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Student Volunteer Forces ( ko, 학도의용군, HakDoUiYongGun) or Student Volunteer Troops ( ko, 학도의용대, HakDoUiYongDae), also known as Student Volunteer Soldiers ( ko, 학도의용병, HakDoUiYongByeong) or simply Student Soldiers ( ko, 학도병, HakDoByeong), were
student A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution. In the United Kingdom and most commonwealth countries, a "student" attends a secondary school or higher (e.g., college or university); those in primary or elementa ...
s that fought against the North Korean forces and Chinese forces on behalf of the
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
during the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...
. Students
volunteered Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...
or were
conscripted Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day und ...
into the
Republic of Korea Armed Forces The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (), also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of ...
as emergency troops to fight against
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and ...
's
invasion of South Korea , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. The invasion triggered the conflict and almost overran the country. The student volunteer troops were
demobilized Demobilization or demobilisation (see spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and milita ...
when South Korean and
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
forces secured the 38th parallel in March 1951, when most of them returned to their education and some enlisted in the
ROK Army The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; ko, 대한민국 육군; Hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍; RR: ''Daehanminguk Yuk-gun''), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the l ...
.


Term

The term Student Soldier ( ko, 학도병, HakDoByeong) has two meanings in South Korea. Firstly, student soldiers who served in the
Imperial Japanese Armed Forces The Imperial Japanese Armed Forces (IJAF) were the combined military forces of the Japanese Empire. Formed during the Meiji Restoration in 1868,"One can date the 'restoration' of imperial rule from the edict of 3 January 1868." p. 334. they ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
in the Japanese occupation period (refer to 学徒出陣). Secondly, student soldiers who served in the
South Korean Armed Forces The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (), also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of ...
during the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...
. Student soldiers who fought in the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...
prefer to be called Student Volunteer Forces ( ko, 학도의용군, HakDoUiYongGun).


History

The organization of () by 200 student officers of the () from all around Seoul who gathered in
Suwon Suwon (, ) is the capital and largest city of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea's most populous province which surrounds Seoul, the national capital. Suwon lies about south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety". With a populati ...
was the first time students were conscripted to be soldiers. Some of them bore rifles and ammunition with their uniforms as they entered the South Korean army unit, which had been guarding the Han River from June 29, 1950, in order to participate in the battle. However, the has made most of the student soldiers responsible for the rear-area missions, including refugee relief, bulletin reports and street propaganda. Many students were not satisfied with their mission in the rear, but they supported individual enlistment, and the rest asked students to authorize the
Ministry of National Defense {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
to form a battle unit with the school only. However, the Ministry of National Defense's high-ranking officials insisted on pursuing the guidance of the Ministry of Defense while retaining the participation of the academics who would bear the future of the nation. The evacuation academics who went to
Daejeon Daejeon () is South Korea's fifth-largest metropolis, with a population of 1.5 million as of 2019. Located in the central-west region of South Korea alongside forested hills and the Geum River, the city is known both for its technology an ...
on July 14 and the local academics organized themselves again. The students individually supported the local enlistment and served as soldiers of the Armed Forces. A number of female students were also appointed as nurses. The student soldiers went down to Daegu and were once again organized into 10 divisions of the armed forces and their subordinate units. The student soldiers made great achievements in the
Nakdong River The Nakdonggang River or Nakdonggang () is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan. It takes its name from its role as the eastern border of the Gaya confederacy during Korea's Three Kingdoms Er ...
Defense Line, which was considered as the last fortress. About 700 of them were transferred to UN troops in
Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea ...
in mid-July. After graduating, they went to Japan and went on a regular operation in Incheon Landing Operation on September 15. In addition, the 22nd and 26th Regiments of the 3rd Infantry Division of the
ROK Army The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; ko, 대한민국 육군; Hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍; RR: ''Daehanminguk Yuk-gun''), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the l ...
, and the 15th Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division of the
ROK Army The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; ko, 대한민국 육군; Hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍; RR: ''Daehanminguk Yuk-gun''), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the l ...
filled the majority of the recruits with the student soldiers from the middle of July. At the beginning of August, the newly formed cohort, in Daegu also filled most of the troop vacancies with student soldiers. In early August, about 1,500 students from the army headquarters of the Army headquarters in Daegu soon joined the
South Korean Armed Forces The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (), also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of ...
in Milyang. They penetrated the enemy's rear area and began guerrilla warfare. Among them, the 1st Battalion was involved in a landing operation in Yeongdeok District, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and 100 of the enemy were killed. The 2nd, 3rd and 5th battalions were deployed to the Taebaek mountain range from early October and cleared the enemy who fled. After that, they were deployed into the Honam district again from December, and the remaining enemy were removed. The school graduates also accomplished a great deal by carrying out pre-emptive activities for the residents in the vulnerable area south of the 38th parallel in the restoration area, where spies were often found. As the army crossed the 38th parallel, the academics of the restoration area also supported the operation of the armed forces through various organizations themselves. They were grouped together with a 1.4 retreat and continued in the name of the school militia, and many of them enlisted as regular army troops, numbering about 4,000.


Return to School

In March 1951, when the
South Korean Armed Forces The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (), also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of ...
and
UN Forces Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare. Within the United ...
overcame the Chinese army and restored the balance and stability of the front lines, the people who came down to find refugees also began to return to their hometowns to regain their jobs. President
Syngman Rhee Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960. Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...
announced that the young students who were the future of the nation should return to the academy urgently to continue their studies.
The Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
issued the following instructions to the students scattered across the country. Students received good luck blessings: # All student soldiers will return to their original school. # School authorities will accept unconditional restitution if the military service of the school is cancelled due to military service # The military and other schools will be returning from military service # The students who missed the grade promotion of military uniforms will accept grade promotion according to their wishes. The student volunteers lay down their weapons and took off their uniforms in Hongcheon, Gangwon-do on March 16, and students who insisted on fighting to the end, including many North Korean student soldiers, enlisted again in the field and received appropriate ranks and service numbers.


Student Volunteer Force of Koreans In Japan

642 Koreans who resident in Japan (most of them are students) also joined the
South Korean Armed Forces The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (), also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of ...
to rescue their homeland. They were called the Student Volunteer Force of Koreans In Japan () and attached to the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, c ...
and
ROK Army The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; ko, 대한민국 육군; Hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍; RR: ''Daehanminguk Yuk-gun''), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the l ...
. In the beginning, they didn't have
rank Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as: Level or position in a hierarchical organization * Academic rank * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy * H ...
and
dog tag Dog tag is an informal but common term for a specific type of identification tag worn by military personnel. The tags' primary use is for the identification of casualties; they have information about the individual written on them, including ...
s. Their only identifying mark was an attached patch with a
wordmark __notoc__ A wordmark, word mark, or logotype, is usually a distinct text-only typographic treatment of the name of a company, institution, or product name used for purposes of identification and branding. Examples can be found in the graphic iden ...
containing the words on their uniforms. They participated in the
Battle of Inchon The Battle of Incheon (), also spelled Battle of Inchon, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved ...
,
Battle of Chosin Reservoir The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin (), was an important battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "''Chōshin'', instead of th ...
,
Battle of the Punchbowl The Battle of the Punchbowl ( ko, 펀치볼 전투), was one of the last battles of the movement phase of the Korean War. Following the breakdown of armistice negotiations in August 1951, the United Nations Command (UN) decided to launch a limit ...
,
Battle of White Horse Hill The Battle of White Horse Hill ( ko, 백마고지 전투, )took place during the Korean War. White Horse Hill (Hill 395) in the Iron Triangle (Korea), Iron Triangle, formed by Pyonggang at its peak and Gimhwa-eup and Cheorwon County, Cheorwon-eup ...
and many others and casualties are as follows,


Main battles

* Battle of Hadong *
Battle of P'ohang-dong The Battle of P'ohang-dong was an engagement between the United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces early in the Korean War, with fighting continuing from 5–20 August 1950 around the town of P'ohang-dong, South Korea. It was a part of ...
*
Battle of Jangsari The Battle of Jangsari () or Operation Jangsa Landing () was an Amphibious warfare, amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War. The official report name for the operation was 'Operational Order 174' (). Background In September 1950, ...
* Student Volunteer Force of Koreans In Japan **
Battle of Inchon The Battle of Incheon (), also spelled Battle of Inchon, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved ...
**
Battle of Chosin Reservoir The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin (), was an important battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "''Chōshin'', instead of th ...
**
Battle of the Punchbowl The Battle of the Punchbowl ( ko, 펀치볼 전투), was one of the last battles of the movement phase of the Korean War. Following the breakdown of armistice negotiations in August 1951, the United Nations Command (UN) decided to launch a limit ...
**
Battle of White Horse Hill The Battle of White Horse Hill ( ko, 백마고지 전투, )took place during the Korean War. White Horse Hill (Hill 395) in the Iron Triangle (Korea), Iron Triangle, formed by Pyonggang at its peak and Gimhwa-eup and Cheorwon County, Cheorwon-eup ...


Monuments and Memorials hall


Student Volunteer Forces Korean War monument

There is a monument in front of Pohang Girls' High School in Haksan-dong, Buk-gu,
Pohang Pohang () is a city in the province of North Gyeongsang, South Korea, and a main seaport in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. The built-up area of Pohang is located on the alluvium of the mouth of the Hyeongsan River. The city is divided into two ...
,
Gyeongsangbuk-do North Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상북도, translit=Gyeongsangbuk-do, ) is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, and remained a province of Korea until the ...
where 71 students were ambushed wearing their uniforms at 4 am on 11 August 1950. They fought for an extended period of time with the North Korean Army, backed up by five armoured vehicles. In all 48 died. In order to honour their noble sacrifice, Pohang City built the memorial in 1977 and held a memorial service.


Student Volunteer Force Memorial Hall

On 16, September 16, 2002, a hall was opened in Yongheung Park, No. 103, Yongheung, Buk-gu, Pohang, GyeongSangBuk-do, in honour of the students who participated in the battle of Pohang District in GyeongsangBuk-do Province during the Korean War. In the exhibition room, there are about 200 artifacts such as diaries, photographs, and weapons used by the municipal police officers at the time, worn clothes. In addition, war-related documentaries are shown in the audiovisual room.


Unknown Student Volunteer Forces Tower

This tower is located at
Seoul National Cemetery The Seoul National Cemetery () is located in Dongjak-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The cemetery is reserved for Korean veterans, including those who died in the Korean independence movement, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Four South Korea ...
. In this tower, the remains of 48 unknown soldiers, who were killed in Pohang district during the Korean War were buried in a hemispherical grave. As the war broke out in the wake of the Korean War, the country's fate was at risk, and about 50,000 students were dressed in school uniforms and volunteered to fight in the battlefields. In many cases, the bodies of those who were killed could not be found. The 48 people here were those who were killed during the battle of Pohang against the North Korean army. At the time, these people were buried near Pohang Girls' High School. Later, the Cabinet decided to put them in the army cemetery. The Korea Student Soldier Fellowship moved them to the 5th Cemetery of the Korea Army Cemetery and then in April 1968 April, to the School Academic Unknown Soldier tower. The tower was erected on October 30, 1954 as the "Unknown Soldier", but was renamed as "Nameless Tower" by laying down a representative unnamed warrior on January 16, 1956. In April 1968, the body of a representative unnamed warrior was converted into a crypt and the tower was relocated to its present location. Forty-eight unnamed volunteers were stationed at the back of the tower, and the altar was moved to this place, marked as the "Grave of the Student Soldier." The name of the tower was also changed to "Unknown Student Soldier Tower". The tower is made up of three arched doors. There is an Unknown Student Volunteer Forces tower in the middle of a large door. In the center of the back of the tower is the hemispherical grave made of square granite stone. The stone of this tower is pentagonal, its surface is of sulfur grade, and the arch itself of granite. The height of the tower is 3.6m, the width is 8m, the height of the central gate is 5.5m, the height of the left and right door is 3 m, and the floor area of granite is 165 m2.


Awards and compensation

Since 1968, the
Government of South Korea The Government of South Korea is the union government of the Republic of Korea, created by the Constitution of South Korea as the executive, legislative and judicial authority of the republic. The president acts as the head of state and is t ...
has awarded the students national merits. In January 1967, 317 people who could prove they met the criteria were handed the award. In 1997, the government handed it out to a further 45 people who had failed to receive it before.


In the popular culture

* '' 71: Into the Fire:'' released on 16 June 2010, This film depicted of the
Battle of P'ohang-dong The Battle of P'ohang-dong was an engagement between the United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces early in the Korean War, with fighting continuing from 5–20 August 1950 around the town of P'ohang-dong, South Korea. It was a part of ...
during the Korean War * ''
The Battle of Jangsari ''The Battle of Jangsari'' () is a 2019 South Korean action-war film co-directed by Kwak Kyung-taek and Kim Tae-hoon, starring Kim Myung-min, Megan Fox, and Choi Min-ho in the lead roles. The second installment in a trilogy following '' Operat ...
:'' released on 25 September 2019, This film depicted of the
Battle of Jangsari The Battle of Jangsari () or Operation Jangsa Landing () was an Amphibious warfare, amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War. The official report name for the operation was 'Operational Order 174' (). Background In September 1950, ...
during the Korean War.


Notes


References


Organization and Activities of the Student Volunteer Force at Incheon during the Korean War


Books


Research of Student Volunteer Forces - South Korean Institute for Military History

Sourcebook of Student Volunteer Forces - South Korean Institute for Military History


External links


북한의 침략, 전쟁 6·25 시리즈: 1편학도의용군 - South Korean Ministry of National Defense TV
{{Authority control Military units and formations of South Korea in the Korean War
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republi ...
Volunteer military units and formations