Song Changseok's Son Loans Father's Keepsake
"Prepared at Kim Gu's Own Expense"
The "Liberation Army ring," known to have been prepared by Kim Gu at his own expense for members of the Korean Liberation Army ahead of their operation to enter Korea just before liberation, has been made public for the first time on the 107th March 1st Movement anniversary.
The Liberation Army ring revealed by the bereaved family of independence activist Changseok Song. Photo by Yonhap News
According to a report by Yonhap News Agency on March 1, Song Jinwon, 60, the son of the late independence activist Song Changseok, who was a member of the Liberation Army, entrusted his father's keepsake ring to the Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on a loan basis on February 27.
Song said, "My father told me that Kim Gu said, 'This ring could serve as your military identification. If you die on the soil of our homeland, it will be used to confirm your identity.'"
The ring is said to have been awarded by Kim Gu to 44 radio operator trainees during the Provisional Government's inspection tour from Chongqing to Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, in August 1945. According to documents left by Song, Kim Gu used his personal funds to prepare the rings, saying at the time, "I want to give a keepsake to those who are going home to die for their country." The idea for the ring was proposed by Lee Jaehyun, who was a senior officer at the time.
Song, the independence activist, fought against the Japanese in the Chinese military during the 1940s and joined the Liberation Army in 1945. He also participated in the Korea-U.S. joint special training, known as "Operation Eagle" (OSS training). In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the Patriotic Order of Merit for National Foundation.
Explanation of the ring left by independence activist Song Changseok during his lifetime. Yonhap News
The revealed ring is engraved with patterns of a rose of Sharon and a star, while a lightning bolt symbolizes the radio operator unit to which Song belonged. Inside, the product number and the Chinese characters for "Hangwang Radio Operator Unit" are inscribed, showing similarities to officer markings of the Liberation Army training units of the time.
The Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities commented on the ring, calling it "a valuable artifact through which one can truly feel the spirit of young people who were ready to sacrifice their lives for independence, much like Lee Bongchang's oath or Yun Bonggil's pocket watch," and added, "It will be used to establish the legitimacy of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces as descendants of the independence army."
Song added, "My father completed his training, fully prepared to give his life fighting abroad, but when the operation was canceled, he wept in grief. I decided to entrust the ring so that this history will not be forgotten."
However, Song made it clear that he does not intend to donate this keepsake to the Independence Hall of Korea, as he has had disagreements with the institution over past controversies concerning the diminishing of the independence movement.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
