Yu Ja-Myung (1884–1985)

Yu Ja-Myung, a Korean anarchist activist, theorist, and agronomist, participated in many secret political parties from China to liberate his country from Japanese colonial rule. He imparted anarchist theory to the terrorist group Eu-yul-dan (“Band of Heroes”), formed at Kirin Province in Manchuria, via Sin Chai-Ho. In 1924, he helped to organize the Jae-jung-kuk jo-sun mu-jung-bu ju-eu-ja yun-meng (Korean Anarchist Federation in China).

In 1927, he attended the Joint Conference of Oppressed Peoples of the East held in Nanjing, China. He worked with Chinese anarchist colleagues at You-Myung Middle School and Li-Dal Institute, and became the model for the protagonist of one of Ba Jin’s novels. In 1942, he was elected member of the Assembly of the Korean Provisional Government. After the defeat of Japan by the Chinese Communists, he remained in China and studied at Ho-Nan University to improve the poor agricultural conditions for Chinese peasants.

References and Suggested Readings