Choe Chang-ik
| Choe Chang-ik | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
1896 Onsong County |
| Died |
1960 (aged 63–64) Pyongyang |
| Nationality | Korean |
| Other names | Choe Chang-sok, Choe Chang-sun, Choe Tong-u, Ri Kon-u |
| Choe Chang-ik | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 최창익 |
|---|---|
| Hancha | 崔昌益 |
| Revised Romanization | Choe Chang-ik |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ch'oe Ch'angik |
Choe Chang-ik (Hangul: 최창익; Hanja: 崔昌益, 1896 – 1960[1]) was a politician from the Japanese colonial era. He was a member of the Korean independence movement.[2] He was also known by the names Choe Chang-sok (최창석, 崔昌錫), Choe Chang-sun (최창순, 崔昌淳), Choe Tong-u (최동우, 崔東宇), and Ri Kon-u.
Early life
Choe Chang-ik was born in Onsong County, Korea in 1896.
In his second year of high school, he took part in the March 1st Movement, which resulted in his expulsion. That same year, he went to Japan to continue his education at the Seisoku English School (today's Seisoku Gakuen High School).
Choe Chang-ik was admitted to Tokyo's Waseda University's Department of Economics and Politics and continued his activist work there by organizing a student union. His activism included secretly infiltrating areas in Korea such as Ganggyeong, Jeonju, Okgu, and Gunsan, where he went on a lecturing tour to share his ideals on socialism and equality. Choe Chang-ik was arrested by the Japanese police for these activities. He was eventually released. He graduated from Waseda University in February 1925.
Political activism
In 1923, Choe Chang-ik returned to Korea and became a member of the Korean Labor Society in June. In July, same year, he contributed to the founding of the Korea Communist Youth Alliance and served as a commissioner. By September, he was arrested by the police while leading a Korean Labor Conference meeting.[3]
Choe took part in the founding of the Joseon Youth Alliance and was elected to the group's central executive committee in April 1924. Eight months later, he helped found the Socialist Alliance (an organization not affiliated with the Seoul Youth Association) and was elected to serve as a member of its executive committee.
Following his graduation, Choe traveled to the Communist International World Congress as a representative of the Seoul Youth Association. During his return home, he became involved with Kim Chwa-chin's Shinmin group, a rebel community in Manchuria's province of Shinmin. Choe eventually worked to create a communist league within the organization.
Choe eventually seceded from Kim's group in October 1925 and returned to Korea. In the same month, Japanese officials arrested Choe for his involvement with the Shinmin group among with Han Bin (한빈, 韓斌), Lee Kyung-ho (이경호, 李京鎬) and Lee Young (이영, 李英).
In 1926, Choe and Park Du-hui, a member from the Shinmin group, were selected to attend a communist conference in Vladivostok. While there, Choe Chang-ik joined efforts in starting a national party assembly.
Upon returning to Korea in 1927, he joined the Communist Party of Korea and became an executive of the party.
In February 1928, Choe Chang-ik was imprisoned for the so-called "Third Communist Party of Korea Incident" until he escaped from prison in 1935.
In 1936, he sought and gained political asylum in China. There, he became a part of the Korean National Revolutionary Party, and formed the Chonwi Club (전위동맹) in Hankou.
He married Heo Jong-suk in 1937.
In May 1938, he became the commander of Choson uiyongdae (조선의용대), which was Kim Won-bong's Korean National Revolutionary Party's Military Organization, but he complained that it was funded by Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang. Because of this incident, he had a disagreement and left Kim Won-bong's organization (김원봉, 金元鳳). He also went to Yan'an, in partnership with Mujong (무정, 武亭) and Kim Tu-bong (김두봉, 金枓奉).
In January 1941, with funding from the China Communist Party, later with Lee Gunwu, Mujung's founded 'Hebei Korea Youth Federation' in Jindong. In 1942, with Kim Dubong and Lee Gunwu, Mujung, Han bin was created an Chosun independent alliance, and he was elected as the Vice-Chairman of the independent alliance.
In September 1945, he was appointed to the Communist Party of Korea's Political Committee, and in December he returned to Pyongyang, North Korea with Kim Tu-bong and Mujong.
In March 1946, he founded the New Korean Democratic Party and was elected Vice-Chairman. In August of that year, the New Democratic Party and the Communist Party of Korea were integrated and he was involved. In September, Workers' Party of North Korea's Central Committee, the Standing Committee was elected to Commerce and Business commissar and political commissar for him.
Ambassador Ianov and Choe Chang-ik discussed the visit of the DPRK government delegation to Eastern Europe and the USSR and the policies of the Korean Worker's Party.
In 1948, the Workers' Party of North Korea's Central Committee and deputies of the North Korean Supreme People's Assembly. In September, first North Korean Finance Ministers. In 1952 Deputy Prime Minister, in 1954 Finance Minister, 1955 Security minister of DPRK.
Choe was murdered by the secret state police in 1960 at the age of 63 or 64, while imprisoned in Pyongyang.
His birth-date remains unknown due to being a communist and deemed traitor purges by North Korea, Choe Chang-ik was a taboo subject for discussion in South Korea. Thus, his birthdate is still unknown.
See also
References
- ↑ Charles K. Armstrong (July 2013). Tyranny of the weak. Cornell University Press. p. 130.
- ↑ "민족문화대백과사전". encykorea.aks.ac.kr. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
- ↑ "최창익". Naver. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
External links
- Choe Chang-ik (in Korean)
- Choe Chang-ik: Korean historic person information (in Korean)
- Choe Chang-ik (in Korean)