History of the Independence Movement in San Francisco
The Korean community in America autonomously organized the Korean National Association (대한인국민회) in February 1909, aiming to achieve their homeland’s independence. During the Russo-Japanese War, Japanese troops, referred to as the ‘Korean Army in Korea,’ returned to Japan and, under the pretext of financial difficulties, disbanded the Korean military. Around 300 of the disbanded soldiers came to Hawaii, becoming an integral part of the Korean community.
Approximately 200 others dispersed across the mainland United States, including San Francisco, various parts of California, Nebraska, and Colorado, also becoming part of the Korean community there. Known as Gwangmu Soldiers, they deeply regretted their inability to protect their homeland after the annexation of Korea by Japan and took the lead in the military movement promoted by the Korean National Association. They conducted military training whenever they had the opportunity.
In June 1909, the Military School for Korean Youth was established in Hastings, Nebraska, to provide military education for the independence war. The school operated a summer program for Korean students and youth in America. The Korean community also formed a maintenance group to support the cadet school.
Starting in October 1910, a ‘military training group’ was organized at the Claremont Student Training Center in Northeast Los Angeles, managed by the Korean National Association, conducting training three nights a week. In the Lompoc area, a ‘volunteer training group’ was formed, training every evening. In November, a ‘cadet academy’ was established in Kansas City, and in December, a ‘youth cadet academy’ was set up in Superior, Wyoming, with training held every evening.
In Hawaii, where the Korean community was large, the Daedong Gongjindan led military training at local farms, centering around the Gwangmu soldiers. The ‘Great Korean National Corps,’ also known as the ‘Mountain Beyond Cadet School,’ was formed, and the ‘Great Korean National Corps Officer School’ was established to formally train officers. The officer school had around 300 students. The National Corps was connected to the Korean Liberation Army of the Provisional Government of Korea, organized in Vladivostok by leaders like Lee Sang-seol and Lee Dong-hwi.
Song of the National Corps
Oh, our National Corps youth/ All healthy children, come out/ Sing the song of the National Corps with one voice/ Sing the song of the National Corps/ Raise our voices high/ Wake the sleeping, raise the dead/ Sing the song of our National Corps.
Throughout the United States, numerous schools were established to train military forces for the independence of Korea. However, the armed independence line based on the ‘independence war theory’ gradually weakened due to differences among leaders, distance from the battlefields, and financial exhaustion.
On April 25, 1945, representatives from 50 countries gathered in San Francisco, USA, to discuss post-war world peace and security. The Korean Provisional Government attempted to send a representative to the San Francisco Conference but was not recognized. Concluding that only military planning and implementation could compensate for the lack of diplomatic success, the Korean Provisional Government decided to train soldiers more actively. However, Korea soon gained independence. After 27 years in exile, the Korean Provisional Government returned to Seoul in November 1945 with the new mission of rebuilding the nation.
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