Collection
The Korean Independence Movement through the U.S. Documents
The Korean Provisional Government in Chongqing, China
Documents on the activities of the Korean Provisional Government located in Chongqing, China from 1941 to 1944. The U.S. collected intelligence on the Korean independence movement and the Korean Provisional Government with a view to attracting the Korean interim government into its fight against Japan since the U.S. had signed the Atlantic Charter. The documents are part of reports then the U.S. government had sent to its secretary of state and President. The U.S. embassies had collected a wide variety of intelligence ranging from the Korean independence movement, the makeup of the Korean provisional government and its major leaders, the provisional constitution, the platform of national foundation, the integration of the Korean Liberation Army and Korean Volunteer Corps, the involvement of Korean Revolution Association into the Korean Provisional Government, China’s support of the Korean Provisional Government, issues related with the endorsement of the Korean Provisional Government, etc. In addition, the collection includes major historical records associated with the Korean Provisional Government which was collected by the U.S. Office of Strategic Services(OSS) to which the Korean interim government translated and delivered its records in English. The commentaries included in the records are part of the regular OSS comments on the reports on Korea made by the State Department and others.
Korean Revolution Association and Korean Volunteer Corps
Documents on the Korean Revolution Association and Korean Volunteer Corps. The documents provide a detailed explanation of the involvement of the Korean Revolution Association in the Korean Provisional Government in 1942 and power struggles with the Korean Independence Party inside the interim government since the Korean Volunteer Corps integrated into the Korean Liberation Army. “Woori Tongshin” published by the Korean Revolution Association recorded the comments made by the members of the Korean Revolution Association during the 34th parliamentary session, intelligence on other leaders’ movement, etc. and it contained information mainly on the issues related with the amendment of the provisional constitution, the expansion of cabinet members, and etc. In addition, the letters, exchanged between Kim Yak-san and independent leaders in the U.S. such as Han Gil-soo, Lee Kyeong-sun, and others, contained information on the fact that the so-called Kim Yak-san group, which was referred to as a left-winger, cooperated with independent leaders in the U.S. such as Han Gil-soo, Lee, Kyeong-sun, etc. who were pitted against Rhee Seung-man in order to gain support from the Korean societies of the U.S.
Korean Independence Movement in the U.S.
Documents related to the Korean independence movement in the U.S. from 1942 to 1943. The historical record of the Korean Liberty Conference, which took place in Lafayette Hotel, Washington, D. C. from February 27 to March 1, 1942, reveals that the conference had discussed the core agenda of a request for the U.S. government approval of the Korean Provisional Government. A report written by the California local chapter of the Office of Strategic Services contains information on preparatory meetings of the 1943 annual gathering of the United Korean Committee. The report provides details of the conflicts between Rhee Seung-man and the United Korean Committee led by the Korean National Association. In addition, the documents contain other historical records of the U.S. which display detailed information about the situations facing Korean people both in the mainland of the U.S. and Hawaii and the U.S. government’s efforts to make Korean people overseas armed for its war against Japan.