A rare historical record illustrating the organization of Righteous Armies in the late Korean Empire

The Gyeongsangbuk-do Patriotism and Veterans Affairs Foundation (CEO Han Hee-won) announced on the 15th that the Andong Uiso Parok (Record of the Andong Righteous Assembly), housed by the Gyeongsangbuk-do Independence Movement Memorial Hall, has been designated as a National Registered Cultural Heritage.

The Andong Uiso Parok is a document recording the official positions and participant lists of the Righteous Army units, compiled by the Andong Uiso (Andong Righteous Assembly), which was formed in late 1895 to discuss and prepare for a Righteous Army uprising in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. Containing specific details on 46 members of the leadership and 27 official positions of the 1st Andong Righteous Army (Andong Uijin), it is evaluated as a core resource for understanding the organizational structure, human composition, and operational systems of the Andong Righteous Army.

The artifact was collected and preserved by former Kangwon National University Professor Park Han-seol of the Department of Korean History, who then donated it in sympathy with the establishment purpose, research, and preservation goals of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Independence Movement Memorial Hall. Since then, the memorial hall has systematically preserved and managed the relic while utilizing it as research material to shed light on the organization and activities of the Andong Righteous Army.

The Andong Uijin was formed centering around Confucian scholars (yurim) in the Andong region who resisted events such as the assassination of Empress Myeongseong and the promulgation of the short hair act (danbalryeong). Discussions for a Righteous Army uprising began in earnest around the 12th lunar month of 1895, and on January 17, 1896, representatives of the Andong Confucian scholars gathered at Bongjeongsa Temple and agreed to raise a Righteous Army.

Subsequently, on January 20, a rally for the formation of the Righteous Army was held in Andong-bu, where Kwon Se-yeon of Yugok, Bonghwa, was appointed as Commander. Kwon Se-yeon issued a proclamation titled Gyeongsang-do Andong Chang-ui Daejang Kwon Se-yeon Gyeok, urging Confucian scholars and righteous armies from each region to gather in Andong.

On the night of the same day, when Andong Observer Kim Seok-jung left Andong, the Andong Uijin organized Righteous Army units and formed the main leadership on January 21. The document recording the command system, official positions, and participant lists established at this time is precisely the Andong Uiso Parok.

A total of 27 positions and 46 individuals are recorded in the Andong Uiso Parok. Participants included Commander Kwon Se-yeon and Vice Commander Gwak Jong-seok, along with staff members Ryu Yeon-bak, Lee Sang-gi, Ryu Seon-yeong, and Kwon Byeong-chu; internal officers Kim Jin-lim and Kim Jin-ui; external officers Kang Dam and Ryu Eung-mok; and left/right wing commanders Lee Un-ho and Kwon Yong-hyeon. Vanguard commander Kim Ik-jang, shock troop commander Kwon Jin-sun, guerrilla commanders Kim Hoe-rak and Kwon In-sul, stone-slinging commander Kwon Jae-chu, reconnaissance commander Kim Hong-rak, and recruitment commander Kwon Ok-yeon were organized. Additionally, 5 document clerks including Ryu Jeong-ho, 8 clerks including Lee Un-gu, 3 ritual/financial officers including Kim Ju-byeong, and 3 aides-de-camp including Lee Jung-sam were recorded. Other positions such as order-issuing, center military, provisions, management, merchant association general command, and day duty were assigned to figures like Ryu Heon-ho.

Through the individuals and positions recorded in the Andong Uiso Parok, the human and organizational characteristics of the 1st Andong Uijin can also be verified. Among the 46 participants, Commander Kwon Se-yeon and many others belonged to the Jeongjae school of thought, indicating that Confucian scholars of the Ho faction played a leading role in the formation and operation of the 1st Andong Uijin.

This demonstrates that the academic networks and interpersonal relationships of rural society in the Andong region at the time served as the foundation for the Righteous Army organization. Based on academic solidarity, clan ties, and regional social networks, the Confucian scholars formed the righteous army, recruited personnel, and developed them into a systematic righteous army organization.

The Andong Uiso Parok holds high value in that the subject of its creation, timing, and the nature of the document are clear, and its original form is preserved intact. In particular, as the sole material specifically recording the leadership positions and participant lists of the 1st Andong Uijin, it allows for an empirical confirmation of the organizational form, human composition, command structure, and operational methods of the Andong Righteous Army.

Furthermore, by comparing the initial organization with subsequently reorganized structures, one can observe the process of change within the Andong Uijin. It also provides an important benchmark for estimating, comparing, and researching the command formations and organizational structures of Eulmi Righteous Armies in other regions.

As such, the Andong Uiso Parok has been registered as a National Registered Cultural Heritage in recognition of its historical and academic value as a rare resource capable of illuminating not only the organization and activities of the Andong Righteous Army, but also the developmental aspects of the late Korean Empire's Righteous Army struggle and the changing process of military organizations.

Han Hee-won, CEO of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Patriotism and Veterans Affairs Foundation, stated, “The Andong Uiso Parok is a very precious record specifically showing what kind of human foundation and organizational system the Andong Righteous Army possessed when stepping forward to protect national sovereignty.” He added, “This National Registered Cultural Heritage designation is of great significance in that the historical and academic value of the Righteous Army history in Gyeongbuk, including Andong, has been nationally recognized.”

He continued, “The Foundation will stably preserve the Andong Uiso Parok, continue in-depth investigations and research, and actively utilize it as exhibition and educational content. We will also continue to discover and collect independence movement materials in the Gyeongbuk region to widely publicize the righteous army spirit and patriotism of our ancestors to the public and future generations.”

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]