57 Years Ago, the Woodcutter Who Reported "Armed Guerrillas Invaded" Visits the Late Kim Shin-jo's Funeral Hall

The 'Four Woodcutter Brothers' Who Reported the January 21 Armed Infiltration Incident
Threatened by Operatives: "Don't Report Us"
Youngest, Woo Seongje, Maintained Contact with Pastor Kim Until Recently

Among the news that shook the world was the passing of the late Pastor Kim Shin-jo, a former North Korean armed infiltrator involved in the 'Blue House Raid Incident (January 21 Incident),' who died on the 9th. It has been reported that one of the 'Four Woodcutter Brothers,' who first revealed the infiltration of 31 North Korean operatives including the late pastor, visited his funeral. On the 11th, Yonhap News reported, "Woo Seong-je (77), who recalled that day 57 years ago, briefly closed his eyes," adding, "Woo is the youngest of the 'Four Woodcutter Brothers' who first reported to the police the infiltration of 31 operatives from the 124th Unit of the Reconnaissance Bureau of the North Korean Ministry of People's Security, including the late pastor."

Pastor Kim Sin-jo, who infiltrated South Korea as an armed North Korean guerrilla and later lived as a pastor after defecting, passed away on the 9th. Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News, on January 19, 1968, when Woo was 20 years old, he and his brothers were captured by armed infiltrators on Sambongsan Mountain in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Around 1 p.m. that day, while Woo was raking fallen leaves, he heard his eighth cousin calling him. When he climbed 20 to 30 meters up the mountain path, he saw four soldiers talking. Woo recalled, "As I got closer, my heart sank, and I thought, 'Oh no, they're dead.' I immediately recognized them as armed infiltrators," adding, "Their ranks varied?lieutenant, sergeant, and soldier?but they were all armed with an AK rifle, a pistol, and a grenade, each carrying the same weapons."

When Woo greeted them, saying, "Thank you for your hard work in this cold weather," the operatives asked, "There were definitely four of you who came up, so where are the other two?" They also said, "We have something to discuss, so let's go up to the headquarters at the mountain top." Despite the brothers resisting, saying, "We need to cut wood and sell it in the evening to buy food," the infiltrators took away the sickle they were holding and dragged them along. They then asked for the brothers' names, family relations, and the location of the police station, requesting, "Be honest about how you see us." Meanwhile, two of Woo's sixth cousins were also captured and brought there.

Woo said, "It seemed like they were on a training mission, so I told them to come to my house and have some warm soup." One of the operatives reportedly said, "We are the underground revolutionary party who crossed over from North Korea," adding, "We are finishing our mission and returning north." In reality, it was the second day since they had departed from Kaesong, North Korea, with the goal of assassinating President Park Chung-hee by raiding the Blue House.

Woo recalled, "I told them not to say such nonsense," and that the operative said, "In the North, the people live well under the sunlight of the Dear Leader, and universities are free." Woo continued, "I kept saying, 'It would be nice to live there, but here I barely make a living taking care of my elderly parents.'"

Since the January 21 Incident in 1968, public access to the northern trail of Bukaksan Mountain behind the Blue House had been restricted, but it was suddenly opened in November 2020. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

In the evening, the operatives handed over a pledge not to report to the police and a Communist Party membership application, which the Woo brothers signed. Woo recalled, "When your life is at risk, how could you not sign even 100 sheets?" The operatives then gave them Japanese wristwatches as compensation, saying, "We will come back in six months, so this is a token to meet then." They also touched Woo's face and said, "You are thin because you haven't been eating well," expressing sympathy.

As the operatives released them, they threatened, "If you report us, we will turn your house into ruins," but the Woo brothers immediately went to the police station and reported the incident. It is known that the operatives realized they had been reported when they saw the military and police setting up a blockade during a sweep operation. The infiltrators marched at 10 km/h and penetrated to Jahamun Pass, just 500 meters from the Blue House, on the night of January 21, but after a firefight with the military and police, only Pastor Kim was captured alive.

Afterwards, the defector Pastor Kim and Woo maintained contact several times until recently. Woo became a police officer in recognition of his role in reporting the armed infiltrators and retired in 2005. During his lifetime, Pastor Kim often praised Woo's brothers, saying, "They saved the Republic of Korea." It is reported that Woo, who visited the funeral, said, "I vividly remember last summer when, despite suffering from dementia, he recognized his younger brother and was happy."