People’ s Socio-political Experiences in Youngbo village, 1905-1953

Abstract

Youngbo village is one of influential consanguinous villages in Young-am county. In the beginning of 20th century, young Confucians from noble families in Youngbo village supported the notion of anti-western and engaged in the anti-Japanese movement which continued until 1910s. In 1920s, people in Youngbo village realized that they needed to take modern education and sciences.BR Young people in Youngbo village had a chance to learn about the socialism while they were away from home for education. They made an underground organization called “Society for Socialists in Youngam County” in April, 1932. It was in that same year June 4, when Youngbo Farmers Demontration was occurred. This was not planned by underground organizations, however. Farmers who attended a May Day rally instantaneously agreed on the idea that rights of new tenants should be restricted and this was led to a demonstration on the spot. This incident was followed by arrest of farmers around Youngbo area and caused the revelation about Society for Socialists in Youngam County.BR After the 1945 Liberation of Korea, Committee for the Preparation of Korean Independence and People’s Committee in Youngam were led by those who were involved in the incidents of Society for Socialists in Youngam County. Most people in this leader group were from Youngbo village and Gurim village. However, these people were pushed out of the organization as American Military Government was established in Korea. New right-wing leaders who were mainly from old local official’s families took the initiative in the community and many left-wing leaders put in jail. Others who were classified as left-wing by American Military Government were driven to enter a mountain area and became partisans.BR Korean War had made quite an impact on the lives of people in Youngbo village. As North Korean soldiers occupied Youngam area, some important positions such as Chairman of People’s Committee and Captain of Police were given to people in Youngbo village because these people were helping partisans in a mountain area before the war. It was not that these people themselves were left wing as well but that Youngbo village was happen to be located very close to the mountain area. Until the Korean War had broken, there were not killings in Youngbo village.BR As North Korean soldiers retreated from southern part of Korea in September, 1950, people in Youngbo village had no choice but to enter a mountain area for their own safety. Youngbo village has become a borderline between the right wing police and the left wing partisan. It was not until Youngbo village people believed the area was under the control of South Korean Police. which was spring of 1951, that they came out of the mountain area. A couple of hundreds people, however, did not come back to the village because they suspected that they could be killed if they went back. These people ended up being killed by the police or army in the mountain area of Keumjung-Myon.BR Ironically, people in Youngbo village were killed in their effort to avoid the danger of death. The massacre was not due to the struggles with each other supporting different ideologies. which were in fact the common cases in many other villages. Since people in Youngbo has long been tied together through various mutual aid associations in the village, they seemed to be able to escape from even worse tragedy.