日帝末期 兵力動員政策의 展開와 平壤學兵事件

Japanese imperialists expanded invasive war through Manchurian Incident in 1931, Sino-Japanese War in 1937, and the Pacific War in 1941. Military force Japan needed was estimated as 2,5000,000, 3,500,000, 2,500,000, 2,000,000, 1,500,000, and 1,500,000 in the each year of 1941-1946. As the Japanese people could not provide such large-scale military force, Japan also mobilized the colonial people - Koreans and Taiwanese. In 1938, the volunteer system was put to practice in Korea and the conscription system was established in 1944. As a result of that, all 20 year old Korean youth including college or university students were mobilized. On October 20, 1943, the 48th and 53rd Decree on a Provisional Employment of Special Volunteers were declared by the Department of War, which meant that 20 and over 20 year old Korean students of law or humane studies would directly enter the service without training courses. However, graduates and students of science and engineering were mobilized as volunteer. Most students volunteered by pressure, not by willingness. Because the Japanese authorities took deceptive and coercive methods, it was natural for student soldiers to plan to run away in an anti-Japanese mood. Pyeong-yang division, which was created in 1943, had the 42nd infantry the 43rd infantry - stationed in Ham-heung -, the 44th infantry, the 47th artillery, the 48th engineers and the 50th military supplies. Japanese senior soldiers treated Korean students in quarters with extreme contempt or assault. Korean students wanted to escape from the inhumane condictions and to participate in independence movement. Pyeong-yang student solider incident occurred mainly in the 42th infantry, in which they made systematic contacts with other groups of the division. The incident revealed the fallacy of Kominka policy - making Koreans the loyal subjects of Japanese Emperor - and forceful mobilization of military force in colonial Korea.