Japanese Keijo Nippo reporters interviewed Korean abductee held captive in May 1939 by Kim Il-sung’s Korean communist guerrillas in Taehongdan (대홍단, 大紅湍)-the fighters mostly conversed in Chinese, abducted young men for recruiting, beheaded comrades for breaking strict male-female conduct rules

I found these remarkable 1939 Japanese articles about Kim Il-sung and his comrades in Keijo Nippo (Gyeongseong Ilbo), the official propaganda newspaper of the Imperial Japanese colonial regime that governed Korea from 1905 to 1945. The article from June 23, 1939 takes us on an interesting journey into the aftermath of the Battle of Taehongdan of May 1939, offering a unique perspective that has long been overshadowed by the North Korean account of this historical event.

Colonial security forces standing in front of Mr. Horimoto's home, which was raided by Kim Il-sung's men in May 1939.

What sets the June 23rd article apart is its exclusive interview with a Korean abductee who spent five harrowing days in captivity with none other than Kim Il-sung's band of guerrilla fighters. While the North Korean narrative has dominated online discussions, we now have a rare opportunity to compare it with the Imperial Japanese account of what transpired during that fateful battle.

One intriguing parallel that emerges is the number of casualties. Kim Il-sung's "Reminiscences" state that there were two injuries and one fatality on his side, as documented in Volume 7, page 187. In contrast, the Korean abductee's account reveals that 2 or 3 guerrillas were injured, with one of them severely. However, the Korean abductee goes a step further by providing fascinating insights, such as the revelation that the working language of the guerrillas was predominantly Chinese. Surprisingly, they only switched to Korean when communicating with the Korean abductee, who couldn't converse in Chinese.

This revelation seems to challenge Kim Il-sung's apparent need for a member fluent in Chinese to act as a liaison with ethnic Chinese in southern Manchuria, as implied in pages 82-83 of Volume 7 of his "Reminiscences." Indeed, according to Soviet archives, when Kim arrived in Korea in August 1945, his Korean was not very good, though he was fluent in Chinese and conversant in Russian, and he had to be fed a speech to learn and practice reading aloud in Korean (Source: The Impossible State: North Korea, Past and Future by Victor Cha). The question arises: why did Kim Il-sung conceal the fact that his group primarily communicated in Chinese during this period?

Another eye-opening aspect of the Korean abductee's testimony is the use of abduction as a recruitment tool to bolster their ranks with young individuals. Furthermore, we have an account from a Japanese abductee featured in another newspaper article published a few days earlier than the one describing Taehongdan, though it provides fewer details and focuses mainly on Kim Il-sung's appearance.

These extraordinary articles opens up a treasure trove of historical insights and raises thought-provoking questions about the Battle of Taehongdan and Kim Il-sung's guerrilla forces. Here is a link to the English copy of the Reminiscences of Kim Il Sung on the Marxists website. Select the Volume 7 and search the PDF for 'Taehongdan' for the relevant passages.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 23, 1939

Anti-Bandit Frontline Reconnaissance (6)

The Bandits are Mostly Young Men

We hear from the abductees about the daily lives of the bandits

The Final Course

Since the tenth was the anniversary of that incident, everyone unusually gathered at eight in the morning. Now we headed to our final destination: Taehongdan (대홍단, 大紅湍) in the innermost part of the foot of Mount Jangsan (장산령, 長山嶺). We got on a truck, and the journey began in Samjang (삼장, 三長). Diverging from the riverbank road at Samsang-dong (삼상동, 三上洞), we followed the small streams, enduring the truck's violent rolling for several hours on treacherous mountain roads. Just before noon, we arrived at Kaetak-dong (개탁동, 開拓洞). During the journey, we were guarded by several security personnel, including Deputy Police Chief Shiramizu, who had joined us from Samsang-dong, and they also pushed the truck when it stalled.

Kaetak-dong is a rafting area for Northern Korean Paper Manufacturing, where about 50 raftsmen live. On the 24th of last month, it suffered the most significant damage in the recent incident when bandits attacked and abducted head raftsman Sakamoto Tetsuji (age 35) and around twenty others, plundering 900 yen in cash. Today, Mr. Horimoto's house, one of the places attacked by the bandits, stands forlornly deserted on a corner of the riverbank.

We were welcomed here by Deputy Police Chief Shimatsu (Elite Provincial Division), and after trekking for another two Ri (7.9 km) on terrible roads, we arrived at Taehongdan. We paid a consolation visit to the Shimatsu squad, immediately turned around our vehicle, and returned to Kaetak-dong. While dwelling on the past in the vacant house of Mr. Horimoto, a victim of the vividly distressing bandit attack, we ate our "Hinomaru" bento boxes. Here, we gathered around Kim Jae-ho (김재호, 金在濠) (age 42), who was abducted by bandits for five days, underwent hardships deep in the dense forest, and recently managed to escape. We listened to his testimony, an honest eyewitness account of the bandits' daily life. Here is a summary:

Abductee's Account

Q: What were the circumstances when you were abducted?

A: The bandits stormed into my house and immediately told me to carry some things and follow them. They forced me to carry rice and chestnuts, and took me away.

Q: What kind of weapons did they have?

A: They had unusually long guns, regular rifles, short pistols, and long swords.

Q: What were they talking about?

A: Initially they spoke in Chinese, so I could not understand them.

Q: What did they look like?

A: They were mostly young men under 30. There were six women among them who wore a top that resembled a military uniform and a bottom like a Korean Chima (skirt).

Q: What happened when they encountered the security forces and engaged in combat?

A: While they were fleeing, they encountered the security forces and fought four or five times. They just kept telling us to run and pulled us along aimlessly.

Q: How many casualties did the bandits have?

A: Two or three were wounded near the Cheonwang-dang (천왕당, 天王堂) area in Taehongdan. One was severely injured, and one of the abductees had to carry him.

Q: How many bandits were there?

A: They were divided into several groups of about ten people each. When the sun set, many more gathered from all around the foot of Mount Jangsan. I did not count, but there might have been about 300. They set up 13 tents and slept there. The tents were larger than this house and had a large furnace set up in the center, and they guarded the perimeter. About thirty people were staying in each tent.

Q: What did they feed you?

A: They gave us porridge made of chestnuts and steamed barley, which tasted terrible. But I had no choice but to eat because I was starving.

Q: Did they abuse you? And did they speak any Korean?

A: They did not beat me. When they realized I did not understand Chinese, they started speaking in Korean with an accent that seemed like it was from around Pyeonganbuk-do.

Q: What were the bandits mostly talking about?

A: There were around 30 abductees, and they were strongly encouraged to join their ranks. They did not say anything to the older ones like us, but they seemed to be brainwashing the young with communism. Every morning, everyone gathered around the tent, and someone who appeared to be the leader (or Kim Il-sung) gave some instructions in Chinese.

Strict Male-Female Relations

Q: What about the bandits' male-female relations?

A: I am not sure, but they were very strict. I heard that anyone who broke the prohibition was routinely beheaded.

◇

Although these may be superficial observations, this fragmented Q&A does seem to provide some sense of their daily lives.

[Photo = The house in Kaetak-dong of Mr. Horimoto, who was attacked by the bandits]

Gyeongseong Ilbo June 3, 1939

Astonished by Female Bandits

Kim Il-sung was a Gentleman

A Kidnap Victim Shares His Experience

[Telephone Report from Ranam] On the 22nd of last month, a person who had been kidnapped by bandits in the jurisdiction of the Samjang Police Station returned and spoke about the interesting inner workings of the bandits, based on his experiences of living with them deep in the mountains for over ten days.

One surprising thing was the presence of many female bandits among them, not just men as he had initially thought. These people are primarily ethnic Koreans from the Gando region and usually handle cooking and sewing for the bandits.

It was unique that they cook rice in a washbasin, but it was also surprising that they skillfully made Western clothes and combat hats using a proper hand-operated sewing machine. All of them uniformly expressed nostalgia for their homeland and said they wanted to return to Korea as soon as possible.

He met the leader who introduced himself as Kim Il-sung. Kim was a fair-skinned, good-looking man in his thirties, about 5 shaku and 5 or 6 sun tall (167 to 170 cm tall). He was bald, wore a combat hat, dressed in brown woolen clothes, and wore jika-tabi footwear.

[Transcription]

京城日報 1939年6月23日

討匪戦線縦走（６）

匪賊は若者揃い

被拉致者から彼等の日常を聴く

最終コースへ

十日は時の記念日だというので、一同珍しく朝の八時に勢揃いした。いよいよ最後のコース。長山山麓最奥大紅湍へ向けトラックに便乗して三長を進発。江岸道路を三上洞から分岐して小江満水に沿い、物凄い山道をトラックの激しいローリングに悩まされながら進行を続けること数時間。十二時少し前、開拓洞に到着。この間警護のため三上洞から同乗した白水警部補一行数名の警備員を煩わしてえんこしたトラックの後押しをする。

開拓洞は北鮮製紙の筏場で五十名ばかりの筏夫が住んでいるが、去る二十四日匪賊に襲撃され筏夫頭の坂本鉄治（三五）さんをはじめ二十数名の筏夫達が拉致され、現金九百円を掠奪されたという今事件中最大の被害地、江岸の一角に匪賊に襲われたという問題の堀本氏の家が今は主もなくわびしくたたずんでいる。

ここまで出迎えた、志摩津警部補（道高等課）一行と共に更に悪路を遡ること約二里、大紅湍に到着。志摩津部隊を慰問、直ちに車を返して開拓洞に戻り、匪襲事件の惨禍も生々しい被拉致者堀本氏の空き家で往時を偲びつつ日の丸弁当を頬張り、五日間匪賊に拉致されて密林の奥深く苦行を積み最近逃げ帰って来たという金在濠（四二）なる男を囲んで体験談を聴いた。これこそ真に偽らざる匪賊の日常生活の目撃談である。以下その概要：

被拉致者の話

問：拉致される時の状況はどうであったか？

答：匪賊は大挙して私の家を襲い、いきなりこれをもってついて来いてこいと、米と栗を背負わされ、無理やりに引き立てられた。

問：どんな武器を持っていたか？

答：妙に長い鉄砲と普通の小銃と短いピストルと長い刀を持っていた。

問：どんな話をしていたか？

答：初めは支那語で話していたので、何を言っているか分らなかった。

問：どんな恰好をしていたか？

答：匪賊は大概三十歳以下の若い者ばかりで、中には女が六人いた。着物は上衣は軍服のような洋服を着て、下は朝鮮のチマのようなものをはいていた。

問：警備隊と遭遇して交戦したが、その時の模様はどうであったか？

答：逃げる途中、四回か五回遭遇して交戦したが、奴らは唯逃げろ逃げろと私達を引きたくって無暗に逃げ廻るばかりだった。

問：匪賊にどの位の損害があったか？

答：大紅湍の天王堂附近で二三名負傷したが、一人は可なりな重傷で拉致者の誰かが背負わされた。

問：匪賊の数はどの位だったか？

答：十人ばかりを一団として数団体あったが、日が暮れると長山岳あたりに、あちらこちらから沢山集まって来た。数えて見なかったが、大方三百人位は居ただろうと思う。そして天幕を十三張ってみんなその中に寝泊りしていた。天幕はこの家よりも大きく中央に大きな炉を拵らえて、そのぐるりに護たか、一つの幕舎に三十人ばかり入っていた。

問：どんな物を食わしたか？

答：栗やら蒸し麥のお粥でとてもまずくて食べられなかったが、腹が空いて仕方がないのでどうにか食べられた。

問：いじめなかったか？そして、朝鮮語は全然話さなかったか？

答：別に殴りはしなかった。支那語が判らないというと、後からは朝鮮語で話していた。その朝鮮語は平北あたりのなまりがあるように思った。

問：匪賊は主としてどんな話をしていたか？

答：拉致された者がおよそ三十人ばかりいたが、一人一人に、お前はもう朝鮮に帰らずに俺達の仲間に入れと盛んにすすめていた。私共のような年寄りには何もいわなかったが、若い者には盛んに共産主義を吹き込んでいるようだった。そして毎朝、幕舎の前にみんな集って頭目らしいのが（或いは金日成が）何か盛んに支那語で訓示していた。

男女関係は厳重

問：匪賊達の男女関係はどうか？

答：よくわからないが、非常に厳重だ、ということだった。そしてその禁を破った者が度度打首にされたという話も聞いた。

◇

浅薄な観察ではあるが、この断片的な問答によって彼等の日常生活の概要が判るような気がする。

【写真＝匪賊に襲われた開拓洞の堀本氏の家】

京城日報 1939年6月3日

女匪賊に吃驚

金日成とは、やさ男

被拉致者の見聞談

【羅南電話】去る二十二日三長警察署管内で匪賊に拉致されたものが帰ってきて密林の奥深く匪賊とともに暮らした十余日間の経験に基き興味ある彼等の内幕を次の如く語っている。

匪賊は男だけかと思ったらどうして驚いたことは、沢山の女匪賊がいることである。彼等は主に間島出身の鮮人でいつもは匪賊の炊事と針仕事をやっている。

洗面器で飯を焚いているのも珍しいが、立派な手ミシンをもっていて器用に洋服や戦闘帽などを作っているのも驚かされた。彼らは皆一様に国が懐かしい、早く朝鮮に帰りたいとこぼしていた。

自分は頭目の金日成だというのに逢ったが彼はまだ三十位の色の白い優男で身長は五尺五六寸、頭は丸坊主で戦闘帽を冠り、茶色の羅紗服をきて地下足袋を穿いていた。

[Sources]

• https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1939-06-03/page/n10/mode/1up
• https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1939-06-23/page/n10/mode/1up
• https://www.marxists.org/archive/kim-il-sung/autobio/index.htm

Japanese abductee escaped Korean Communist guerrillas in 1939 and told police about meeting Kim Il-sung and his comrades, many of whom were women

This is a short article from 1939 where a Japanese abductee escaped captivity from Korean Communist Guerrillas to tell the Japanese police in Ranam, Korea about meeting Kim Il-sung and his comrades, many of whom were women.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo June 3, 1939

Astonished by Female Bandits

Kim Il-sung was a Gentleman

A Kidnap Victim Shares His Experience

[Telephone Report from Ranam] On the 22nd of last month, a person who had been kidnapped by bandits in the jurisdiction of the Samjang Police Station returned and spoke about the interesting inner workings of the bandits, based on his experiences of living with them deep in the mountains for over ten days.

One surprising thing was the presence of many female bandits among them, not just men as he had initially thought. These people are primarily ethnic Koreans from the Gando region and usually handle cooking and sewing for the bandits.

It was unique that they cook rice in a washbasin, but it was also surprising that they skillfully made Western clothes and combat hats using a proper hand-operated sewing machine. All of them uniformly expressed nostalgia for their homeland and said they wanted to return to Korea as soon as possible.

He met the leader who introduced himself as Kim Il-sung. Kim was a fair-skinned, good-looking man in his thirties, about 5 shaku and 5 or 6 sun tall (167 to 170 cm tall). He was bald, wore a combat hat, dressed in brown woolen clothes, and wore jika-tabi footwear.

[Transcription]

京城日報 1939年6月3日

女匪賊に吃驚

金日成とは、やさ男

被拉致者の見聞談

【羅南電話】去る二十二日三長警察署管内で匪賊に拉致されたものが帰ってきて密林の奥深く匪賊とともに暮らした十余日間の経験に基き興味ある彼等の内幕を次の如く語っている。

匪賊は男だけかと思ったらどうして驚いたことは、沢山の女匪賊がいることである。彼等は主に間島出身の鮮人でいつもは匪賊の炊事と針仕事をやっている。

洗面器で飯を焚いているのも珍しいが、立派な手ミシンをもっていて器用に洋服や戦闘帽などを作っているのも驚かされた。彼らは皆一様に国が懐かしい、早く朝鮮に帰りたいとこぼしていた。

自分は頭目の金日成だというのに逢ったが彼はまだ三十位の色の白い優男で身長は五尺五六寸、頭は丸坊主で戦闘帽を冠り、茶色の羅紗服をきて地下足袋を穿いていた。

Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1939-06-03/page/n10/mode/1up

Copy of news article at the Internet Archive.

Note: I also photographed a copy of the article in the National Library of Korea. Since the newspaper copies from the Internet Archive and the National Library of Korea were different, comparing and contrasting the smudged and blurred newsprint in both copies helped me decipher the text.

Copy of news article photographed at the National Library of Korea.

Saiga Shichirō (斎賀七郎), an Imperial Japanese Ideological Police officer responsible for the torture, false imprisonment, and deaths of countless Korean patriots, was assassinated in Seoul on Nov. 2, 1945 (reported by newly liberated Keijo Nippo)

For my fourth post that I am making during my stay in Korea, I am sharing a Keijo Nippo news article about the November 2nd, 1945 assassination of Saiga Shichirō (斎賀七郎), a member of the Ideological Police in Korea under Japanese rule, which I discovered while browsing through the old Japanese language colonial news archives at the National Library of Korea.

For those unfamiliar, Keijo Nippo had been the official propaganda newspaper under the Imperial Japanese colonial regime, which had dominated Korea from 1905 to 1945. Just a few days earlier on around November 1, 1945, the Korean employees had taken over the newspaper from their Japanese bosses, transforming a tool of oppression into a platform for liberation. This article was published on November 5, 1945 and written by the Korean employees of the Keijo Nippo newspaper.

Saiga Shichirō was apparently responsible for the torture, false imprisonment, and deaths of countless Korean patriots. The article describes his assassination as a form of retribution and justice.

It's fascinating to see how the narrative shifts depending on the prevailing power structure. Just a few months earlier, Saiga Shichirō would have been lionized in this very newspaper, perhaps described as a hero or a martyr for the Imperial Japanese cause. Now, with the tables turned and Korea liberated, the article portrays him as a villain who met a fitting end. This is a clear example of how the Korean patriotic perspective has overturned the Imperial Japanese colonial viewpoint.

Interestingly, a Google search of Saiga Shichirō in Japanese doesn't yield any information about his alleged crimes, which makes this article even more significant. By posting it here, I hope to make this information more easily accessible, and facilitate a more nuanced understanding of this part of Japanese and Korean history in the online space.

[Translation]

Keijo Nippo (Gyeongseong Ilbo) November 5, 1945

An ideological police officer who was a devil

These were his last moments

Saiga Shichirō was shot dead in the streets

The following is about the miserable end of the evil devil of the Japanese Imperialist Ideological Police, who for over 20 years subjected numerous of our patriotic pioneers to brutal torture, framed them with false charges, and drove them to death in prison.

Former Senior Police Officer Saiga Shichirō (47 years old) of the Gyeonggi Province Police Department was shot dead by a number of assailants on the street next to the Wonnam-dong (원남동, 苑南洞) Post Office in the city around 6:30 PM on November 2nd. Following Japan's defeat and Korea's liberation, he had sent his family back to his hometown in Kagawa Prefecture in haste, while he himself stayed behind at his residence at 124 Wonnam-dong, engrossed in settling his estate. It seems that Saiga himself acknowledged the crimes that he had committed, as he was mostly absent from his home, and even the neighbors mentioned that they had not seen lights on at his place until now.

However, on the day of the shooting (November 2nd), bright lights were turned on inside Saiga's house, and even laughter could be heard from inside. Just after 6 PM, Saiga appeared outside, wearing slippers, to see off a guest. As he crossed the roundabout in Wonnam-dong and entered the alley next to the post office, gunshots suddenly rang out from the darkness. Saiga was shot in the right chest and was holding it with his hand when a second bullet struck his head. Saiga collapsed onto the ground and met his end with a final, dying scream.

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年11月5日

思想警察の『悪魔』、最後は之れだ

斎賀七郎が路上で射殺さる

二十年間に亘って幾多の我等の愛国先覚者たちを残虐な拷問にかけて無実の罪をでっち上げては囹圄に縛りつけて死へと追いやった日本帝国主義思想警察の邪鬼―の惨めな最後。

前京畿道警察部高等警察課警部斎賀七郎（四七）は、二日午後六時半頃市内苑南町郵便局横の路上で何人かにより拳銃で射殺された。斎賀は香川県産で日本の敗戦に伴う朝鮮の解放と共に家族だけあわてて郷里に帰し、自分は市内苑南町一二四の自宅に踏み留まって家産整理に汲々としていたが、さすがに斎賀も自分の犯した罪は自認するものと見えて殆ど居留守を使い、隣近の家でも今まで斎賀の所に火をともしたのをつい見かけなかったとのことである。

ところが射殺当日（二日）は斎賀の家に煌々と電灯がともされ、高々と笑声さえも聴こえて来たのである。六時を一寸過ぎた頃、斎賀は客を見送ってスリッパをつつかけたまま外へ姿を現し、苑南町のロータリーを渡って同町郵便局横の路地に入った際、突如暗がりの中から銃声が轟き斎賀は右胸を撃たれて手で押さえた瞬間続いて第二弾が頭部を見舞い斎賀はどっと地上へぶったぶれ、断末魔の叫び声と共に最後を遂げた。

A photo of the article that I took at the National Library of Korea.

Imperial Japan’s manhunt for the “Communist Bandit Kim Il-Sung” in the late 1930’s was sensationalized in news headlines all over Korea, capturing the imagination of the Korean public under colonial rule

Continuing my exploration of Korean colonial-era newspapers from the 1930s and 1940s, available on the Internet Archive since 2021, I stumbled upon a series of fascinating articles about Kim Il-sung, the future founder of North Korea. Given that many of these details differ significantly from publicly available biographies of Kim Il-sung, I thought this would be of interest to the community here.

It is crucial to understand that these articles were sourced from Gyeongseong Ilbo (also known as Keijo Nippo), the official newspaper of the Imperial Japanese colonial administration, which governed Korea from 1905 to 1945. Though the paper was a propaganda tool, it was also the most widely read newspaper in Korea at the time. Only around 15% of Koreans had the literacy to read the newspaper, but the information would likely have spread through word of mouth.

Here are the noteworthy differences:

1. Kim Il-sung allegedly went to the Soviet Union at age 19 (~1930) for university studies. In contrast, most sources claim he didn't go to the Soviet Union until 1940.
2. The place of Kim Il-sung's birth is listed as either South Hamgyong or North Pyongan, differing from most sources which point to South Pyongan.
3. There are varying accounts of his birth year: ~1901 according to a 1937 article, ~1911 according to the May 1939 article, and ~1909 according to the June 1939 article. Most sources agree he was born in 1912.
4. Kim Il-sung imposter theory: Kim Il-sung was allegedly killed in November 1937. The May 1939 article suggests that Kim Il-sung was killed in 1936, and someone named Kim Young-san may have assumed Kim Il-sung's identity then. However, the June 1939 article appears to downplay this theory. Most modern historians today do not entertain this theory.

I also noted some similarities in the news articles with prevailing North Korean narratives:

1. Both the articles and North Korean narratives agree that Mount Baekdu served as Kim Il-sung's base for anti-Japanese activities during the 1930s.
2. The articles corroborate North Korean claims that Kim Il-sung's father, Kim Hyong-jik, was involved in the independence movement and was executed for it.

The copy of the June 1939 article from the Internet Archive was largely illegible, but I was able to decipher sections discussing Kim Il-sung and O Paek-ryong, a future high-ranking general of North Korea. O Paek-ryong (오백룡, 呉白龍) is depicted as defiant towards colonial authorities, even demanding they pay taxes to him instead of the other way around.

Here is what I could understand from the faded text: A colonial official was said to have sent a letter to O Paek-ryong asking him to pay his taxes (いい加減にもう年貢を収めたらどうか？). In response, O Paek-ryong sent back a letter asking them to pay taxes to him instead, and that they were a pathetic bunch of people whose days were numbered (お前達こそいい加減にもう年貢を収めたらどうか？余命幾許も無いお前達は実に哀れなものだ). Between May 20, 1939 and June 16, 1939, the bandits made incursions into Korea at four locations and had 11 skirmishes with colonial security forces. 2-3 days prior to June 16, 1939, they also assaulted a bus and killed 3 ethnic Japanese people, stole some gold items, and set fire to the bus with gasoline.

I am planning a visit to the National Library of Korea later this month to examine physical copies of Keijo Nippo and satiate my curiosity about the late 1944 to 1945 issues. However, if there is community interest in the 1939 mentions of Kim Il-sung and his comrades, I will certainly prioritize that during my upcoming trip.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) November 18, 1937

The suffering of the residents along the Korean-Manchurian border is now resolved: Communist Bandit Kim Il-Sung's Death

Statement by the Korean Army Office on November 17th - Kim Il-sung has long been residing on the opposite bank of the Yalu River in Changbai and Fusong Counties. Under the incitement of the Comintern, he has been advocating communism to the local residents and making efforts to cultivate anti-Manchukuo and anti-Japanese sentiments. At times, he has carried out slaughter and pillage, causing suffering to innocent people. Sometimes, he hatches treacherous plans against the Japanese-Manchurian forces, thereby significantly threatening the public order in Manchukuo. According to sources, on November 13th, a Manchurian anti-bandit squad confirmed Kim Il-sung's location, attacked him, and after five hours of fierce fighting, finally beheaded him, singing a song of triumph.

If this is indeed true, not only the residents who have long suffered under his oppression will rejoice, but the Korean Army authorities, who have a great concern for public order along the Korean-Manchurian border, will be filled with indescribable joy. Respect is expressed for the hard work and effort of the Manchurian anti-bandit squad.

Father and Son Across Two Generations of Treachery: The Mastermind of the Attack on Pochonbo

Is he a hero of the verdant woods? Who was Kim Il-sung, who traversed the eastern borderlands? He was said to be born in South Hamgyong or, according to some theories, in South Pyeongan. According to the investigation of the border police, the South Hamgyong theory is more credible, and beyond that, his origins are unclear — a fitting background for a bandit. From a young age, Kim Il-sung crossed the border with his father, based himself in the eastern borderlands, started a revolutionary movement, and became its leader. As the revolutionary movement expanded across the river, red devils appeared behind the scenes, inciting them with communist thought.

Tainted red, at around the age of 19, Kim Il-sung snuck into Moscow, the Mecca of the People's Front. He spent ten months in Russia, where he studied at a communist university, and furthermore joined the Red Army, becoming a practitioner of anti-Japanese activities. As soon as the Manchurian Incident broke out, he returned immediately to the eastern border, joined forces with bandit groups led by leaders such as Wang Fengge (王鳳閣) and Cao Guo'an (曹国安), and started an anti-Manchurian and anti-Japanese army, disrupting the border. Kim Il-sung, the only intellectual among the bandits, rapidly rose to become the leader of his comrades, and he stubbornly continued anti-Manchurian activities for about six years. The name "Communist Bandit Kim Il-sung" echoed throughout Manchukuo, often troubling the anti-bandit squads. Notably this spring, he attacked Pochonbo on the second line of the South Hamgyong border, resulting in several casualties among the brave Hyesan Police who were staunchly defending the border.

Kim Il-sung, who continued anti-Japanese and anti-Manchurian activities for two generations with his father, was finally cornered by the brave anti-bandit squad, and at the age of 36, his life of turbulence came to a close, putting an end to his evil dreams.

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 28, 1939

Bandit Tales: Child of Destiny, Kim Il-Sung

A Focus on Recent Guerrilla Tactics

**Foreword**

When we hear that bandits have appeared in North Hamgyong, those unfamiliar with the situation immediately seem to think that these bandits are operating in the hills behind Chongjin, but it is by no means a laughing matter. There was a time when a large bandit raid occurred deep in Musan and was reported in bold headlines in the newspapers. As a result, we received letters of sympathy all the way from mainland Japan. Several years have passed since then, but bandits have once again invaded the border of North Hamgyong by circling around Baekdu Mountain from the South Hamgyong border area. They have clashed with the security forces for several days. Chief of Police Tsui recently stated, "Since people unfamiliar with local conditions may think that the bandits have invaded areas like Chongjin or Rason, I want things to be clearly reported to avoid misunderstandings. I do not think it is good to give the general impression that North Hamgyong is an unsafe place in terms of public order, as this would not be conducive to the progress of North Hamgyong." Apparently, the general public perception about the "bandits of North Hamgyong" is inadequate.

Generally speaking, it is regrettable that there is even temporary bandit activity around the Korea-Manchuria border, which is lauded as the "royal road to paradise." At a time when the whole country is working to construct a New Asia, and the glorious song of the advance army of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere is playing loudly, when viewed from the grand scheme of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, the issues in that region, which is but a small corner, may seem trivial like so many insignificant orchids, but they are not without problems. However, we must say that the repeated occurrence of these ill-fated incidents disrupting public order in this small corner of our continental forward base is a serious matter. But when all is said and done, this represents the last gasp of breath for these bandits whose days are numbered on the land of Chongjin.

Now then, what is the current situation of these bandits who are disruptors of the peace in the Korean-Manchurian region, and who are detestable enemies of culture? What is their lineage? Organization? Strongholds? Recent activities? Let us attempt to explain these various issues a little. (North Hamgyong News Bureau)

**Structure and Organization**

While we do not have detailed information about the structure and organization of these bandits, they are generally part of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. Below that are the First to Fourth Route Armies, which have First to Sixth Armies under them. Each army further divides into divisions and regiments. Today's bandits are by no means a rabble. They have a proper military organization and display considerable discipline, training, equipment, and coordination. The bandits that are active in the dense forests across from North and South Hamgyong are primarily under Yang Jingyu (楊靖宇) and include a faction led by Kim Il-sung. Yang Jingyu, a Manchu, is a formidable character who holds a military commander's position. Yang Jingyu has made Tonghua, Jilin, Huanan, Ning'an, and Dunhua among others his strongholds, and has single-handedly controlled northeastern Manchuria. He himself has become the commander of his First Army, appointed An Guangxun (安光薫) as the political leader and Kim Se-Hyung (김세형, 金世衡) as the chief of staff. Leading from the First Division to the Sixth Division, he reigns supreme, acting like a king of the verdant woods with great aplomb.

Kim Il-sung, who attacked Pochonbo in South Hamgyong last year and committed murder using every possible means, is currently waging combat against our suppression squad after invading North Hamgyong from the South Hamgyong border area again today. Kim Il-sung is Yang's trusted subordinate and heads the Sixth Division. He is just 28 years old. Kim Il-sung has an extremely violent nature, and he is very familiar with the conditions within Korea due to his numerous raids. He is disrupting public order by appearing and disappearing as if he were at home in the dense forests of Baekdu Mountain. Born on the Korean Peninsula in Gapsan, South Hamgyong, his father was a leader of the Manse Demonstration and was executed. He is thus a child of destiny. His nationalist ideology was inherited from his parents. He was raised by his uncle after moving to the eastern borderlands at a young age. His inherently violent nature eventually led him to join the group of bandits, and he is now on the path to his own destruction, chasing an unending illusory dream. Such has been the strange course of his life thus far.

There are some reports suggesting that Kim Il-sung was shot and killed by Manchurian troops in Huadian County in November 1936, and so a Korean named Kim Young-san (김영산, 金永山) succeeded him as the second Kim Il-sung, but the details are not clear. Yang Jingyu has also organized a so-called Second Front Army to disrupt the Korea-Manchuria border. Its command structure includes Yang Jingyu as commander, Kim Il-sung as the direct army chief, and Lin Shuishan (林水山) as chief of staff. They have under them the 7th to 10th regiments, as well as other guerrilla units, amounting to about 700 men in total.

These organized groups maintain consistent organic contact, and it goes without saying that the Comintern is manipulating them behind the scenes. A recent trend worth noting is their astonishing shift towards communism. They now refrain from unnecessary killings and brutality, and have shifted towards a trend of ideologically appealing to good citizens in order to win them over. (To be continued)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 16, 1939

Patrolling the Anti-Bandit Frontlines

Report from North Hamgyong News Bureau (2)

The Legendary Kim Il-Sung: Certainly an Aura of Tension Among the Three Leaders

[...] That night, under the kerosene lamp of the Eiya Inn, the conversation became lively when discussing the topic of bandits. Because we were actually on the ground where it all happened, the stories that we heard were accompanied by a sobering sense of reality (the speakers were Police Chief Tsutsui, Senior Section Chief Miwa, and the journalists).

"Who exactly is this man called Kim Il-sung? According to one theory, he has not actually existed as a real person ever since he was killed by the security forces in the eastern borderlands last year..."

"No, he is indeed a real person. Just a few years ago, a newspaper reporter visited his base and met him. Although he did not appear in any photos, the article 'Meeting Kim Il-sung' was published in a newspaper and caused quite a sensation."

"That might have been a bit hard to believe. However, he undoubtedly exists as a real person. It was said that he is from Gapsan in South Hamgyong, but actually, he is apparently from North Pyeongan. In his childhood, his father was executed due to his participation in the Manse Demonstration. After that, he took up his father's mantle, ran into nationalist movements, and became a bandit. He is a somewhat pitiful child of destiny. However, he is only about thirty years old and holds a position equivalent to a division commander among the bandits, so he is certainly an extraordinary person."

"The next guest coming here is said to be the boss of this Kim Il-sung, a man named O Paek-ryong (오백룡, 呉白龍). O Paek-ryong is said to be located around [illegible] now. How about it, would anyone have the courage to go and write an article like 'Meeting O Paek-ryong'? It would certainly be a big scoop these days."

[...]

[Transcription]

京城日報 1937年11月18日

鮮満国境住民の苦悩今や解消：共産匪金日成の死

朝鮮軍当局談＝十七日朝鮮軍当局談＝金日成匪は予て鴨緑対岸長白、撫松県に蟠居しコンミンテルンの使嗾の下に所在の住民に対し共産主義を鼓吹し反満抗日的機運の醸成に努め或いは殺戮掠奪の限りを尽くして無辜の民を苦しめ、時としては日満軍に対して不逞を策するので満州国の治安を著しく脅威しありしか、情報によれば去る十三日満軍討匪隊は金日成の所在を確かめ、之を攻撃し激戦五時間の後、遂にその首級をあげ凱歌を奏したり。

果して然らば久しく彼らの桎桔下に苦悩せし住民の喜びは元より、鮮満国境の治安に大なる関心を有する朝鮮軍当局の喜びに堪えざる所にして満州討匪隊の苦心と努力に対し敬意を表する次第である。

父子二代の不逞：普天堡襲撃の張本

緑林の英雄？として東辺道を股にかけた金日成とはどんな男か。彼の生れは咸南と云い、或いは平南出身との説があり、国境警察官の調べによると咸南説が有力で、それ以上は判明しないと云う匪賊らしい生立ちである。金日成は幼時、父につれられ越境し、東辺道を根拠とし、〇〇革命運動を起こし、金日成はその首領となっていた〇〇運動が対岸に拡大するにつれて赤色魔が彼らの背後に現れ共産思想を煽りたてた。

赤色に染まった金日成は十九歳ころ人民戦線のメッカ、モスコーに潜入。在露十ヶ月、この間に共産大学に学び、更に赤衛軍に入隊。反日運動の実践者となった。満州事変勃発するや直ぐに東辺道に帰り、王鳳閣、曹国安等の匪賊団と聯合し、ここに反満抗日軍を起こし国境線を荒し廻っていた。緑林唯一のインテリ金日成の勢力は忽ち仲間の首魁に押され約六ヶ年に亘って、頑強に反満運動を続け『共匪金日成』の名は全満州に響き亘り討伐隊をしばしば困らせ、殊に今春、咸南の国境は第二線普天堡を襲撃し、これがため勇敢に国境線を死守した恵山鎮署員にも数名の犠牲者を出した程であった。

父子二代に亘って抗日反満を続けた金日成も勇敢な討伐隊に追い詰められ、遂に三十六歳を一期に悪の夢を清算、波瀾ある生涯の幕をとじた。

京城日報 1939年5月28日

匪賊物語：宿命の子、金日成

注目すべき最近の薪戦術

まえがき

咸北に匪賊が出た、というと事情を知らぬ人は直ぐ、清津の裏山にでもやって来てボシボシやっているように思うらしいが、決して笑い話ではない。嘗つて茂山のずっと奥地で大がかりな匪襲事件があって新聞にデカデカと報道された時には遠く内地方面から清津に見舞状がやって来たものだという。それから幾年、匪賊は最近又しても咸南国境方面から白頭山岳を迂回して咸北国境に侵入し、警備隊とここ数日前来、衝突交戦しているが、筒井警察部長はこの前、『内地の事情を知らぬ人達はまた清津、羅南附近にでも侵入したかの如く考えるかも知れないから、この点誤解のないように報道して貰いたい。咸北はどうも治安上面白くない所だ、というような印象を一般に与えることは躍進咸北の為によろしくないと思うから』と語っていたが、事程さように『咸北の匪賊』というものに対する一般の認識は足りないのである。

だいたい王道楽土を謳歌している日（鮮）満国境あたりに、かりそめにも匪賊の蠢動があるなどということは残念なことである。今、国を挙げて新亜細亜の建設に奮いたち、東亜大陸に華々しい興亜の進軍隊が高らかに奏でられている時、興亜の大局から見て猫額大の一角に過ぎないあの地域に出没する数々たる雛蘭の如き凡そ問題ではないが、しかし我が大陸前進基地たる領土の一角の治安を紊るこの種の不祥事件が繰り返されるということは由々しき大事であるといわねばならない。しかしそれは所詮、余命幾許もない彼等にとって清津の地の最後のあがきであるが。

さて、この鮮満治安の攪乱者であり憎むべき文化の敵である匪賊の現勢はどうか。系統は。組織は。根城は。最近の出没状況は。等々の問題について少し解説を試みよう。（咸北支局生）

系統と組織

彼等匪賊の系統、組織は詳かではないが、大体、東北抗日連合軍を根幹としてその下に第一路軍から第四路軍があり、その下に第一軍から第六軍があって、又その下に師団、その下が団、連に分れている。匪賊と雖も今日の匪賊は決して烏合の衆ではない。以上のように立派に軍隊式な編成を有し規律、訓練、装備、連絡などに侮り難いものがある。咸南北対岸の密林地帯を根城にして躍動する賊は主として楊靖宇匪の配下で金日成の一味であると見てよい。この楊靖宇という奴は満人だが相当の強か者で第一路の軍総司令、謂わば軍司令官格である。楊靖宇は通化、吉林、樺南、寧安、敦化等を根城に東北満を一手にその手中におさめ、自らその第一軍の軍長となり政主に安光薫を、参謀長に金世衡を配し、第一師から第六師を率いて天晴れ緑林の王者気取りで君臨している。

昨年咸南の普天堡を襲って凶殺の限りを尽くし、今日又咸南国境方面から咸北に侵入して我が討伐隊と交戦中の金日成匪の頭目。金日成はこの楊靖宇の懐刀で第六師長（師団長格）、まだ二十八の青年である。彼は非常に凶暴な性格をもち、前後数十回に亘る襲撃事件によって鮮内の状況に精通し、白頭山岳のあの密林の中を恰も我家の如く出没しては治安を攪乱しているのである。それに彼はもともと半島人であり咸南甲山の生まれで、その父は過ぐる万歳騒ぎ事件の巨魁で死刑となった。いわば彼は生まれながらにして宿命の子であった。彼の民族主義イデオロギーは先天的な親譲りのものである。幼少の許にして東辺道に渡り、叔父の許に育ったが生来の凶暴性は遂に嘗つて匪賊の群に投ぜしめ醒めやらぬ迷夢を追って自ら破滅への道を辿っている、というのが数奇な彼の半生なのであった。

一説には過ぐる昭和十一年十一月樺甸県で満軍討伐隊に射殺されたので金永山、半島人なる者が第二の金日成としてその後を継いだともいわれているが詳かではない。楊靖宇匪は又、第二方面軍というものを編成して鮮満国境の攪乱を企てている。今その編成を見ると総司令が楊靖宇で、その直系の軍長に金日成を、参謀長に林水山を配し、第七団から第十団まで三団を配下として他に遊撃隊を配し、その総勢は約七百名の多数に上っている。

以上の系統組織は常に有機的な連絡を保ち、しかもその背後にはコミンテルンが糸を操っていることはいうまでもない。近時注目すべき傾向は彼等の驚くべき赤色化である。必要以上の殺伐凶暴はやらぬが、思想的に良民に呼びかけてこれを獲得するというような傾向に移行して来たことである（つづく）

京城日報 1939年6月16日

討匪戦線縦走

咸北支局生 （２）

伝説めく金日成：さすがに緊迫感漂う三長

[...] この夜、旅舎、栄屋の洋灯の下で又しても匪賊の話がはずんだ。ここは矢張り現地であるだけに聞く話も非常に実感が伴って来る（語る人は、筒井警察部長、三輪高等課長と記者団）。

「金日成という男はいったいどんな男だろうかね？一説には先年東辺道で討伐軍に殺されて以来、実在の人間では無いなどと言われているようだが...」

「いや立派に実在の人間なんだ。現に数年前ある新聞記者がその本拠を訪ねて会っている。写真にも出なかったが確かに、金日成に逢うの記...というのが新聞に載って大きなセンセイションを掻き起したことがある」

「そいつは少し眉唾ものでは無かったかね。併し、実在の人間には違いない。彼の出身地は咸南甲山だといわれていたが、本当は平北だそうだ。幼少の頃、父は万歳騒ぎで死刑になったが、それから彼は父の衣鉢をついで民族主義運動に走り匪賊となった。いわば奴は哀れなる宿命の子なんだね。しかしまた三十そこそこだそうだが、匪賊の面目として師団長格なんだから相当な傑物には違いないね」

「今度お越しのお客さんは、この金日成の親分で、呉白龍という奴だそうだ。呉白龍はいま[??]附近にいるそうだが、どうかね、一つ呉白龍に会うの記でも書いたら。確かに、近頃大したスクープだが誰か行って見る勇気は無いか？」

[...]

[Sources]

普天堡の戦い - Wikipedia

https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1937-11-18

https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1939-05-28

https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1939-06-16

 

Colonial police warned residents about police impersonators who detained passersby in the streets and stole cash and belongings, or flashed fake business cards to shoplift and dine for free; thefts and rapes were rampant in the complete darkness during wartime light dimming exercises (Seoul, 1943)

One bizarre thing that I noticed in this newspaper is the recurrence of stories about police impersonators who detain passersby in the streets and then steal their cash and belongings. These two public service announcements from February and December 1943, respectively, warn the public about them, but only the one from December has any real concrete advice for anyone who encounters them: call the nearest police station when someone is using police business cards to shoplift and dine for free, and ask to be accompanied to the police station when a fake policeman handcuffs you. If the fake policeman refuses to take you to the police station, then that is probably a tip-off that the policeman is not real.

Who were these police impersonators? I could think of three possibilities: They were (1) corrupt police officers; (2) common criminals; and/or (3) political activists who were raising funds for the overthrow of the colonial regime. It would be interesting to look into these possibilities further and see what the historical evidence says.

Other crimes that were mentioned are 'strong-arm robberies and obscene acts committed during wartime light dimming'. In wartime Imperial Japan, citizens practiced light dimming exercises during nighttime to make it more difficult for enemy warplanes to navigate, but all that darkness apparently made things easier for thieves and rapists.

By December 1943, the police were increasing reliant on Patriotic Groups (JP: aikoku-han, KR: aeguk-ban, 愛國班) for policing. They were neighborhood cells which functioned as the local arm of the Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹). Every Korean living in Korea belonged to a Patriotic Group. It typically consisted of a few households, led by a Patriotic Group leader, who normally acted as a mini-tyrant micromanaging the lives of everyone within the Patriotic Group. That included things like rationing food and goods, enforcing mandatory State Shinto prayer times and shrine visits, ‘volunteering’ laborers upon the colonial regime’s request, arranging marriages, holding mandatory Japanese language classes, spying on each other, etc.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 7, 1943

Fake Police Officers Feeding on "Darkness"

We are determined to exterminate them!

Interview with Police Chief Isozaki

Recently, there has been a relative increase in the number of malicious violations against strong economic controls which were put in place in response to the war. In addition, fake police officers have been taking advantage of this detestable trend by appearing frequently, exploiting the weaknesses of violators by imposing fines and confiscating money and illicit goods. The Police Department of the Governor-General's Office has decided to crack down on this situation by bringing down the iron hammer upon these unscrupulous criminals who are running rampant. On February 6th, an interview with Police Chief Isozaki was released, in which he vowed the firm determination of his police department.

The Governor-General's Office also made it clear that it would take this opportunity to take severe measures against unscrupulous criminals who dishonor the prestige of police officers by pretending to be police officers or their assistants and forcing people to give them priority in the distribution of hard-to-obtain goods.

Interview with Police Chief Isozaki

It is truly chilling to see that the number of economic crimes has been increasing day by day as a result of the recent tightening of economic controls, which has led to an ever-increasing police crackdown.

Police Chief Mr. Isozaki

However, the unscrupulous criminals skillfully targeted windows of opportunity amid these social trends of tightening regulations and increasing numbers of violations, taking advantage of them by playing various schemes. Various malicious cases have been frequently reported in which various vendors and offenders are exploited by taking advantage of their psychological vulnerabilities to extract preferential distribution of hard-to-obtain goods. The unscrupulous criminals pose as or openly misrepresent themselves as economic police officers or their assistants to seize money or illicit goods under the guise of collecting fines or confiscating illicit goods. As a result, the public often hears complaints about the arbitrariness and brutality of police officers, which is regrettable.

The police department sees such malicious crimes not only as crimes against the victims, but also as crimes that compromise the prestige of the police and disturb law enforcement. In addition to the various types of enforcement actions that are already in place, we will adopt a strict policy of severe punishment against fraudulent acts committed while posing as government officials, and we will make firm and thorough efforts to arrest and suppress such criminals.

In addition, the police themselves should prepare to deal with the secret activities of such criminals by taking measures to prove that they are real police officers whenever they engage in various types of enforcement activities in plain clothes. When using assistants, special guidance and supervision should be given. We hope that the public will fully understand these points and be vigilant not to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous criminals. In addition, if you are under any kind of enforcement action conducted by a person claiming to be a police officer or law enforcement official, please make sure to carefully confirm that the person on the other end is indeed a real police officer or a real law enforcement official. We sincerely hope that you will not be taken for a ride by these unscrupulous criminals.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-07

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) December 10, 1943

Eradicating Crime in December

A message from Gyeonggi Provincial Police Chief Mr. Oka

In an effort to prevent the occurrence of crimes at the end of the year, including economic crimes committed due to the difficulty of obtaining all kinds of goods, and to make this year's holiday season a happy one, Gyeonggi Provincial Police Chief Oka issued the following message, requesting the cooperation of the general public:

Police Chief Mr. Oka

In mid-December every year, the police departments of Gyeonggi Province, with the cooperation of Patriotic Group members, have been making every effort to prevent crimes at the end of the year. This year is coming to an end amid this pathetically harsh war situation. It is deeply concerning that, as economic controls have been tightened, the difficulty in obtaining daily necessities has inevitably increased the public's appetite for goods. In conjunction with this, there has been an increasing trend in all kinds of malicious crimes. At the end of the year, when the purchasing power of the general public is strong, malicious crimes are usually committed in various fields. Economic criminals may commit crimes that disrupt economic controls on the home front, including some traders who are guilty of price gouging, profiteering, hoarding, and cheating in weights and measures. Consumers may also disrupt economic controls on the home front. There is no end to the number of consumers who are using their year-end bonuses and other unexpected income for panic buying and hoarding instead of cooperating in the implementation of national policies, such as saving and purchasing war bonds.

In addition, recent trends such as fraudulent acts to facilitate the purchase of such illicit goods, break-ins at night, thefts, and strong-arm robberies have been increasing as the year-end draws near. Recently, we have witnessed the emergence of malicious crimes such as so-called fake detectives who run rampant, physically searching the bodies of passersby and stealing their cash or threatening to commit fraud. This autumn, in this decisive battle, we are all pushing forward with the reinforcement of our military power on the home front. In order to exterminate such criminals who disturb the stability of the people's lives, we will launch an early enforcement action this year. In addition to our efforts to thoroughly investigate and arrest these unscrupulous criminals, those who dare to commit crimes, such as strong-arm robberies and obscene acts committed during wartime light dimming, will be punished with particularly severe penalties in accordance with the Law Concerning Special Provisions for the Punishment of Wartime Crimes.

Needless to say, it is extremely difficult to prevent all kinds of crimes, no matter how strictly the police officers alone exercise control and vigilance, and so we must rely on the righteous cooperation of all members of the Patriotic Groups. I sincerely hope that each household will be more devoted to the true meaning of wartime life, that you will exercise self-restraint and refrain from ugly behavior including panic buying and hoarding at the end of the year, and that you will fully practice the guidelines regarding home security that were announced for Patriotic Group members in December, so that you can live a clear and solid wartime life at the end of the year without any impurities and greet the third new year of the Greater East Asia War with hope shining in your hearts. [Photo: Police Chief Mr. Oka]

Cooperation in Crime Prevention is Desired

A message from Yongsan Police Chief Mr. Wakita

As the year draws to a close, crimes that disrupt the stability of life during wartime, such as burglary, snatching, breaking and entering, and illicit trafficking of wartime necessities, are on the rise. This December, the Yongsan Police Department is making every effort to ensure that all members of the department are perfectly prepared to prevent crime and ensure a pleasant end of the year. On December 9th, Yongsan Police Chief Mr. Wakita requested the cooperation of Seoul residents in actively self-policing and eradicating wartime crimes, as follows:

The end of the year usually sees a conspicuous increase in the movement of cash, and the psychologically vulnerable who are involved in it are taken advantage of by the unscrupulous criminals who are always on the lookout all year for a chance to make money. What attracts particular attention these days are their increasingly sophisticated methods. They use counterfeit business cards to impersonate detectives and then eat, drink, and enjoy entertainment without paying. They also swindle merchandise. Most serious of all, they use handcuffs to restrain passersby and seize money from them after physically searching them. Economic crimes are also on the rise, not only among open air street vendors, but also among those who have set up stores trafficking black market goods to take advantage of the increased demand for New Year's goods. I believe that burglaries and thefts can be largely prevented through vigilance on the part of Seoul residents. To avoid being victimized, I would like to ask you to take the following two points into consideration, especially at the end of the year:

Real detectives do not show their business cards and then shoplift, eat, drink, and enjoy entertainment without paying. If you see such a suspicious person in the future, immediately report him to the nearest police station. Similarly, if a criminal is wielding binding rope or handcuffs, it is essential that you always ask to be accompanied to the police station, and that you remain calm and timely in reporting the incident.

Next, as for the prevention of economic crimes, first of all, each of you must remember the hardships of the generals on the front lines and never purchase unnecessary goods to welcome the New Year. There are some who criticize black market prices, but who themselves are good at black-market buying. In general, if you are aware of black market prices, black market deliveries, or unauthorized distribution of goods, please feel free to report them to us without hesitation. The police will take a strictly punitive approach against these insolent people who are indifferent to the current war situation, and will work to stabilize the lives of Seoul residents.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-12-10

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年2月7日

”闇”を喰う偽警察官

断乎一掃に乗出す

磯崎警務課長談

戦争に対応する強力な経済統制を蹂躙。最近悪質の手段を弄した経済違反が比較的に増加。またこの憎むべき傾向を悪用して一方には偽警察官がしきりに出没し、違反者の弱点に乗じて罰金、没収などに名を藉り、金品や違反物件をまきあげるなどの不徳漢が横行しているので、総督府警務局では断乎これを一掃。鉄槌を下すことになり、六日磯崎警務課長談を発表。当局の断乎たる決意を表明した。

さらに総督府では、これを機に警察官或いは補助者の如く装って入手難物資の優先的配給を強要して警察官の威信を汚す不良徒輩に対しても厳罰主義を以て臨む旨を明かにした。

磯崎警務課長談

最近経済統制の強化により警察の取締はますます拡大強化せられ、これに伴い各種の経済事犯も日を逐うて増加の傾向にあることはまことに寒心に堪えない次第である。

然るにこのような取締の強化、違反の蔟出というが如き社会情勢の間隙を狙いつつあった不良徒輩は巧みにこれに便乗して種々なる奸計を弄し、取締を受ける各種業者や違反者の心理的弱点に乗じて経済取締の警察官、若しくはその補助者の如く装い、或いは公然とこれを詐称して入手難物資の優先的配給を受けたり、或いは違反者の弱点に乗じ罰金没収などに名を藉りて所持金や違反物件を奪取したりする各種の悪質事案が随所に頻発しつつある。そのため民衆より警察官の専恣、横暴の声を頻々と耳に致すのはまことに遺憾とするところである。

当局と致してはかかる悪質犯罪がただに被害者に対する侵害であるのみならず、これがため官の威信を失墜し取締の秩序を紊すこと極めて大なるものであるのに鑑み、今後各種の取締と併行し、これら官名詐称による不正行為に対しては厳罰主義を以て臨み断乎として検挙強圧の徹底を期する方針である。

また警察自身においてはかかる不良徒輩の暗躍に備えて、警察官が私服をもって各種取締に従事する場合は、必ず警察官たることを証明する措置を講ぜしめ、補助者などを使用する場合は、特に格別なる指導監督を加うる筈であるから、一般におかれてもこの点充分の理解を願うと共にかかる不良徒輩に乗ぜられることのなきよう自戒せらるるは勿論、万一警察官若しくは取締当局者と自称する者より、各種の取締を受くるが如き場合は、必ず相手方が真の警察官であり、取締当局者であることを慎重に確認せられ、不良徒輩に乗ぜられるが如きことのなきよう特に切望して已まぬ次第である。

京城日報　1943年12月10日

師走の犯罪撲滅へ

京畿道岡警察部長語る

年末における各犯罪の発生は勿論あらゆる物資の入手難による経済事犯の発生を未然に防止し、今年こそは明るい年末を送ろうと京畿道岡警察部長は次の如き談話を発表し、一般道民の協力を要望した。

例年十二月中旬より道内各警察署の総力を挙げ、愛国班員各位の御協力を得て歳末時の犯罪の予防警戒に努めて来たのでありますが、本年も亦凄愴苛烈な戦局の裡に年末を迎え、熟々世相を案じますに経済統制が強化徹底せらるるに伴い、生活必需物資の入手難は必然的に一般民衆の物欲を旺盛にし、之と結びつき各種の統済事犯益々増加の傾向に有りまするのみならず、年末に於いては一般購買力の旺盛なるに乗じ各方面に悪質事犯が敢行せらるるを常とし、先ず経済事犯としては一部業者の価格違反を初め暴利、売惜、規格量目の誤魔化し等銃後の経済統制を攪乱する犯罪発生の虞ある一面消費者側におきましても年末賞与等の不時の収入を貯蓄債券の消化等国策の遂行に協力せらるることなく物資の買占め、買い漁りに狂奔せる向も跡を断たないのであります。

又最近の傾向としては之等物資の購入斡旋に藉口する詐欺行為、夜間の忍び込み、窃盗乃至は強力事犯等歳末の切迫と共に益々増加し、尚最近所謂偽刑事が横行し、妄りに通行者の身体を検索して所持金を巻き上げ或いは詐欺脅迫する等の悪質犯罪の発生を見つつある状勢にありますが、この決戦下斉しく銃後の戦力増強に邁進しつつあります秋。之が基調をなす国民生活の安定を阻害する之等事犯の絶滅を期しまする為、本年は特に早目に取締警戒を開始し、之等不良徒輩の徹底的検挙に努むるは勿論灯火管制下に於ける強窃盗、猥褻等の事犯を敢行したる者は戦時犯罪処罰の特例に関する法令に依り特に厳罰を以て処断する方針であります。

申す迄もなく各種犯罪の予防は独り警察官のみが如何に取締乃至は警戒を厳重に致しましても到底其の万全を期することは至難でありまして、愛国班各位の道義に立脚した御協力に俟たなければならないのでありますから、各家庭におかれては此の際一層戦時生活の真義に徹せられ、お互いに自粛自戒して従来の歳末風景たる買占め、買い漁りの醜状の一掃に努めらるると共に十二月愛国班員の実践事項として示達されましたる家庭防犯に関する各事項を充分実践せられ、以て一点の穢れなき明朗堅実なる歳末の戦時生活を営みつつ希望に輝く大東亜戦争下第三回目の新春を迎えられんことを切望して已みません。【写真＝岡警察部長】

防犯へ協力望む

脇田龍山署長は語る

年の暮れをひかえて空き巣、掻っ払い、忍び込みをはじめ戦時必需品の不正売買など決戦生活の安定を紊す犯罪が激増の一途を辿る傾向にあり、龍山署ではこの師走にあたり全署員水も洩らさぬ防犯完璧の布陣に遺憾なきを期して年末の明朗化に努めているが、九日脇田龍山署長は歳末時防犯に関して次の如く府民の積極的自警と戦時犯罪根絶の協力を要望した。

『例年歳末期には現金の動きが目立って多くなり、これに携わる人達の心の緩みを狙って不逞徒輩が年中の稼ぎ時として鵜の目鷹の目で横行。最近では特に注意を惹くのは方法が巧妙化して居ることで、たとえば刑事肩書の名刺を偽造使用して無銭飲食遊興したり、商品を騙取したり、甚だしいのは捕縄手錠を使って通行人を束縛し、身体検査の上金銭を奪取する類である。経済事犯についても露店行商人のみならず店舗を構えながら正月用物資の需要増加につけ込んで闇の横行が増加の傾向にある。空き巣や窃盗の犯罪は府民各位の自警によって大部分予防出来ると思うから、特に年末に際しては次の二点に留意して、各自の被害を予防して戴きたい。

偽刑事の防止であるが、之は真の刑事は名刺を見せたりして無銭購買、遊興飲食はしない。若し今後こういう不審な者が居たら、見付け次第直ちに最寄りの派出所に届け出ることである。同じく捕縄や手錠を振り廻す者に対しては必ず派出所まで同行を要求し沈着を失わず届け出の時機を失わぬことが肝要だ。

次に経済事犯の防止については先ず各自が前線将兵の労苦を偲んで正月を迎えるために不必要な物資を絶対に購入しないことで、中には闇値を非難しながら自身が得意然と闇買いをする者を見受けるが、一般は闇値、闇搬入、不正配給等の事実を現認したら遠慮なくどしどし告発して戴きたい。警察はこれらの時局を弁えざる不埒者に対しては厳罰主義でのぞみ、府民生活の安定を期するものである』

Korean economic crimes suspects interrogated by Seoul economic police; the police chief boasts of having eyes and ears everywhere on the ground, and contrasts the lawful 'good Korean retailers' with the greedy, dishonest 'bad Korean retailers' in 1942 interview

This photo shows the inside of an interrogation room of the economic police in the Dongdaemon precinct of Seoul. It appears to be quite a crowded room crammed with desks, with suspects sitting at separate desks facing police officers one-on-one. However, the standing woman with a slightly slouched, dejected body posture is facing a plain-clothed man, and a uniformed man sitting next to the plain-clothed man has his face turned toward her. My guess is that the plain-clothed man directly in front of the standing woman is a Korean translator working for the Japanese police officer sitting next to him.

The suspects are depicted to be greedy and immoral black marketeers, but in reality, many were probably selling on the black market without proper business permits just to survive, which was a story arc in the Pachinko series. The police chief confidently claims that he has eyes and ears everywhere on the ground, so the economic police presumably have a large network of spies and informants who report directly to them.

This is another propaganda article in a series of 'Good Korean Retailer versus Bad Korean Retailer' propaganda articles contrasting the stereotypically bad Korean (greedy, mean, dishonest, lawless) with the stereotypically good, pro-Imperial Japan Korean (selfless, kind, honest, law-abiding). See this other related article from July 10, 1942:

(Propaganda article contrasting the 'Bad Korean Retailer' who is greedy, mean, dishonest, and lawless with the 'Good Korean Retailer' who is selfless, kind, honest, law-abiding, and committed to Japanese-Korean unification (Seoul, 1942) - Exposing Imperial Japan)

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records entry on the Economic Police (my translation): The Economic Police Division was a section in charge of economic control and supervision. With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, a wartime economic control system was established in Korea. At first, the Commerce and Industry Division of the Regional Industries Bureau, the industrial divisions of each province, and the security division of the police were involved in controlling the soaring prices of daily commodities and gasoline, a strategic commodity. However, the need for specialized police officers to enforce these controls led to the assignment of police officers "engaged in police affairs associated with economic controls" to the Police Bureau in November 1938, which marked the beginning of the economic police. The Economic Police Division was established in February 1940, with four sections (General Affairs Section, Guidance Section, Control Section, and Information Section), which were assigned to take charge of affairs related to economic police. On the other hand, since the Economic Police Division was in charge of economic control and supervision, it was also expected to be involved in the area of labor mobilization to strengthen wartime productivity, and in the reorganization of December 1943, matters related to "labor recruitment control," which had been handled by the Security Division, were transferred to the division.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) July 5, 1942

We are especially rude to black marketeers

The eyes of the police are all-seeing mirrors!

"Merchants and black market transactions are said to go hand in hand. Ha ha ha! I don't think it's that bad, but there are indeed quite a lot of bad guys out there".

We are in an office of the Dongdaemun Police Department's Economic Crimes Section. The person speaking here is the police chief, Captain Hoshiro.

"I'm inside all the time, so the merchants may think I don't know anything, but my eyes and ears are like an all-seeing mirror, and I can see everything. These days, even in hell, I can see everything and hear their voices at the same time like in a movie, so it's pretty interesting".

What Hoshiro is saying is a bit amazing. "Well then, I'll do as you wish and first introduce you to the good store owners. Since I can guarantee that they are good, please make sure to praise them properly".

Now let's see what sorts of good store owners Mr. Hoshiro is talking about.

◇．．．Mr. Kim Dong-yang (김동용/金東用) is the owner of Hyehwa Trading Company and Grocery Store at 126 Hyehwa-dong. His store has a good reputation in the neighborhood. Even when women or children enter the store to buy something, he would still bow politely to each and every one of them, and not use pressure sales tactics on them as some merchants do. Of course, the prices are the same as the official prices, which is a great help to the housewives in the neighborhood. Moreover, once inside the store, the goods are displayed in an orderly fashion without a single gap in the rows of goods, so that the necessary items are immediately visible even to a new customer who peeks in.

◇．．．The next good store is a general store at 4 Yeji-dong in the Dongdaemun Market. The owner, Mr. Yuh Yong-sang (유용상/劉容相), is proud to be in charge of an important kitchen in the eastern part of the city, and he is doing his best to serve his community. He is the model merchant at Dongdaemun Market. He is always kind to his customers. He tries to sell his smile more than his products. Hats off to Mr. Yuh, who stands alone by himself aloof and sneers at the other merchants who are vigilantly watching for the economic police to let their guard down.

While the above two stores are model stores that were highlighted by Captain Hoshiro's high praise, the next two stores are owned by notorious offending merchants. They are a rare breed of sick individuals of the black market who have not reformed themselves despite being warned repeatedly by the economic police.

◇．．．A man named [redacted], who runs a grocery store at 182 Wonnam-dong, has been punished three times so far by the Dongdaemun Police Department, and he is a habitual pricing violator. He has a bad reputation in the neighborhood, and his arrogant attitude toward his customers with his pressure sales tactics sums up everything. This man does not change his ways no matter how many times he is warned by the police, and he is well documented in detective inspectors' notes as the leader of the delinquent stores in the Dongdaemun police precinct.

◇．．．A man named [redacted] runs a grocery store in the same Dongdaemun Market as Mr. Yuh. He has always been pursuing his own personal gain and has been operating his business with a hateful and arrogant attitude, taking advantage of his customers' weaknesses, and making unreliable and unscrupulous statements about prices. This man is notable for having been scolded four times by the Dongdaemun Police Department so far, but he has not changed his ways. Although we warn him every chance we get, we may even take away this immoral merchant's business license if necessary.

The above four stores mentioned by Captain Hoshiro represent opposite ends of a spectrum between light and darkness among the grocery stores that are entrusted with the lives of the residents of the Dongdaemun police precinct.

Captain Hoshiro went on by saying, "Since problems with food supplies affect the hearts of the residents the most, the attitude of the merchants who deal with food supplies should always be to take responsibility for ensuring the stability of the lives of the people on the home front, so they must not be absorbed even a little in making a profit. If there is a merchant who is still unwilling to cooperate …" Captain Hoshiro looked around at the faces of the suspects in front of him and continued, "they will have to be interrogated like this". As he popped his fingertips on a stack of documents, he giggled.

[Photo: Interrogation at the Dongdaemun Police Station]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-07-05

(Transcription)

京城日報　1942年7月5日

闇商人に限って横柄

警察の眼は浄玻璃ですぞ

「商人と闇取引はつきものだって云うのですがね。ハハハ、まさかそれほどでもありますまいが、しかし悪い奴は相当おりますよ」

所は東大門署経済係室。語る人はそこの主任帆代警部だ。

『私は室内ばかりにいるので商人は私は何も知らないと思っているかも知れませんが、私の耳はそして目は浄玻璃の鏡みたいなもので何でも写し出されて来ますよ。この頃は地獄の方もトーキーになって姿と同時に声も聞こえてくるのですから面白いもんです』

帆代さんのいうところは一寸凄い。『さて、ではお望みに答えて先ず善良な店から御紹介に及びますが、これは私が保証するのですからガッチリと賞めてやって下さい』

さてこそ帆代さんの口から語られる良い店とはどんな家であろうか。

◇．．．恵化町一二六食料品店恵化商会主金東用さんは近所でも評判の善良商店だ。女、子供が買いに行っても一々丁寧に頭を下げて、どこやらの商人のように「売ってやる」といった態度は示さない。無論値段は公定価通りで附近の主婦は大助かりだ。その上、一歩店内に入れば整然として一分の隙もなく商品は陳列されて初めてのお客さんが覗いても必要な品物は直ぐ目につくように列べてある。

◇．．．次の良い店は礼智町四東大門市場内の雑貨屋劉容相商店主劉さんであるが、この人も東部地区の大切な台所を預かっていることに誇りを感じて一生懸命に職域奉公に尽くしている。お客さんには親切、売物は商品よりも笑顔をといった市場内の花形商人だ。ほかの商人が虎視眈々と経警の隙を狙っている姿を冷笑して一人超然としている劉さんには全く頭が下る。

以上の二店舗が帆代主任の激賞によって浮かび出た模範店であるが、次なる二店は今流行の違反商人。経警から幾度警告しても納まらないという稀代な闇取病患者である。

◇．．．苑南町一八二食料品店経営の〇〇〇〇という男は今日まで東大門署で三回も処罰されたという価格違反常習者で、附近の評判も悪く、「売ってやるぞ」の傲岸な態度がその全部を表現していた。この男何回警察に注意されても改めず、東大門管内の不良店舗の親玉として日頃から査察刑事のメモに黒々と記入されているものだ。

◇．．．いま一軒は同じ東大門市場に食料品店を開いている〇〇〇という男で、これは常に私利追及に余念なく、客の弱味に付けこんで憎いまでに横柄な態度で接し価格も当てにならない出鱈目を述べて人を喰った無自覚な営業を続けていた。この男も今日まで四回に亘って東大門署から痛いお灸をすえられたという肩書のもち主だが、その後も一向に改まらず、機会ある毎に注意はしているが、場合によっては営業権も取り上げるかも知れないという悪徳商人ぶりだ。

以上、帆代主任の口から語られた明暗二流の店は東大門署管内部民の大切な生命を預かる食料店として両極端を行く者の中から拾い上げた四軒であるが、

『食料の問題はいちばん住民の心に影響するものですから、これを取り扱う商人の態度はいつも銃後国民生活の安定を図る責任をもって進み、少しでも営利に汲々としているようなことがあってはなりません。それでもなおきかない商人があったならば．．．』と、ここまで帆氏さんはいうとグルリと前にいる被疑者の顔を見廻して、『こんな姿で取り調べを受けねばならんのですよ．．．』と山ほどある調書を指先でちょいと弾いてクックッと咽喉で笑うのだった。

【写真＝東大門署経警係の取り調べ】