Re: ROK Army

The Mt. Songahk Incident: An ROKA attack on North Korea in 1949

On May 22, 1947, the US and the USSR agreed on a north-south trade pact, which lasted until March 31, 1949. During this brief period, south Korea sent North Korea medical supplies, electric devices, raw rubber, textiles, auto parts and other merchandise, while North Korea bartered fish and carbide and other raw materials. The goods were exchanged at Tosung (土城), Daiwong-ri (大院里), Yangmun-ri (梁文里) and other villages alon the 38th Parallel. There was a great deal of money to be made in these barter deals and the army controlled these sites. One had to get army permits to participate in the trades.

Kim Suk Won became the commander of the 1st Division in January 1949. Col. Kim felt that the materials being sent to North Korea would help the enemy military and thus stopped the barter in his area of command. Furthermore, he confiscated 20 truck loads of fish from North Korea. Amidst of this turmoil, Kim Suk Won mounted a battalion-strength attack across the 38th on May 3, 1949, in the vicinity of Mt. Song-ahk (송악산) near Kaesung. The battle raged for two days and the battalion was badly mauled by the North Korean units led by Choe Hyon. The battalion commander was killed along with some 39 men, and many were wounded or captured. This is known as the May 4th Mt. Songahk Incident.

In the aftermath of this fiasco, Kim Suk Won tried to please his troops and fed them the shanghaied fish. He sold some of the fish at Seoul's South Gate market and bought drinks, fruits and candies for his men. He also paid the civilians he had mobilized for his ill-fated battle.

Now the merchants, whose fish Kim Suk Won confiscated illegally, did not sit idle; they made loud noise at high places and eventually, Chae Byong Duk sent a team to investigate the matter and ordered Kim Suk Won to return the fish to the rightful owners. However, Kim Suk Won refused to obey. While Chae claimed that Kim illegally seized the fish for illegal usage, Kim claimed that Chae profited from the trade that benefited the enemy.

Kim Suk Won was 20 years senior to Chae at the Japanese Military Academy, but Chae was Kim's superior officer and Kim was not happy about it. The mutual personal hatred of Kim and Chae eventually caught the attention of Rhee Syngman and the two were called in and told to make peace. Kim persisted and kept his personal attacks on Chae. Finally, Rhee had enough and fired both Kim and Chae in October 1949. They were discharged from the army.

Source: http://banmin.or.kr/n_chungsan60/gun/cbd.htm

Did ROKA Break and Run? Many did

When the Korean War broke out, Kim Suk Won commanded the Capital Division and then the 3rd Division. He division engaged the enemy at Jinchun, Youngduk and other locations. His old habits from his days with the Japanese army changed little. Yu Won Sik, one of Kim Suk Won's field commanders, recollects the Pohang battle:

"Gen. Kim Suk Won was handed his Japanese samurai sword by his aid. He stood with the sword in hand like an old shogun. He glanced at the enemy positions and then shouted loudly at us standing around him.

'We must fight to the end. When no more shells, throw rocks, when no more rocks, use your teeth to bite the enemy. No matter what, you must kill the enemy.'

Having given us his order, he left us. We were determined to defend Pohang at all costs as commanded. But during the night, we received agonizing news: "Our army is retreating everywhere", "The enemy has penetrated our perimeters", "There is no unit left. All have left south".

I wanted to order my men to stay put and defend Pohang until we receive a new order from Gen. Kim Suk Won, but my chief-of-staff protested:

'Sir, it is senseless to fight an enemy much superior to us. It would be a senseless waste of our troops.'

At this moment, another messenger came and told me Pohang was evacuated. There was no sense in trying to defend Pohang with no troops. I was informed that the divisional HQ was gone, too. There was no soul at the HQ. I could not believe this and decided to find the fact myself. I went to the HQ and it was true that it was empty. There was no sentry, no Gen. Kim at the HQ.

For the first time, I felt betrayed by my commanding officers. How could they leave us here and flee to save their own necks? How can this be? I decided to find Gen. Kim. He must have a good explanation and I needed a new order from him anyway. I crossed the bridge across the Hyongsan River and roamed the fields in the dark looking for my commander. I saw a farmer's hut guarded by a sentry and went in.

What I saw in the courtyard was out of this world, an unbelievable scene. There he was, half-naked, guzzling down beer. He had one aid in front and another in the back, fanning him. Instinctively, enraged, I pulled out my pistol to shoot that bastard, but then I regained my reason and put down the gun. I reasoned that that was his personal habit and had every right to drink beer and get cooled by his aids. After all, he was a general and generals do have certain privileges.

I reasoned - "That scum is not worth my bullet. It is better that I went back to my troops and fight to the best of my ability. That is my duty as an officer."