Righteous Government


The Righteous Government was an anti-Japanese armed independence movement organization and military government organized in West Jiandao in 1924 through the unification movement of Korean independence groups in Manchuria and as an autonomous organization for Koreans. Yang Gi-tak, Kim Dong-sam, and Ji Cheong-cheon founded its base in the Bongcheon and Jilin provinces. In the mid-1920s, leaders of the Korean independence movement in Manchuria hoped for a grand unification of the independence groups for a more effective anti-Japanese armed struggle. Accordingly, the leaders held several meetings since 1923 and promoted the integration of various organizations. The Righteous Government was established around the same time the General Staff Headquarters, and the Korean People's Association in Manchuria. It is referred to as the third prefecture along with others, and was an organization that led the independence movement in Manchuria in the mid to late 1920s.

Background

After the Battle of Cheongsanri in 1920, the independence movement in Manchuria and Primorsky Krai was dispersed and stagnated due to the Japanese army's Gando Massacre and the Free City Incident. The independence fighters who returned to Manchuria pursued integration with the independence movement organizations that remained in Manchuria, and in February 1922, independence movement organizations in the western Jiandao region, including the Korean Independence Corps and the Seoro Military Government, held a conference on unification. An agreement was reached on the formation of the Unification Military Government. Then, in August 1922, more organizations participated and it expanded into Korean Unification Government, integrating organizations such as the Northern Military Administration Office and the Korean Independence Association. Afterwards, as it expanded and developed into the Department of Korean Tongui in Western Jiandao. However, from the beginning of Tonguibu's establishment, ideological conflict continued between monarchists and republicans. As Unification Government was divided and weakened, Yang Gi-tak, along with the leaders of the West Jiandao independence movement, Lee Jang-nyeong, Ji Cheong-cheon, and Son Il-min, promoted the unification of the Manchurian independence movement groups. Division occurred within the leading force, some of the Unification Government volunteer army, who felt skeptical about the internal division and conflict, left the Unification Government in May 1924 and formed the General Staff Headquarters as a direct branch of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. On July 10, 1924, an inaugural meeting of the Jeonman Unification Association was held in Jilin, and then a plenary session was held on October 18, and Kim Dong-sam was elected as chairman.

History

Representatives from the Korean Unification Government, Military Government Office, Gwangjeongdan, Uiwudan, Jilin Residents' Association, Labor Friendship Association, Advocates' Association, Gobongye, etc. As a result of holding a unified conference in Liuhe County, the Righteous Government, an independence movement federation, was created in November 1924. And although some groups withdrew during the meeting, eventually 25 representatives from eight groups agreed to form the Righteous Government as a union of independence movement groups on December 25, 1924. Central administrative committee members include Lee Tak, Oh Dong-jin, Hyeon Jeong-gyeong, Kim I-dae, Yun Deok-bo, Kim Yong-dae, Lee Jin-san, and Kim Hyeong-sik., Ji Cheong-cheon, etc. were elected. The Righteous Government insisted on focusing on the economy, industry, and education and working toward independence.
After its founding, the charter and declaration were announced and members of the autonomy, military, education, finance, and livelihood subcommittees were appointed, and the central administrative committee members included Lee Tak, Oh Dong-jin, Hyeon Jeong-gyeong, and Kim I-dae. The organization was completed by electing Kim Dae-dae, Yun Deok-bo, and Ji Cheong-cheon.
Next, with headquarters in Yuha-hyeon, the Central Committee was organized in March 1925, with the following members: Central Administrative Committee Chairman Lee Tak, civil affairs Hyeon Jeong-gyeong, propaganda Lee Jong-geon, treasurer Kim I-dae, military Ji Cheong-cheon, legal affairs Lee Jin-san, and academic affairs Kim Yong-dae. Chairman Kim Yeong-dae, transportation Yoon Deok-bo, livelihood Oh Dong-jin, and diplomacy Kim Dong-sam were appointed.
In July of the same year, Lee Sang-ryong, an official of the Bureau of Justice and Military Prefecture, was appointed to the State Council of the Shanghai Provisional Government, and a coalition cabinet centered on the anti-Japanese independence movement groups in Manchuria was established. However, the Manchurian independence movement, which did not highly evaluate the provisional government, As the sculpture failed due to groups' refusal to take office, Lee Sang-ryong resigned from his position as head of state in February of the following year.
As controversy arose, such as a conflict between the Central Administrative Committee and the Central Council, over this issue, Lee Hae-ryong, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Central Council, organized the Righteous Government County and People's Representative Council as an emergency measure in January 1926, and made resolutions. Then he proclaimed and established a new charter.
In October of the same year, the Righteous Government held the 3rd Central Council, restored the civilian administration from the County and Citizens' Representative Council, and revised the charter. From this time on, the Righteous Government took into account the realistic conditions of independence movement groups, refrained from military action, and focused on promoting food production and industry.
Jeong Yi-hyeong, Yang Gi-tak, Hyeon Jeong-gyeong, and Oh Dong-jin, who were participating in the Righteous Government, agreed that a core group was needed to systematically lead the independence movement. So, they contacted Lee Gyu-poong and Joo Jin-su from Noryeong, Kim Bong-guk and Lee Dong-rak from the Korean Revolutionary Committee, Cheondogyo reformists from Korea, and Lee Dong-gu from Hyeongpyeongsa. So, the Korean Revolutionary Party was organized in Jilin Province in April 1926.
However, the Korean Revolutionary Party was unable to realize its ideals due to ideological conflict between nationalists and socialists within the party. In the end, members of the nationalist camp continued to defect from the party, and Joo Jin-soo and Lee Kyu-poong returned to the Soviet Union. Moreover, when Lee Dong-rak was arrested in December 1926, he had Korean Revolutionary Party documents and the names of officials were on the documents. Based on this, Japan launched a large-scale arrest operation. By December of the following year, 15 key executives, including Oh Dong-jin, chairman of the Military Committee of the Righteous Government Jeong I-hyeong, and Lee Dong-gu, were caught by the Japanese police and were disbanded.
From late 1926, a movement for a single national party developed within China, and around Ahn Chang-ho's visit to Manchuria in January 1927, the integration of the three branches was promoted as part of the movement for a single national party in Manchuria as well. However, differences of opinion and division arose over the direction and content of that integration. A three-part integrated conference was held under the auspices of theRighteous Government in September 1928, but the conference was discontinued in November as differences of opinion could not be resolved. Then, in December 1928, Kim Dong-sam, Ji Ji-cheon, and Kim Won-sik withdrew from the Righteous Government and formed the Innovation Council by merging with the Korean People's Association in Manchuria military faction and the General Staff Headquarters secession faction. Meanwhile, the remaining majority faction of the Righteous Government united with the civilian government faction of the Korean People's Association in Manchuria and the remaining forces of the Righteous Government and organized the National People's Prefecture on April 1, 1929.

Governance

The Righteous Government can be divided into central organization, local organization, and military organization. In this way, the Righteous Government can carry out autonomous and military activities. In the beginning, the Ministry of Justice focused on civil affairs activities to establish an economic foundation for the people under its jurisdiction, and in the case of military organization, it maintained an organization based on the existing Tonguibu volunteer army. The activities of the Ministry of Justice can be divided into civil affairs activities and military activities. All independence movement groups in the Gando region led the autonomous activities of the Korean community in Manchuria, fostering the foundation for the independence movement, and at the same time carrying out armed struggle activities.

Charter

On November 24, 1924, 25 representatives of eight organizations, including the Military Government Office, Jilin Residents' Association, Daehan Gwangjeongdan, Korean Independence Corps, Daehan Tonguibu, Labor Friendship Association, Uiseongdan, Japryun Autonomous Association, and Gobongye, created the Righteous Government and announced a charter and declaration.
The characteristics of the new charter were the adoption of a modern constitutional system of separation of powers, cabinet responsibility system, and local autonomy system. After the establishment of the Military and People's Representative Council, the military faction of the Righteous Government increased, and armed resistance became important. The declaration announced by the Ministry of Justice stated that it would strive for the economy, industry, and education, and to complete the cause of liberation for independence. It was an attempt to restore the unstable Korean community in Manchuria and the independence movement front by forming a joint organization. The Jeonman Unification Association said:
  1. The name of the organization is Righteous Government.
  2. The name of the era is decided to be the origin of the founding nation.
  3. The system has district councils, local councils, and central councils as parliamentary institutions.
  4. The charter is passed in Chapter 6, Article 88.
  5. Each organization prepares a name cancellation statement and promulgates it with the signature of the representative of each organization.
  6. The affairs of each group shall be transferred to the Ministry of Justice within two full months from the closing date of the association.
  7. A temporary administrative executive committee will be established to temporarily carry out government affairs before the formal Central Administrative Committee is established.' etc. were announced as resolutions.