중국 문인 卜乃夫와 한국독립운동

Boknaebu, a Chinese Writer, and the Korean Independence Movement

Boknaebu is a Chinese novelist known for his special relationship with South Korea. Most prominently, he wrote novels mainly about Korean characters, for which he achieved great fame in the history of China’s modern literature. His best-known works are 『Ro seo a ji yeon (露西亞之戀)』 and 『Buk geuk pung jeong hwa (北極風情畵)』 centering on Lee Beom-seok, leader of the second branch of the Korean Independence Army. The writer’s involvement in, and his contributions to, the Korean independence movement also led him to be strongly associated with Korea. There was a reason for Boknaebu’s participation in the Korean independence movement: his interest in activity Lee Bong-chang. After hearing the news of Lee Bong-chang’s death as a middle school student, Boknaebu decided to write a novel about Lee. While working as a newspaper reporter in Chongqing in the 1940s, he met Korean independence activities such as Park Chan-ik, Kim Koo, Lee Beom-seok, and Min Pil-ho. Those meetings immediately led Boknaebu to participate in the Korean independence movement. Boknaebu played a role in the Korean independence movement, largely in three departments: First, he engaged in propaganda activities in which he published articles about the Korean independence movement in Chinese newspapers. He wrote for ≪Ip bo (立報)≫, a Hong Kong newspaper, about his visits to Kim Koo, Lee Cheong-cheon, and Lee Beom-seok. Celebrating the 23rd anniversary of the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea on April 11, 1942, Boknaebu penned a long-form article entitled『An essay on cultural relations between China and Korea (中韓文化關係試論)』 for ≪Sin hwa Il bo (新華日報)≫. Through his writings, he helped publicize the Korean independence movement in China and prepared the documents necessary for the provisional government to negotiate with the Chinese government. Second, Boknaebu helped Korean independence activities write. For instance, from 『A diplomatic history of China and Korea (中韓外交史話)』 written by Min Pil-ho to urge China to approve the Korean provisional government, to 『Fury of Korea (Qingshanli Cheop hyeol sil lok (靑山里喋血實錄))』 written by Lee Beom-seok about the Battle of Qingshanli in which the Korean armed groups defeated the Japanese army in a landslide victory, and to 『History of the Korean Independence Army (韓國光復軍小史)』 compiled by the second branch of the Korean Independence Army to introduce the activities of the army to China, all of which Boknaebu helped published in Chinese. Third, Boknaebu was active in the Korean Independence Army. When meeting with general Lee Cheong-cheon and chief of staff Lee Beom-seok in Chongqing, Boknaebu was appointed as propaganda chief in the general headquarters. Then in October 1942, when Lee Beom-seok was appointed as leader of the second branch, Boknaebu followed him to Xi’an to serve as secretary for the branch leader. Boknaebu prepared propaganda materials and documents promoting the achievements of the army and distributed them to several newspapers circulated in Xi’an. Boknaebu’s relationship with the Korean independence movement is vital to the understanding of the Korea-China relations in various aspects during the period of the independence movement. First, the Korea-China relationship at the time was not only built at the governmental and institutional level, but also at the individual level. Second, Korea did not merely receive assistance from China, but Korea’s independence movement also significantly influenced China in several areas.