にもこの運動の展開には政治性を持つ方が効果がありはしないかと思う。二千六百万で義勇隊を組織するということは矢張りそこに政治的理念を持たせる方がよいのではないか。高い理念を持たせるには結局政治性を持たせなくてはならんと思う。

朴氏：百年の大計を今日論ずるのではない。勝てばよいのである。それがためには半島人として一層協力せしむることである。それには希望を与えることが必要であると思う。

松村紘一氏（朝鮮飛行機重役、文報理事）：色々お話を承ったが、要するに問題は二つ提出されていると思う。政治性という問題、これをハッキリ申し上げると思想問題であって結局朝鮮では国民運動は思想問題を解決してからでないと出来ない訳だから、国民義勇隊をつくるならば思想問題にある程度解決を与えないと実効がない。これは何人も異存のないことと思う。そこでこの思想問題を解決して国民義勇隊というものを内地人を中心にしてつくり半島人の方でついていくという方法が一番堅実ではないかと思う。

石田氏：只今のお話の前半には全く賛成である。朝鮮の思想問題を解決して然る後にやる外ないと思う。

今日なお残っている釈然たらざる思想的不満は何によって解決するかということ、これは義勇隊的なそういう戦闘的なものでないと解決出来ないと思う。これは内地側においても朝鮮側においても同じである。朝鮮の思想問題の難しさは独特のものがあると思う。

松村氏：朝鮮の義勇隊と内地側とでは非常に質的に差異があると思う。それから思想問題だが、これをどういう方法で解決するかといえば、内地側は朝鮮側を全面的に信頼し、朝鮮側は内地側を全面的に信頼すれば解決する訳である。これをやることは一緒に戦争をやる外はないと思う。義勇隊組織ということについては朝鮮の特性というものが現れて来ると思う。

倉茂氏：思想問題ということについては難しい問題だが私の方の婦人会等でも二三回集って話をすると結局何も問題は起こらない。つまりよく諒解し合うからである。お互いに親しくすればよく判ることで内鮮一体も何もないと思う。

横溝社長：国民運動について豊富な御経験、御識見また御抱負をもっていられる皆さん方のお集まりを戴き当面の国民義勇隊の組織に関して、最も忌憚のない批判を仰ぎましたことは私共の誠にしあわせとするところです。

与論指導に重大使命を持っている本社としては大変よい参考と相なった訳です。何といっても今日のすべての施策はこの戦争に戦い勝つということに集中しなければならぬ。

この故に、将来つくられる国民義勇隊の新機構といっても結局は勝つために最大の効率を発揮させなければならないのである。従ってそれぞれの具体的な方策はこの目標に集中せられることと思う（終り）。

Source: National Library of Korea, Digital Newspaper Archive

“Even Dreams Must Be in Japanese”: Imperial Japan’s Chilling 1943 Wartime Propaganda for Korean Assimilation

These propaganda cartoons, serialized in 1943 during the height of Imperial Japan’s war mobilization, were aimed at the Korean audience. Through cheerful imagery, they depict militarization, economic exploitation, and cultural erasure as progress and enlightenment. 

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 22, 1943

 

Translated below:

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 29, 1943

Translated below:

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, December 2, 1943

Translated below:

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 22, 1943

Frame 1 (マ・MA): 真面目な生活、和やかな愛国班
Earnest living, harmonious Patriotic Group

Korean “patriotic groups” (愛国班) were grassroots neighborhood cells comprising a few households which facilitated wartime mobilization, resource control, and ideological indoctrination. The cells also imposed surveillance and compliance, fostering an environment of coercion and control. The Japanese flags on every house signal loyalty to the Empire, demanding unity and ideological purity from all families — including colonized Koreans.

Frame 2 (ミ・MI): 南に北に真心の慰問袋
Sincere care packages sent to the north and to the south

Anthropomorphized care packages march with cheerful faces. These care packages were prepared by schoolchildren and "patriotic women" who included things like books, picture scrolls, sweets, photos, newspaper clippings, poetry, dolls, senninbari cloths, etc.

Frame 3 (ム・MU): 無駄をなくした良いお嫁
A good bride who got rid of waste

A humbly dressed Korean woman, newly married, embodies self-sacrifice. Her patched monpe pants and travel pack reinforce the romanticized thrift and simplicity expected from colonized women in service of the war.

Frame 4 (メ・ME): 目よりも大事な孫も志願兵
Even more precious than one's eyes, the grandson becomes a volunteer soldier

The old Korean grandfather's pride as he sends his grandson off to war exposes the enforced loyalty expected from colonial families. 

Frame 5 (モ・MO): 『もしもし』電話も正しい国語
Even when saying “Hello?” over the phone, proper Japanese must be spoken

A Korean woman is shown speaking Japanese on the phone. Language suppression was central to Japan's colonial rule — Korean was suppressed in schools and public life, and cartoons like this normalized linguistic erasure.

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 29, 1943

Frame 1 (ヤ・YA): 破れかぶれ、アメリカの負け戦
Desperate and reckless — America’s losing war

Roosevelt, depicted cartoonishly, watches his planes crash. This blatant propaganda mocks the Allies while reinforcing Imperial Japan's self-perception of invincibility — a view they expected Koreans to adopt.

Frame 2 (イ・I): 石にかじりついても勝ち抜くぞ！（負けるもんかっ！）
We are determined to win even if we have to bite into rocks! (We will not lose!)

A crazed man bites a rock — symbolizing blind perseverance. 

Frame 3 (ユ・YU): 夢の中でも国語でお話（先生、セーンセイ、ムニャムニャ）
Speaking Japanese even in your dreams. (Teacher... teeaaacher... mumble mumble)

A Korean child, dreaming in Japanese, reveals the extent of desired assimilation. The subconscious itself was not allowed to remain Korean.

Frame 4 (エ・E): 枝や切り株は松炭油に
Branches and stumps become pine charcoal oil

Farmers were expected to scavenge wood for fuel production, supporting the war economy. Total war mobilization extended even into rural Korean life.

Frame 5 (ヨ・YO): 夜なべに叺や草鞋つくり
Making straw bags and sandals late into the night

A Korean couple toils under a light bulb, producing straw bags or straw sandals using traditional techniques. The straw bags were known 'gamani' (가마니) in Korean or 'kamasu' in Japanese. They were traditionally made in the winter, and used to transport everything including manure, coal, salt, and grain. First, the straw is weaved into rope, and then the rope is used to weave the fabric that forms the bag.

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, December 2, 1943

Frame 1 (ワ・WA): 忘れるな！十二月八日の感激！（やったぞ！やったー！大本営万歳！十二月八日！）
Never forget the excitement of December 8th! (We did it! Hurrah! Long live Imperial HQ! December 8th!)

December 8, 1941 was the day of the Pearl Harbor attack. The cartoon rewrites history to portray it as a triumphant moment that all subjects — including Koreans — should cherish.

Frame 2 (ヰ・WI): 遺族や出征家族に銃後の真心（誉れの家、援護）
True spirit on the home front for bereaved and deployed families (House of honor, support)

A giant hand labeled "Support" protects a house labeled "House of Honor." Families were coerced into viewing military sacrifice not as tragedy, but as privilege.

Frame 3 (ウ・U): 嬉しいこと、国語で書けたこの手紙
What a happy occasion! I was able to write this letter in Japanese

A smiling and singing Korean woman celebrates being able to write in Japanese. This idealized scene masks the violent suppression of Korean literacy and identity.

Frame 4 (ヱ・WE): 笑顔で売り買い、明るい生活
Buying and selling with a smile — a cheerful life

Two Koreans smile to each other as goods are exchanged. The colonial regime conducted "kindness" campaigns to induce shopkeepers to improve their manners by smiling more often and speaking Japanese.

Frame 5 (ヲ・WO): おじさんは陸軍へ、兄さんは海軍へ
My uncle went to the Army, and my big brother to the Navy

A young girl waves the Japanese and Rising Sun flags. Indoctrination begins in childhood — glorifying militarism and the enlistment of Korean men into Imperial Japan's war machine.

These cartoons reveal how deep Imperial Japan’s psychological manipulation ran — coercing Koreans into erasing their identity, language, and even familial bonds for the sake of a foreign Empire. Every frame promotes joy in submission, glorifying assimilation and military servitude. This propaganda targeted even Korean children’s dreams — literally.

These AIUEO March cartoon strips were part of a larger Japanese-language four-page supplement published in Maeil Sinbo (매일신보 / 每日申報), the last remaining Korean-language newspaper during the Imperial Japanese colonial period. By 1940, all other Korean-language publications had been shut down, and Maeil Sinbo, under strict Japanese control as a tool for Imperial propaganda, became the last operational Korean-language newspaper in Korea.

This supplement was written in basic Japanese, primarily using Hiragana and Katakana, to make it accessible to Koreans with limited Japanese literacy. But it was not just a language learning aid - it also doubled as a war propaganda medium. 

Each AIUEO cartoon strip is organized around a five-character sequence of the Japanese kana syllabary, such as ka-ki-ku-ke-ko (カキクケコ) or sa-shi-su-se-so (サシスセソ), and is divided into five panels. Each panel begins with a different kana character from that set, illustrating an ideal picture of life in Korea that was promoted as a part of Imperial Japanese propaganda.  The panels may have been meant to be cut out and used as iroha karuta playing cards for entertainment.

These particular cartoon strips, published on November 22th, November 29th, and December 2, 1943, were organized around the ma-mi-mu-me-mo (マミムメモ), ya-yu-yo (ヤユヨ), and wa-wo-n (ワヲン) kana groups, respectively. However, the last two kana groups were modified in the cartoon strips to become ya-i-yu-e-yo (ヤイユエヨ) and wa-wi-u-we-wo (ワヰウヱヲ). The last modified Kana group has the now-obsolete kana letters ヰ and ヱ, which used to be respectively pronounced as wi and we in ancient Japanese, but now respectively pronounced as i and e in modern Japanese.

I carefully browsed the October, November, and December 1943 collections of Maeil Sinbo in the Digital Newspaper Archives of the National Library of Korea, and I have now posted all the AIUEO cartoon strips for every kana group except for two: a-i-u-e-o (アイウエオ) and ra-ri-ru-re-ro (ラリルレロ). I'm not sure if they were never published, got lost when the newspaper archive was established, or I simply missed them as I pored through the newspaper pages. 

For your convenience, the links to all the previously posted AIUEO March cartoon strips are listed below:

• KA-group: https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2025/04/imperial-japanese-cartoon-from-1943.html
• SA-, TA-, NA-groups: https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2025/04/propaganda-cartoons-from-1943-depict.html
• HA-group: https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2025/02/imperial-japanese-cartoon-from-1943.html

Propaganda cartoons from 1943 depict cheerful Koreans enjoying Imperial Japanese rule as they are sternly warned about eavesdropping Western spies

These propaganda cartoons, serialized in 1943 during the height of Imperial Japan’s war mobilization, were aimed at the Korean audience. Through cheerful imagery, they depict militarization, economic exploitation, and cultural erasure as progress and enlightenment. 

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 8, 1943

Translated below:

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 11, 1943

Translated below:

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 15, 1943

Translated below:

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 8, 1943

Frame 1 (サ・SA): 酒屋が逃げ出す良い部落
A good village where even the liquor seller flees

A Korean village labeled “No Alcohol Village” (酒無部落). A flustered alcohol merchant with bottles on his back is leaving. In the 1930's and 1940's, Imperial Japanese police routinely cracked down on illicit distilleries producing illegal liquor throughout Korea, which was an ongoing theme in news articles of that time.

Frame 2 (シ・SHI): 支那の子供もアイウエオ
Even Chinese children learn A-I-U-E-O

A Chinese boy sits obediently reading Japanese syllabary. Emphasizes that language assimilation extends beyond Korea—Japan seeks linguistic domination across its empire.

Frame 3 (ス・SU): 少ない配給も仲良く分け合う
Even with little rations, they share harmoniously

Two Korean women and a man peacefully divide meager rations. Promotes wartime sacrifice and obedience, glossing over forced food requisitioning in colonized Korea.

Frame 4 (セ・SE): 先生を驚かす国語の上達
Shocking the teacher with her Japanese fluency

A Korean student impresses a Japanese teacher. Language mastery is framed as a measure of loyalty and progress.

Frame 5 (ソ・SO): 空を轟く愛国飛行機
Patriotic planes roar through the sky

Korean villagers wave hinomaru flags as Japanese warplanes fly overhead. Celebrating the Empire’s military while expecting Koreans to cheer for their colonizer.

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 11, 1943

Frame 1 (タ・TA): 旅の支度は先ずモンペ、巻脚絆
Prepare for your journey with monpe pants and kyahan leg wraps

Korean civilians don Japanese-style wartime clothing. Prepares Koreans physically and symbolically for service.

Frame 2 (チ・CHI): 塵も積もれば山となる楽しい貯金（知らない間に500円）
Savings grow like a mountain from tiny grains of dust (Without noticing—500 yen!)

Koreans smiling at war bond savings. Encourages Koreans to fund their own colonizer’s war machine.

Frame 3 (ツ・TSU): 積もる話も国語で志願兵の家
Talk a lot in Japanese to a family of a future volunteer soldier

A Korean family listens to a recruiter advocating enlistment in the Imperial Army, glorified as an honor.

Frame 4 (テ・TE): 天に轟く万歳、勇ましい大戦果（敵機百機落した！）
Roaring 'BANZAI!' to the sky—what a great victory! (100 enemy planes shot down!)

A Korean shouts “Banzai!” in celebration of a Japanese military victory. Koreans are shown embracing Imperial war ideology.

Frame 5 (ト・TO): 隣のおばあさんも国語の一年生（一緒に講習会にいきましょう！）
Even grandma next door is a first-year Japanese student (Let’s attend classes together!)

Elderly Korean women attending Japanese classes. This frames Japanese language adoption as not just for the young, but a duty for all.

Maeil Sinbo Newspaper, November 15, 1943

Frame 1 (ナ・NA): 何でも話せる国語の優等生（慰問袋を贈りましたか？）
A top student in Japanese can talk about anything (Have you sent a care package yet?)

A Korean woman encourages another to send gifts to soldiers. Language fluency is tied to ideological participation.

Frame 2 (ニ・NI): 日本の兵の母です、私らも
We too are mothers of Japanese soldiers

A Korean mother proudly showcases her son in Imperial Army uniform. Erases Korean identity—her son is now “Japanese.”

Frame 3 (ヌ・NU): 盗人より悪い闇取引（驚いた！）
Black market dealings are worse than theft (Shocking!)

A robber looks on in disbelief at Korean civilians doing black market trade. The cartoon equates economic survival tactics with treason.

Frame 4 (ネ・NE): 根もない噂に喜ぶスパイ（あのね、日本が．．．ほう、そうかね、なるほど）
A spy delights in groundless rumors (So, Japan is… Oh really? I see.)

A sinister-looking Western spy with a black eye mask eavesdrops on Koreans spreading rumors. Portrays gossip as aiding the enemy, urging Koreans to police each other.

Frame 5 (ノ・NO): のぼる日の丸、世界は明ける
The rising sun climbs—the world brightens

The Japanese flag rising from Earth into space. The cartoon ends with a delusional vision of Imperial Japan as the world’s liberator and ruler. A pictorial representation of Hakkō Ichiu ideology.

These cartoons are a disturbing example of cultural erasure masked as cheerful wartime propaganda. They depict Koreans eagerly abandoning their language, identity, and autonomy to become obedient subjects of Imperial Japan.  

These AIUEO March cartoon strips were part of a larger Japanese-language four-page supplement published in Maeil Sinbo (매일신보 / 每日申報), the last remaining Korean-language newspaper during the Imperial Japanese colonial period. By 1940, all other Korean-language publications had been shut down, and Maeil Sinbo, under strict Japanese control as a tool for Imperial propaganda, became the last operational Korean-language newspaper in Korea.

This supplement was written in basic Japanese, primarily using Hiragana and Katakana, to make it accessible to Koreans with limited Japanese literacy. But it was not just a language learning aid - it also doubled as a war propaganda medium. 

Each AIUEO cartoon strip is organized around a five-character sequence of the Japanese kana syllabary, such as ka-ki-ku-ke-ko (カキクケコ) or sa-shi-su-se-so (サシスセソ), and is divided into five panels. Each panel begins with a different kana character from that set, illustrating an ideal picture of life in Korea that was promoted as a part of Imperial Japanese propaganda.  The panels may have been meant to be cut out and used as iroha karuta playing cards for entertainment. These particular cartoon strips, published on the 8th, 11th, and 15th of November 1943, were organized around the sa-shi-su-se-so (サシスセソ), ta-chi-tsu-te-to (タチツテト), and na-ni-nu-ne-no (ナニヌネノ) kana groups, respectively. 

I carefully browsed the October, November, and December 1943 collections of Maeil Sinbo in the Digital Newspaper Archives of the National Library of Korea, and I was able to find the AIUEO cartoon strips for all the kana groups except for two: a-i-u-e-o (アイウエオ) and ra-ri-ru-re-ro (ラリルレロ). I'm not sure if they were never published, got lost when the newspaper archive was established, or I simply missed them as I pored through the newspaper pages, but I hope to eventually post all of the surviving AIEUO cartoon strips online. 

Forgotten Korean Suicide Attacker ‘Hero’ celebrated by Imperial Japan: Park Gwan-bin (박관빈, 朴官彬) charged into an Allied machine-gun nest clutching an anti-tank explosive during the Burma Campaign in Dec. 1944

In the annals of forgotten history, few figures exemplify the complex and tragic reality of Korean soldiers in the Imperial Japanese Army quite like Park Gwan-bin (朴官彬), who is featured in the following propaganda news articles from January 1945 that are translated and transcribed below. 

Park Gwan-bin

Park, hailing from a rural village in Wiwon County in northern Korea, volunteered for the Imperial Army and met his death in Burma in December 1944 during the Burma campaign, charging into an enemy position while clutching an anti-tank explosive. His suicide attack destroyed a fortified machine-gun nest, paving the way for his comrades’ advance. The Imperial Japanese press at the time lavishly honored him, painting him as a model of unwavering loyalty and sacrifice as a land-based kamikaze attacker. His heroism was not only a personal achievement but a shared glory, extending to his family, his village, and even his entire county. As the articles show, his nine family members—including his parents, wife, daughter, younger brother, and uncle—were publicly associated with his 'martyrdom', an honor that might have carried tangible social and economic benefits.

The party leader of the Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹), the monolithic party that ruled Korea under Japanese occupation, also celebrated Park’s sacrifice, tying it to Korea’s collective wartime contribution. The party leader also eulogized Lim Jang-su (림장수, 林長守), a Korean kamikaze pilot who destroyed a U.S. Navy vessel in the Philippines in a December 7, 1944 attack, as well as Matsui Hideo, originally named In Jae-ung (인재웅, 印在雄), another Korean kamikaze pilot who also died in the Philippines in a November 29, 1944 attack. In Jae-ung was quite possibly the first Korean kamikaze pilot ever to die in combat. A translation of a brief biographical article about In Jae-ung from the NHK Japanese news service is provided at the end of this post.

Park’s sacrifice was not only a source of honor for his family but also for various stakeholders who basked in his reflected glory. The county governor openly expressed his pride in having such a hero emerge from his jurisdiction, while the director of the training center in Pyongyang, where Park was trained, also took great pride in producing a soldier of such loyalty and valor. Even Park’s squad leader, his student company commander, and the captain who oversaw his training days were drawn into the celebration of his heroism, their reputations enhanced by their association with him. These layers of commemoration indicate that battlefield martyrdom was not merely an individual act but a means to elevate an entire network of people—from local officials to military instructors—who could claim a connection to the fallen hero.

Aside from the two celebrated kamikaze pilots, this article also briefly mentions other Korean “martyrs” in passing, like Lee In-seok, who is known to be the first Korean Imperial Army soldier to be killed in battle during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Unfortunately, other Korean soldiers referenced in the article remain frustratingly obscure, with little to no available information. This is an area where historians could pick up where existing research has failed.

Had Imperial Japan won the war, figures like Park Gwan-bin and Lim Jang-su would likely be Korean national icons today, with monuments erected in their honor, buildings named after them, schoolchildren learning their stories, and their spirits venerated in national ceremonies facing Yasukuni Shrine. They would have been ubiquitous in state propaganda, enshrined as the ultimate symbols of Korean loyalty to the Empire. But in our timeline, they are nearly forgotten, their stories buried in the shadows of history, and uncovering even fragments of their lives is an immense challenge. 

One translation decision that I made in this post was to list his name as Park Gwan-bin, even though the original newspaper articles only referred to him by his Japanized name, Bokumura (朴村). While I do not have explicit evidence that his original Korean name was Park, the fact that his Japanized surname incorporates the Hanja (Chinese character) for Park (朴) makes it a strong assumption. 

Given that different newspaper reports from January 29 and January 30, 1945, list different ages and identities for Park’s family members, discrepancies likely arose due to language barriers—his rural Korean relatives may have struggled to communicate in Japanese or spoken an obscure Korean dialect unfamiliar to reporters.

Another discrepancy that I found is that one article describes that Park grew up in poverty, while another article mentions that his family is well-off. Perhaps his farming family grew wealthy only after he grew older. Alternatively, it may be that the term 'well-off' was relative to the wealth of other farming families in the area, and that, compared to other families in Korea as a whole, their family would still have been considered poor.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) January 29, 1945
Flesh and Steel—A Path Cleared by Assault
Behold, the Brilliant Military Deeds of Private First Class Park!

As the shining heroic feats of Lieutenants Matsui Hideo (松井秀雄) (Korean name In Jae-ung, 인재웅, 印在雄) and Lim Jang-su illuminate the Korean peninsula like divine eagles, so too has Private First Class Park Gwan-bin (박관빈, 朴官彬, Japanese surname Bokumura 朴村), a volunteer from the Korean peninsula, fought bravely on the Burmese front. His valiant struggle has led to the ultimate sacrifice, his noble body falling amid the grass, dyed with blood. His luminous individual citation has now been publicly announced.

The esteemed Private First Class Park hails from 84 Gobo-dong (고보동, 古堡洞), Bongsan-myeon (봉산면, 鳳山面), Wiwon County (위원군, 渭原郡), North Pyongan Province. He was among the first class of volunteers trained at the Pyongyang First Volunteer Training School. Assigned to the Itai squad, he displayed remarkable martial prowess on the pestilence-ridden, scorching front lines. In particular, during combat on the banks of the Irrawaddy River last December, he fearlessly led his squad to the forefront, pressing against the enemy position despite sustaining severe injuries. Undeterred, he clutched an anti-tank explosive to his chest and charged into the enemy fortifications spitting fire. In an instant, he obliterated the enemy's fortified machine-gun nest and, in the ensuing chaos, personally stabbed several enemy soldiers to death. His sacrifice paved the way for the advance of our forces, making him a spearhead for the protection of the Imperial nation, perishing with honor on the Burmese front.

This marks the first individual commendation awarded to a Korean volunteer. The boundless spirit of loyalty and self-sacrifice displayed by Private First Class Park, whose valor could stir even the spirits of the fallen, serves as a model not only for his fellow Korean volunteers but also for the elite ranks of the Imperial Army. Just as the names of Privates First Class Lee In-seok and Lee Hyang-su (이향수, 李享洙) who stained the battlefields of Shanxi with their pure blood, shine brightly, and as Sergeant Kaneshiro Yoshiki (金城義輝) received the distinguished honor of a double-rank promotion for extraordinary military achievements, Park’s valor now shines as a bright light in the annals of the Greater East Asia War.

The 26 million people of the Korean peninsula, already filled with burning gratitude and admiration for the divine eagles and soldiers of the sky, must now deepen their resolve and elevate their will to fight. The noble soul of Private First Class Park must serve as an inspiration for all.

A Land-Based Special Attack Unit
A Manifestation of the Spirit of Sacrifice
Testimony from Chief Reporter Nagaya

The Korean peninsula, which has already brought forth the divine eagles, the Special Attack Unit members Lieutenants Matsui and Lim, whose unwavering loyalty and valor will be remembered for eternity, has once again demonstrated its martial spirit. Earlier this year, on the central China front, Privates Second Class Ōyama and Morishige fearlessly engaged in fierce combat, cutting down more than ten enemy soldiers with unrelenting force. Their remarkable bravery earned high praise from General Okamura, commander of the China Expeditionary Army. Now, the Burmese front has seen the emergence of another legend: Private First Class Park Gwan-bin, the first from the Korean peninsula to receive an individual commendation.

Private First Class Park, under the most adverse conditions, bravely pressed forward with an anti-tank explosive in his arms, destroying a heavily fortified enemy machine-gun emplacement and significantly aiding our military operations. His actions exemplify the highest spirit of sacrifice. When he realized his grave injuries would prevent him from rising again, he calmly shouted "Banzai to His Majesty the Emperor!" before embracing death with composure. This act of ultimate loyalty is the very embodiment of the warrior spirit and can be rightfully deemed the equivalent of a land-based Special Attack Unit.

At a time when the Greater East Asia War sees fierce battles against the Americans unfolding on the Philippine front and the vast expanse of China, these Korean soldiers have shattered the enemy’s ranks, demonstrating superhuman feats of courage in both air and land operations to destroy the British and the Americans. Their deeds will surely solidify the 26 million Koreans' unwavering resolve for ultimate victory.

Even now, numerous Korean soldiers fight alongside those from the homeland across land, sea, and air. Without a doubt, further exemplary military exploits will emerge. With the second round of conscription examinations currently underway across all of Korea, these young men, inspired by the shining military exploits of their predecessors, must surely feel the flames of loyalty and devotion burning deep within their hearts. Young Korean men must engrave upon their hearts that military service is the highest honor for a man and the most exalted duty of a subject of Japan. They must strive to achieve glorious military feats so as not to bring shame upon their predecessors. At the same time, they must take to heart the spirit of the young warriors who have demonstrated their resolve to the 26 million people of the peninsula. With unshakable determination, they must unite all their strength to carry out the war to its conclusion and annihilate the British and the Americans.

Graduate of the Pyongyang Second Volunteer Training School

Having fully demonstrated the essence of the Imperial Army, Private First Class Park Gwan-bin fell heroically on the Burmese front, earning an individual commendation. Born in 84 Gobo-dong-84, Bongsan-myeon, Wiwon County, North Pyongan Province, he graduated from Bongsan Elementary School. Initially engaged in farming at home, he was unable to suppress his fervent desire to become a volunteer soldier, so in 1942, he enrolled in the Pyongyang Second Army Volunteer Training School. After completing his training, he served as an assistant instructor at the same school. When he passed the rigorous second screening, he proudly stepped into the ranks of the military.

At home, his family consists of five other members including his father, Il-chan (일찬, 一賛)  (39 years old), his mother, Jik-ok (직옥, 直玉) (42 years old), his younger brother, Seong-bin (성빈, 星彬) (13 years old), his younger sister, Seon-bin (선빈, 善彬) (4 years old), and his uncle, Park Byeong-chan (병찬, 炳賛). The family is well-off, owning extensive farmland.

A Flower Always Adorned His Instructor's Desk
A Story from His Training School Days

[Pyongyang Telephone Report] Though Private First Class Park was a fearless warrior who struck terror into the hearts of the enemy, he also had a gentle side, as recently recounted in a cherished tale from his days at his training school in Pyongyang.

One day, while in training, he happened to notice that his instructor's desk held an empty vase. Finding the sight lonely, he thought, "Even in a training school, it would not be inappropriate for a vase to hold flowers." From the following morning, beautiful flowers mysteriously began appearing in the vase each day. After two or three days, the instructor, curious about the benefactor, discovered that the kind-hearted Park had been placing them there.

Beyond this anecdote, Private First Class Park worked tirelessly to improve the capabilities of Squad 38, of which he was a part, supporting the squad leader to make it a model unit within the school.

Follow This Loyal and Heroic Example!
Statement from the Chief of the Korean Federation of National Power

"At this moment, having learned that Private First Class Park has distinguished himself on the Burma front with remarkable military achievements, serving as a noble foundation for our Empire’s inevitable victory and living on in eternal righteousness, I am overwhelmed with emotion. He has been awarded a commendation from the army commander and, furthermore, has had the great honor of being reported to His Majesty.

Inspired by the eternal brilliance of the loyalty, courage, and valor of Second Lieutenants Matsui and Lim, as well as Sergeant Kanehara, we are now further moved by the unprecedented honor bestowed upon a Korean for the first time. This news is an immense source of pride for the Korean Peninsula, and we must widely extol his military achievements. At the same time, we must also remain steadfast in our sincerity, burn with an unshakable conviction in the defense of the Empire, and strive to align ourselves with the Imperial Will.

Now, as the realities of the war situation grow ever more severe, there is no room for cheap optimism. This autumn, when the entire hundred million must truly rise up and devote themselves fully to supplying the front lines, we must take to heart the spirit of Private First Class Park, who seized the enemy position in a life-or-death charge. We must renew our resolve to follow his path of loyal and heroic sacrifice."

The Deep Emotion at the Volunteer Soldier Training Center

[Pyongyang – Telephone Report] The deep emotion surrounding the heroic Private First Class Park has also spread to the Second Volunteer Soldier Training Center, where he trained. Former director Colonel Kamizumi Ryōkichi, student company commander Captain Wakamatsu Yoshinosuke, and squad leader Corporal Shiratani Masato each shared their heartfelt thoughts:

"It is truly an honor for our training center to have produced such a devoted Imperial soldier as Private First Class Park. We are simply overwhelmed with emotion. Private First Class Park was raised in a relatively wealthy household, and his parents were highly understanding people. A home that fosters such understanding naturally produces outstanding Imperial soldiers. We hope that all families will take this moment to deepen their understanding of the Imperial Army. Park was a gentle, serious man with exemplary conduct and a strong sense of responsibility. He was not only the pride of his family but also of our training center, and we cannot contain our joy."

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) January 30, 1945
The Character of Private First Class Park
A Man of Strong Willpower
Top of His Class in School

[Sinuiju Telephone Report] On the 28th, just as our spirits were still stirred by the heroic kamikaze attack of Second Lieutenant Lim Jang-su, we received news of another honor—the first-ever individual commendation for a Korean soldier, awarded to Private First Class Park Gwan-bin. All the people of the province, and indeed the entire Korean peninsula, reflected upon his brilliant military exploits and honor and resolved, with unwavering sincerity, to offer their own lives in service of the Emperor by destroying the enemy. The following is an account of Private First Class Park’s character:

Park was born in a poor farming household in Gobo-dong, Bongsan-myeon, Wiwon County, about 4.5 ri (approximately 18 kilometers) from Wiwon town. His strict father, Mr. Park Il-chan, was known as the most diligent farmer in the region. Growing up in this simple and honest environment, young Gwan-bin naturally became a quiet, gentle, and sincere individual.

By the time he graduated in March 1940 from Dongjang Public Elementary School (sixth graduating class), he had developed a strong physique and had gained a reputation as a determined young man who never gave up once he set his mind on something. He was expected to become a pillar of the village’s youth community.

Despite his family’s poverty, he studied diligently. He consistently ranked at the top of his class, astonishing those around him.

It was during this time that he resolved to enlist as a special volunteer soldier in the Imperial Army. Despite opposition from the villagers, he persisted and was finally accepted into the Pyongyang Special Volunteer Soldier Training Center in the summer of 1942. With a heart filled with excitement, he donned his training uniform and devoted himself entirely to the path of a true Imperial soldier.

He completed his training in December of that year. Afterward, he served as an assistant instructor at the Bongsan Youth Special Training Center, where he trained recruits with an unyielding spirit. He was a man of action, leading by example rather than mere words.

His courageous final act—charging into the enemy lines with explosives in hand—was the ultimate expression of his resolute will.

In a later month, he formally entered military service and gave his life in glory on the Burma front.

His surviving family members include his father Il-chan (41 years old), his mother Jik-ok (46 years old), his wife Ok-kin (24 years old), his four-year-old daughter, his younger brother’s wife, two younger sisters, and cousins—a total of nine relatives.

A Great Honor for the County
Statement from the Governor of Wiwon County

[Sinuiju – Telephone Report] Mr. Harada Keisei, the governor of Wiwon County, who had traveled to attend the Provincial Governors’ Conference on the 30th, expressed his profound emotion upon learning of the first individual commendation awarded to a Korean soldier:

"The unprecedented honor of this individual commendation is not only a supreme distinction for Private First Class Park himself but also an incomparable honor for all 40,000 residents of our county.

Previously, we had the honor of producing the late Second Lieutenant Lim, and now we have given rise to yet another heroic soldier, Private First Class Park. There is no greater pride and joy than this.

Thinking of the fact that such divine soldiers have emerged from my jurisdiction, I cannot remain still. The only way to truly repay the heroic deeds of these soldiers is to dedicate ourselves to increased wartime production.

Now is the time for all 40,000 county residents to follow in the footsteps of Private First Class Park!"

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年1月29日
肉弾・拓く突撃路
ああ武勲燦たり朴村上等兵

半島の神鷲松井、林両少尉の偉烈燦と輝くときビルマ戦線に勇戦奮闘、壮烈草染む屍の栄光に殉じた半島出身志願兵朴村官彬上等兵に対する輝く個人感状が発表された。

誉れの朴村上等兵は平北渭原郡凰山面古堡洞八四の出身、平壌第一志願兵訓練所一期生だ。板井分隊に属して灼熱瘴癘の戦線に武功をうち樹て、とくに昨年十二月イラワジ河岸の戦闘には分隊の最先頭に立って敵陣に肉薄重傷を受けるも届せず、破甲爆雷をしっかと胸に抱き敢然として火を吐く敵陣に突入、一瞬にして敵掩蓋重機陣地を爆砕すると、共に周章狼狽の敵数名を刺殺。友軍進撃の途を拓いて壮烈ビルマ戦線に皇国護持の尖兵と散ったのである。

半島出身志願兵に対する栄の個人感状はこれが最初であり、朴村上等兵のその鬼神を哭かしむる尽忠殉国の赤誠は半島出身志願兵は勿論、皇軍精鋭の亀鑑ともいうべく、さきに山西の戦野を純血に染めた李仁錫、李享洙両上等兵をはじめ、武功抜群二階級特進の栄誉に浴した金城義輝兵長らの勲と共に大東亜戦史に燦たる光芒を放ったものである。

二千六百万はさきに神鷲、空の神兵に捧げた燃え沸ぎる感謝と感激をさらに一段と深めて戦う士気を昂揚。この朴村上等兵の芳魂に続かなければならない。

恰も陸の特攻隊
これぞ犠牲精神の発露
長屋報道部長語る

忠烈万古に薫る特攻隊員松井、林両少尉の神鷲を出し、その声価を中外に輝かした半島は今年はじめ中支戦線において敵兵十数名を刺殺し獅子奮迅の活躍をして岡村支那派遣軍司令官からいたく激賞された大山、森重二等兵をはじめ今またビルマ戦線に於いて半島出身初の個人感状の栄に輝く朴村官彬上等兵を出したことは唯々感激のほかなき次第である。特に朴村上等兵は最も困難なる状況のもと敢然身に破甲爆雷を抱き肉薄中掩蓋重機陣地を粉砕。味方の作戦を容易ならしめた行為は真に尊き犠牲精神の発露であると共に重傷の末再び起つ能わざるを知るや、天皇陛下万歳を唱え従容死につく。これ一死以て国に報ゆる尽忠精神のあらわれにして真に軍人精神の亀鑑であり陸の特攻隊というべきである。

今や大東亜戦争は比島戦線をはじめ支那大陸、熾烈な日米決戦が展開されているとき、これら半島出身兵が空に陸に体当たりを以て米英撃滅に鬼神を哭かしむる武勲を樹てたことは半島二千六百万をして勝ち抜く決意を一層新たにしたことであろう。

現在尚多くの半島出身兵が陸、海、空に内地出身兵と共に活躍中であるが、必ずや赫々たる武勲が続々と現れることを確信している。いま全鮮に亘り第二回目の徴兵検査が実施されているが、これらの若き壮丁は武勲輝く先輩の忠烈に対し胸奥深く尽忠の焰を燃えたぎらせていることであろう。

兵役は男子最高の名誉であり、日本臣民として崇高な義務であることを銘肝し先輩の名を恥かしめないよう立派な手柄を樹てることを切望すると同時に半島二千六百万に対し身を以て示した若き勇士の心を心として米英撃滅に向って飽くまで戦争遂行に総力を結集することを望んで止まない。

平壌第二志願訓練所の出身

皇軍の真髄を発揮しビルマ戦線で壮烈な戦死を遂げ個人感状授与に輝く朴村官彬上等兵は平北道渭原郡凰山面古堡洞八四に生れ凰山国民学校を卒業。一時家庭にあって農事にいそしんでいたが志願兵への熱望おさえがたく昭和十七年平壌の第二陸軍志願者訓練所に入所訓練終了後、同訓練所の助手として勤務しているうち第二次銓衡に見事合格、勇躍晴れの軍門を潜ったのである。

家庭には父一賛氏（39）、母直玉さん（42）、弟星彬君（13）、妹善彬さん（４つ）に叔父の炳賛氏の五人がおり、大農家である。

教官の机上、常に花あり
床しい訓練所時代の挿話

【平壌電話】敵陣に向っては鬼をもひしぐ勇猛果敢な朴村上等兵の優しい一面を物語る『朴村生徒の花』の逸話が、いま新たに平壌の予備訓練所で語られている。

訓練所入所中の或日、朴村生徒はふと教官の机上をみた。そこには花瓶あれど花なし、淋しさであった。訓練所とはいえ花瓶に花の風情はあっても差支えなかろう、と考えた。

恰度その翌日から毎朝その花瓶に美しい花が挿されるようになった。二日、三日は教官も黙していたが、毎日続く『花』に一体誰が挿してくれるのか、と不審に思い花の主をさがしたところ、朴村生徒の優しい心尽くしであることが判った。このほか朴村上等兵は当時編入していた三十八班の素質の向上を考え班長と共に尽力し同訓練所でも模範的な班に仕上げた功績も残している。

この忠烈に続け！
韓聯盟総長談

只今ビルマ戦線において赫々たる武勲を樹てて皇国必勝の尊い礎として悠久の大義に生きた朴村上等兵に対し、軍司令官より感状を授与せられ更に畏くも上聞に達せられたる光栄に浴したことを知り心からなる感激に咽んでいる次第であります。

裏に松井、林両少尉並に金原軍曹の萬世に輝く忠勇義烈に感動した我等は今又半島人としてこの最初の無上の光栄に浴したる報道に接したことは半島にとって絶大なる誇りとしてその武功を大いに宣揚すべきであると共に我等又至誠一貫、皇国護持の大信念に燃え、大御心に副い奉らねばなりません。

今や戦局の現実は愈々深刻となり安価なる楽観を許さず一億真に奮起、戦線への補給に最善をつくさなければならぬこの秋、我等は決死敵陣を占領した朴村上等兵の心を心として忠烈に続く決意を新にしなければなりません。

志願兵訓練所の感激

【平壌電話】神兵朴村官彬上等兵を出した当時の第二志願兵訓練所所長上住良吉大佐、生徒隊長若松吉之助大尉、区隊長白谷正人伍長は訓練所の名誉でもあるとそれぞれ次の如く感激談を語った。

わが訓練所から朴村上等兵の如き尽忠に燃える皇兵を出したことは実に有難い。只々感激している次第である。朴村上等兵は相当裕福な家庭に育ち両親が非常に理解ある人でした。理解ある家庭を持つことがかかる立派な皇兵を生み出すものと思う。

一般の家庭もこの際皇軍に対する理解を深めて貰いたい。朴村上等兵は日頃柔順で真面目、品行方正で責任感の強い男でした。本人はもとより一家一門の誉れであるが、わが訓練所としても喜びに堪えない。

京城日報 1945年1月30日

朴村上等兵：人となりの記
強い実行力
学校は首席で押通す

【新義州電話】神風特攻隊林長守少尉の壮烈なる体当たりに我ら神風魂に決戦の新なる決意と感激まだ醒めやらぬ二十八日、又も朴村官彬上等兵（渭原郡凰山面古堡洞出身）に対する半島初の個人感状授与と殊勲上聞の栄誉をきく全道民はもちろん半島民衆はその輝かしい武勲と栄誉を偲ぶと共にただただ滅敵の一死奉公の誠を固く誓った。以下は朴村上等兵の人となりの記である。

この朴村上等兵は渭原邑内から約四里半も離れた凰山面古堡洞の貧しい農家に生れた。厳父一賛氏はこの地方切っての精農家で純朴な生活環境は少年官彬をそのまま無口で温厚篤実なものへと育み上げて行った。

昭和十五年三月東場公立国民学校（第六期生）を修了する頃には頑丈な体格と何かやり出せば最後までやり通す頼もしい青年となって部落の中堅青年として嘱望されていた。貧しい家庭の中にあってよく勉強し、学校ではいつも首席を占めては人々の舌を巻いたのもこの少年であった。

陸軍特別志願兵へと志願したのもこの頃で、村の人々の反対を押し切って到頭昭和十七年の夏、平壌特別志願兵訓練所に入所訓練服に胸躍らせつつ只管神兵への道にいそしんだ。

同所を同年十二月に修了。その後凰山青年特別錬成所に指導員の助手として元気で訓練生と共に血の出るような訓練生活を重ねた。常に口でいうよりも自分が身をもって実戦して行った爆雷を抱いて敵陣に突撃した壮烈な魂もこの身を以て挺身した実行力にあった。

〇〇月に晴れて入営ビルマ戦線に護国の華を散ったものである。なお遺族には父一賛氏（41）、母直玉さん（46）、妻玉キンさん（24）、長女（４つ）、弟の妻、妹二人に従兄弟など九名がいる。

郡の名誉
渭原郡守談

【新義州電話】三十日開かれる府尹郡守会議に出席のため上道した渭原郡守原田桂成氏は朴村上等兵の半島人初の個人感状授与の知らせを知って左の如く感激談をなした。

半島初の個人感状授与の破格の名誉は本人のみならず四万郡民のこの上もない名誉である。さきに故林少尉を出し又も朴村上等兵を出したことはこの上もない誇りであり喜びだ。これは自分の管内に神兵を出したと思うとじっとしていられない感じた。

この感激を増産につぎ込むことこそ神兵の武勲に応える唯一の道である。今こそ四万郡民は朴村上等兵に続くべきだ。

Source: 키워드 검색 - 신문 검색 - 대한민국 신문 아카이브

Matsui Hideo (松井秀雄) (Korean Name: In Jae-ung)

• Age at Death: 20 years and 6 months
• Place of Death: Leyte Bay, Philippines
• Date of Death: November 29, 1944
• Place of Origin: Korean Peninsula
• Military Rank: Army Corporal
• Training: 13th Class of Youth Aviation Cadets
• Unit: Army Special Attack Unit, Member of the Yasukuni Unit
• Aircraft: Type 1 Fighter "Hayabusa"
• Cause of Death: Killed in Action

Early Life

Matsui Hideo, originally named In Jae-ung (인재웅, 印在雄), was born on May 3, 1924, as the second son of a businessman. He had two younger sisters. At the age of 12, he moved to Kaesong with his mother and sisters. He attended Kaesong Public Commercial School before volunteering as a youth aviation cadet in the Imperial Japanese Army, where he became a pilot of the "Hayabusa" fighter aircraft.

Military Service and Death

On November 29, 1944, as a member of the Army Special Attack Unit (Kamikaze) known as the Yasukuni Unit, he launched his final sortie in a Type 1 Fighter "Hayabusa" and perished in Leyte Bay, Philippines.

His death was widely publicized in a local Korean newspaper, which printed a headline in Hangul reading, "A Yasukuni Divine Eagle from the Peninsula." His story was used to bolster wartime morale among the Korean population. Following his death, at least 16 other young Korean men are known to have perished in similar special attack missions.

Postwar Controversy

A longstanding rumor suggested that In Jae-ung had survived as a prisoner of war and later returned to the Korean Peninsula after the war. However, his surviving sisters have denied these claims. Furthermore, no records of him have been found in U.S. military prisoner records.

Source: Translated from NHK Archives 特攻＞特攻隊員4000人の記憶＞陸軍靖国隊　印　在雄さん｜戦争｜NHKアーカイブス

Imperial Japan celebrated a Korean boy’s angry blood vow to sun goddess Amaterasu offering up his life as a fighter pilot to avenge the U.S. bombing of Ise Shrine in 1945

The following article serves as a tragic testament to the extent of Imperial Japan’s propaganda and its devastating impact on Korean youth during the colonial period. It tells the story of a 15-year-old Korean boy, Yoshiyama Kakei, who became enraged after hearing news of a U.S. air attack on the Ise Jingu shrine—one of the most sacred Shinto sites in Japan, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. The shrine, located in Ise, Mie Prefecture, was likely strafed during the Bombing of Nagoya on January 14, 1945.

What makes this article particularly striking is how it illustrates the depth of indoctrination under the Japanese colonial regime. The boy, from a rural area in Goseong County in Gangwon Province, expressed his outrage not merely as loyalty to the emperor but as a personal sense of spiritual violation. His reaction shows that Koreans were systematically taught to feel a connection to the broader pantheon of Shinto deities, not just the emperor himself.

In his desperation to atone for what he saw as a grave offense against the divine, this young boy wrote a letter pledging his life for vengeance—using his own blood. His willingness to volunteer as a fighter pilot reveals how deeply Imperial Japan’s wartime propaganda and the state Shinto religion had permeated the minds of the most impressionable Korean youths.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) January 25, 1945

"Goddess, I offer up my blood in apology"

A Young Aviation Soldier’s Fiery Blood Petition

Enraged by the report of despicable enemy aircraft violating the sacred grounds of Ise Jingu Shrine, a young Korean boy, Yoshiyama Kakei, solemnly swore vengeance and submitted a blood petition to become an aviation soldier.

15-year-old Yoshiyama Kakei from 2-617 Dong-ri, Goseong-eup, Goseong County, Gangwon Province, graduated from elementary school last year. As a trainee at the Goseong South Youth Training Institute, he has been undergoing rigorous preparation to become an Imperial soldier. However, upon hearing the Imperial Headquarters’ announcement on the 14th that the despicable B-29 bombers had attacked the sacred grounds of Ise Jingu—worshiped by 100 million people—and destroyed the Saikan and Kagura-den, he was enraged by the sheer arrogance and brutality of the enemy Americans.

Unable to allow even a moment’s delay, his young blood boiled with fury, and he made a firm vow of vengeance. He resolved to take to the skies and fight, writing in blood:

"Amaterasu Omikami, please forgive me. I offer my blood in apology in place of my own body. Transcending life and death, I dedicate myself to annihilating the enemy Americans."

Burning with fiery, pure determination, the young boy also enclosed the following letter dated January 24th, addressed to the commander of the Japanese Korean Army, applying to become an aviation soldier. Below is the content of his letter, revealing his heartfelt resolve:

"(Omitted introduction) In this sacred era of Showa, how can we ever apologize to the gods, to our ancestors, and to our descendants for allowing the divine grounds of the Grand Shrine of Ise to be defiled? When I think about this, my heart aches with such sorrow that I cannot even cry. Clenching my teeth and tightening my fists, I swore that I myself would avenge this outrage.

There is no time left to hesitate. Right now, the soldiers on the frontlines believe in us, enduring harsh battles with unwavering determination. When I think of their struggles and the spirit they carry within their hearts, I am filled with nothing but profound gratitude.

I, too, must take to the skies of decisive battle as soon as possible and dedicate everything to His Majesty. That is the most important duty we bear. Please, grant me this wish and allow me to take revenge. I humbly beg you."

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年1月25日

神様・お詫びに僕の血を

少年飛行兵に烈々血書で熱願

醜翼伊勢神域を侵す報に憤激、断乎復仇を誓う半島少年の飛行兵血書志願。

江原道高城郡高城邑東里二区六一七吉山河圭君（１５）は昨年国民学校を卒業。高城南青年訓練所生として皇兵への練磨を続けているが、去る十四日醜翼B２９が一億崇拝の伊勢神宮神域を爆撃し斎館、神楽殿を破壊した大本営発表を聞き敵米の余りの不逞暴虐ぶりに憤激。もはや一刻の猶予もならず、と若き血潮を憤激に沸らせ断乎この復仇を誓って空征く決意を固め、『天照大神様、お許し下さい。僕の身に代って血でお詫び致します。死生を超越し敵米撃滅にこの身を捧げます』と血書。

これに烈々火と燃ゆる少年の至純な決意を綴った次の如き手紙を添えて二十四日朝鮮軍司令官宛に少年飛行兵を志願して来た、以下同君の決意を披瀝した手紙の内容：

「（前略）この昭和の聖代に皇大神宮の神域を汚したこと神様に先祖に子孫に何とお詫びしましょう。そのことを考えます時、私は泣くにも泣けない思いで胸を痛めました。そして歯を喰いしばり拳を握り、きっとこの仇を自分の身で討つと誓ったのです。

も早一刻の猶予も許されません。今日前線の兵隊さんは私たちの来ることを信じて苦しい戦闘に耐えつつ頑張っておられるのです。その兵隊さんのお姿、その心中をお察しいたします時、私たちはただただ感謝に堪えません。そして私たちも一刻も早く決戦の大空に続きすべてを大君に捧げ奉ることが最も大切な任務であると思っています。どうかこの希望を叶えて仇を討たして下さい。お願いいたします。」

Source: 키워드 검색 - 신문 검색 - 대한민국 신문 아카이브

Lim Jangsu (림장수, 林長守) was a Korean Kamikaze pilot who died in a suicide attack on US navy vessels in the Philippines on Dec. 7, 1944; he was from Yeomju-eup near Sinuiju

These two Imperial propaganda news articles from January 1945 cover an ethnic Korean kamikaze pilot, Lim Jangsu (林長守), who died in a suicide attack on December 7, 1944, during the Battle of Ormoc Bay in the Philippines. His suicidal assault helped destroy either the USS Ward or USS Lamson, but despite his prominent glorification in wartime media, his name has all but disappeared from history. Access to these news articles became possible only recently with the opening up of the digital newspaper archives of the National Library of Korea.

Lim Jangsu

Jangsu and sixteen other kamikaze pilots were plastered across the front page of the Keijo Nippo on January 25, 1945, the largest newspaper in colonial Korea. Imperial Japan was desperately seeking to manipulate and rally the colonized Korean population to cope with imminent military defeat. Their strategy? Elevating a Korean suicide pilot into a martyr. Whereas the spirit of Isoroku Yamamoto was being promoted in 1943, by 1945, the "Jangsu spirit" was being pushed instead.

Lim Jangsu in the center

Jangsu hailed from Namsi-eup, which is now called Yeomju-eup, a small township a few kilometers east of Sinuiju, in present-day North Korea. His family, including his three younger brothers—one of whom was a provincial police officer—was thrust into the spectacle of wartime Imperial Japanese propaganda. One of the articles describes his parents watching their son's final moments immortalized on film in a Sinuiju theater, overcome with tears as they beheld his image on the silver screen.

Yet, for all this propaganda, why is his name nowhere to be found online? His existence is not even mentioned in Wikipedia or Namu Wiki. Indeed, currently on Reddit, one post about Korean Kamikaze pilots says that the first Korean to die in a Kamikaze attack was Park Dong-hun (Okawa Masaaki) on March 29, 1945.

This story forces us to confront unsettling questions about Korea's place in Imperial Japan’s war machine and how colonial subjects were manipulated, used, and then discarded.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) January 15, 1945

Earnest Cry of 'Oh, Jangsu!'

Sergeant Lim's Parents Shed Tears of Joy in a Silver Screen Reunion

[Sinuiju telephone report] The second 'Divine Eagle' born on the peninsula, Sergeant Lim Jangsu (림장수, 林長守), and his strict father, Mr. Lim Chunhui (림춘희, 林春煕), experienced a miraculous reunion on the silver screen. Upon seeing the lifelike image of the 'Divine Eagle,' they gasped, 'Ah, it is Jangsu!' Overcome with tears, the entire family gathered to remember the heroic deeds of their departed son in this touching home-front episode.

The 238th installment of Japan News, featuring the Kamikaze Special Attack Unit’s Imperial loyalty Squadron in action, is currently being shown at the World Theater in the city. Upon hearing from others that their son, Sergeant Lim Jangsu, appeared in the film, his father, Chunhui, along with his mother, Dae-nyeo (대녀, 大女), traveled all the way from their home in Namsi (남시, 南市) to Sinuiju on the night of January 11th, their hearts pounding with hope—'perhaps we will see Jangsu…' With bated breath, the couple fixed their eyes on the screen. The film seamlessly portrayed the warriors of the special attack unit, calm and composed, just before their sortie.

One by one, two, three—'Ah, it is Jangsu!' Sergeant Lim, with his tall stature and strong, well-defined features, dominated the screen. Even his mother, Dae-nyeo, who had not shed a tear upon hearing of her beloved son’s self-sacrificing attack, could not hold back this time, as tears gently fell from her eyes—tears of joy. One after another, the Divine Eagle aircraft of the Imperial Loyalty Squadron plunged into the skies over Leyte in their ultimate act of devotion. The couple remained in their seats, unable to look away, deeply moved by the scene before them.

On January 13th, the film was screened in the provincial government conference room. Among the attendees was Sergeant Lim Jangsu’s younger brother, Lim Dalsu (림달수, 林達守) who was employed at the provincial police department. Thanks to the thoughtful consideration of his superior, he was given the opportunity to watch the film. Overjoyed at the sight of his brother on screen, he was filled with excitement and declared with firm resolve, 'I will surely follow in the footsteps of the Special Attack Unit!' Thus, the Divine Eagle film became a powerful and deeply moving topic on the home front."

[Photo: In the center stands Sergeant Lim Jangsu before his attack]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) January 25, 1945

Carrying on Jangsu's Spirit in Old Age

Parents of Newly Promoted Second Lieutenant Lim Moved to Tears

[Sinuiju telephone report] With a single aircraft, he brought down an enemy warship—Sergeant Lim Jangsu, the Divine Eagle of the Korean peninsula, achieved a fearless and precise strike ramming attack. His valorous feat, along with the distinguished achievements of the entire Loyalty Squadron, was recognized with a commendation from the highest commander of the Southern Front. Furthermore, word has now arrived that this honor has reached the highest levels of the Imperial court, resulting in his posthumous promotion to Second Lieutenant and the awarding of the Fourth-Class Order of Merit and the Sixth-Class Order of the Rising Sun.

At the family home of the late Second Lieutenant Lim in Namsi, his strict father, Chunhui, was moved to tears by the boundless and immeasurable grace of the Emperor. Overcome with emotion, he declared, 'I must dedicate myself entirely to the spirit of the Special Attack Unit, breaking my body and bones if necessary, to repay even one ten-thousandth of the Imperial favor.'

Overwhelmed by emotion, he continued: "The immense grace of His Majesty is beyond words—I am overwhelmed with both awe and gratitude. There is no greater honor for our family. As I am still capable of working, I will push my aging body to its limits, dedicating myself fully to carrying on Jangsu’s spirit. With whatever strength I have, I will devote myself to home-front service, however small my contribution may be, in the effort to strike down the American and British forces. My only concern is how I can ever repay even one ten-thousandth of the Imperial favor."

Likewise, the late Second Lieutenant Lim’s mother, Dang Daenyeo (당대녀, 堂大女), also tearfully expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the sacred honor, saying: "Fortunately, Jangsu has three younger brothers. We will raise them to be as strong in spirit as their late brother, and we are prepared to dedicate them to the nation as well." [Photo: Second Lieutenant Lim]

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年1月15日

真面目に”おお長守！”

林伍長の両親嬉しい涙の銀幕対面

【新義州電話】半島が生んだ第二の神鷲林伍長と厳父林春煕氏が奇しき銀幕対面に『あっ、長守だ』と生けるが如き神鷲の姿に感涙にむせび、一家を挙げて故人の壮挙を偲んだ銃後の挿話がある。

日本ニュース第二三八号神風特攻隊勤皇隊出撃映画は府内世界館で上映中であり、林伍長の姿が出ると人づてに聞いた父親春煕氏は母親大女さんと共に十一日夜、南市の自宅から遥々来義した若しや長守に会えれば．．．と胸轟かせて夫婦は画面に見入った。出撃を前に悠然落ち着いた特攻隊勇士等の姿を画面は流れるように再現する。

一人、二人、三人『あっ、長守だ』脊高く線の太い特徴ある林伍長の姿が銀幕を圧して映し出される。愛息の体当たりを聞いても涙だつ見せなかった母親大女さんもこの時はホロリと涙した。嬉しい涙一一機又一機レイテの空に突っ込む勤皇隊神鷲機の尽忠の姿にいつ迄も夫妻は席を離れなかった。

十三日には道庁会議室で上映され、ここには林伍長の次弟林達守君（道警察部勤務）がおり、上司の情あるはからいで観覧したが兄の姿に狂喜して喜び『必ず特攻隊に続きます』と決意をもらし、かくして神鷲映画は銃後に大きな感激の話題を盛った。

【写真＝中央が出撃前の神鷲林長守伍長】

京城日報 1945年1月25日

老骨に長守精神を

特進に感涙、林少尉の両親

【新義州電話】一機もって一艦をよくぞ屠った半島の神鷲林長守伍長の必死必中の体当たり武勲は、勤皇隊全員の偉勲と共に南方方面最高指揮官より感状を授与され、いままた畏くも上聞に達し、少尉に特進、功四旭六の恩命に浴したという報に接した南市の故林少尉の生家では、厳父春煕氏は皇恩の鴻大無辺さに感泣『粉骨砕身、特攻精神に徹し皇恩の万分の一にでも報い奉らねば』と感激を語った。

「皇恩の鴻大なることひたすら恐懼感激に堪えません。家門の名誉またこれに過ぐるものはありません。私は未だ働き得る身でありますから、老骨に鞭打って粉骨砕身長守の精神を受け継いで米英撃摧に微力ながら銃後奉公に邁進する覚悟であります。如何にして皇恩の万分の一にでも報い得るかが心配であります」

なお故林少尉の母堂大女さんも聖恩の忝きに感泣しながら、

『幸いに長守も弟が三名おりますから、兄に負けないように精神を錬成してお国に捧げる覚悟であります』と語った。【写真＝林少尉】

Source: 키워드 검색 - 신문 검색 - 대한민국 신문 아카이브