제6보병사단 정보참모부 정기보고

1947. 03. 23. 제6보병사단 정보참모부 정기보고 [illegible] Confidential From: 1800I 22 Mar 47 To : 1800I 23 Mar 47 G-2 PERIODIC REPORT HQ 6TH INF DIV Pusan, Korea 1900I 23 March 1947 No. 521. MAPS: KOREA, 1/250,000. 1. Non-Operational Intelligence. None reported. 2. Counterintelligence. Subversive Activity. Illegal Activity of a Subversive Nature. KUNSAN (972 - 1450) - The NAM SUN SHINMUN, Leftist newspaper, has been ordered closed by MG for five days for illegal activities. 3. Civil Relations. a. General Conditions. (1) The general strike through out the 6th Inf Div Zone is over in all Provinces except CHOLLA-NORTH. Workers began returning to work on the morning of 23 March. (2) For "Public Opinion and Political Trends", see Incl #1. b. Civil Disturbances by Province. (1) Kyongsang-South: In PUSAN the telephone workers and a majority of the railroad workers returned to work on 23 March. 20 Korean agitators responsible for the strike and for spreading the false report about a holiday were arrested in PUSAN. A rumour persists in PUSAN that the strike was called to impress some visiting labor leaders from Japan. The returning railroad workers brought back the reversing rods for the cross-compound air compressors which they had removed from nine locomotives when they went out on strike (Reference G-2 Report #520, 22 March). Posters, calling for a riot on 23 March, were distributed to every part of the city of PUSAN on 22/23 March. The police accused the "South Korea Labor Party" but that party denied the accusation; the riot never materialized. (2) Kyongsang-North: TAEGU (1157 - 1439) - On the afternoon of 22 March the police started to move in and operate the telephone exchange and Post Office; the striking workers promised the police that they would return to work if the police desisted in their attempt to operate the installations. The police stopped and the strikers went back to work. The electric workers, however, remained on strike and the police and some of the office workers of the "South Korea Electric Co." operated the installations; the strikers began to return to work on 23 March. On the morning of 23 March about 90% of the railroad workers returned to work. Anti-MG hand-bills were once again distributed throughout the city on 23 March. (3) Cholla-South: (a) KWANGJU (991 - 1350) - All employees of railroad, utilities, MG DECLASSIFIED Authority NND745070 Confidential 285 [illegible] (over) 미국자료 | 299 [illegible] [illegible] offices and industries were returning to work on 23 March and the strikes appear to have terminated. (b) CHEJU (951 - 1151) - Additional data on the recent strike (Reference G-2 Reports #511, 13 March 47, through #513, 15 March 47, #515, 17 March 47, through #517, 19 March 47): In CHEJU City all MG employees except the Police and the Korean Governor joined the strikers. The police, who were sent from the mainland, operated the CHEJU City power plant. A MG Major went to MOSULPO (935 - 1117) during the strike and found that the entire police department had joined the strikers. Posters denounced U. S. Imperialism were found throughout the City of MOSULPO. The Korean Constabulary, stationed near MOSULPO, did not join the strike. (c) MOKPO (938 - 1307) - Railroad and utilities employees have gone back to work. (4) Cholla-North: (a) IRI (994 - 1446) - The railroad strike in IRI started at 0530, 22 March. Approximately 500 of the 1,500 railroad employees went on strike; 250 out of the 500 employees of the engineer section are among those on strike. Ten men of the "All Korean Labor Union", Left Wing, were arrested for putting up inflammatory posters and distributing hand-bills. The Electric Company employees went out on strike at 0400, 22 March 47; three employees were arrested at 1600, 22 March for removing fuses from transformers (Reference G-2 Report #520, 22 March). At close of period strikes were still in progress. (b) KUNSAN (1048 - 1466) - CHONJU CIC reports that at 0400, 23 March, a mob of 500, presumed to be Leftists, attacked a police box ten miles South of KUNSAN. The police fired into the mob, dispersed it and killed one rioter. No further details available at close of period. (c) At 2200, 21 March, the KUNSAN Minbo, Right Wing newspaper, building was seized by unknown persons believed to be members of Chosen "Democratic Young Men's Alliance", and the newsprint was thrown into a well. No casualties reported. 4. Summary of Intelligence in Adjacent Areas. SEOUL - The Leftist street-car workers are still on strike, but the cars are being operated by Rightist workers with police protection. The Rightists workers claim they will "resist to the death" any attempt by Leftists to return to work and to get their jobs back. 5. Miscellaneous. None. 1 Incl: Edwards ED.ARDS A C of S, G-2 Public Opinion and Political Trends. DECLASSIFIED Authority NND745070 Confidential 6TH INF DIV 1900I 23 March 1947 Inclosure #1 to G-2 Periodic Report #521, 23 March 1947. PUBLIC OPINION AND POLITICAL TRENDS 1. KYONGSANG-NORTH: POHANG Area: The public opinions of the Koreans towards the occupation by American Forces in the POHANG (1233 - 1461) Area have changed for the worse since last month. The people believe that many dependents are coming here and that all people that have a good house will be forced to move to accommodate the dependents. They believe that the dependents coming means that the American Forces will be here for a very long time, and that Korea will never be independent. Political Trends in the POHANG Area are about the same as last month except that in many of the police stations there has been a complete change over of policemen; whether these new policemen have Right or Left Wing tendencies remains to be seen. 2. KYONGSANG-SOUTH: a. PUSAN Area: The average Korean is not aware or concerned with Communism, or any other political group, as he merely joins a party because that political party happens to promise a result that was desireable at the moment. The promise usually concerns distribution of food. The strength of various groups under Left Wing leadership apparently is growing as evidence by a survey taken in the week ending 15 March 1947. Persons questioned were in PUSAN, TONGNAE (1208 - 1359), ULSAN (1230 - 1402), KIJANG (1220 - 1364) and in the farming and fishing communities on the eastern sea-coast of the 2nd Bn, 1st Inf area. Typical comments by Koreans interviewed: "The Right Wing People tried to establish a government and the attempt failed. The Left Wing leaders can do better"; "We are all Left Wing in this town. We were communistic under Jap rule and always will be. One of the men from our town is the number two leader in the communistic party in Northern Korea"; "Strength of the Left Wing is growing because the party wants to help the poor people and most Koreans are poor"; and in SAMSONG-NI (1252 - 1382) a man said, "We are all Left Wing here except the Military Government representative." b. Western KYONGSANG-SOUTH: The following samples of public opinion on rice collection were taken in CHINJU (1107 - 1355) on 22 and 24 February 1947: (1) KUN, Jo Hak, School Teacher, who resides in CHINJU and does not belong to any political party said: "If we got distribution of rice it's a better way for us. We have to control black market. We have to control prices by government. I am not a political man. I think that the farmers have good living conditions and that the farmers are better off by backing rice rationing." (2) HANG, Un Kum, Farmer, who resides near CHINJU and does not belong to any political Party said: "The Americans are a help to us. I am a farmer because of my knowledge. If I get orders from government I like to co-operate with them. I don't like the black market and don't need it. About inflation, I don't know anything. Farmers living conditions are very bad. We have rice collection and don't have enough food to eat; also the rice distribution sometimes is stopped." (3) CHO, Wong Ku, Show Owner in CHINJU, who does not belong to any poli- tical party: "I don't know anything about the value of the rice ration. We hope to control black market. I don't like inflation, but, if we got production we hope to control it ourselves. We hope that policemen will be more kind to us. It is my opinion that farmers have good living conditions. We hope to get an independent Incl #1 Confidential DECLASSIFIED Authority NND745070 [illegible] tial country by the co-operation of the American soldiers, and then hope they will leave." A meeting was held in the CHINHE (1165 - 1351) Pyengwhe Theatre on 26 February 1947, to organize the CHANGWON (1161 - 1365) Gun committee of the South Korea Labor Party. The chairman of the meeting was KIM, Chung Kun, Chairman of the CHINHAE People's Committee (Left Wing). Approximately 2,600 men and approximately 400 women attended this meeting. The mission of this organization, based on the resolution drawn up at the meeting, appears to be as follows: (1) A desire to resume United States-Soviet Joint Commission; (2) Opposition to trusteeship; (3) Desire for withdrawal of the order for arrest of PAK, Hun Yung; (4) Desire for the release of many people who were arrested and are in jail as the result of the "People's Dispute" (trouble in October 1946) and "other democratic patriotic movements"; and (5) This organization opposes the importing of unnecessary consumers' commodities" (candy, etc.) on a loan basis. There has been no noticeable change in the governmental functions in Western KYONGSANG-SOUTH during the past month. The government is being operated by Koreans with the American Military Government acting in an advisory capacity. Periodic and special inspections are made of all Korean Officials throughout the entire area by Military Government. 3. CHOLLA-NORTH: There has been little change in government functions during the past month. Koreans are ably running all phases of government except rice collection, which has been taken over by MG Officers. Rice collected so far is approximately 60% of the quota with six of the 16 counties having over 99% collected. Seven of the most productive counties have been lagging. Korean collection teams with police backing will concentrate on these counties until 15 March, after which date delinquent persons, especially uncooperative large land owners, will be arrested. With the spring thaw government activities held in check by the cold weather, will be intensified. Political activity reached a climax on 1 March (Sam Il Day). Most of the illegal gatherings and minor attacks on the police that occurred were concentrated in the heavy rice producing area of PUAN (973 - 1421)-CHONGUP (986- 1401)-KUNAE (989 - 1429). The South Korea Labor Party was active in this district and the presence of out of the province Communist agitators was reported. There were very few clashes between Right and Left Wing groups, except in KUNSAN (972 - 1450) where strong-arm youth groups participated in several gang attacks on each other. The North West (Soh Buk) Youth Association was quite active. It combined with the other Right Wing group, the Kwang Bok Youth Association, against the Chosun Democratic Youth Alliance and the Labor Union elements both belonging to the Left Wing. The tension created by Sam Il Day has lessened considerably with only sporadic activities reported from PUAN and KUNSAN City. The Justice Group (Chung Ee Dan), organized last Autumn, has renewed activities in CHONJU and KUNSAN. Members are mostly young riff-raff and boxers led by Right Wing elements. The presence of a Chosun Racial Youth Association, sponsored by the MG in SUWON near SEOUL, has been reported in KUNSAN. In general, the political trend is still to the Left, especially in the heavy rice-growing areas. Public opinion still favors the complete withdrawal of all Allied forces. The politically inspired school strikes have been cleared up and an average attendance of about 80% have been reported. The Korean Constabulary status remained unchanged. Recruiting is progressing satisfactorily and plans are being made for new buildings in NAMWON (1048 - 1382) and KUNSAN. Korean Coast Guard has established a new base at KUNSAN port and patrol activities have been started in the coastal areas. 4. CHOLLA-SOUTH: The active demonstrations by agricultural groups against MG anticipated in some areas with the withdrawal of rice collection teams have not developed. The rice collection food distribution programs met with better than expected [illegible] idential (Cont'd) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND748070 Confidential success. Most reports indicate satisfaction with the food situation as a just and sufficient supply is available and little real hunger is evident. The only two instances of trouble in the province on 1 March 47, were cause for an outburst of feelings against the police who are judged to have acted unwisely in dispersing crowds with the use of firearms. The larger towns have been the centers, during the past two weeks, of a loud clamor for a Democratic Police System and abolishment of the Pro-Japanese police elements. Considerable space in the newspapers has been given to the possibility of an armed clash between Russia and the U. S. and its effect upon Korea. Fear is expressed that the United Nations will not take sufficient notice of Koreas affairs to avoid such a conflict. Practically no attention was given to the attempt on the part of KIM, Koo group to set up a Provisional Government, and not much activity has been observed in the ranks of the Rightists. Confidential³ DECLASSIFIED Authority NND745070