One of the most important points in the various controversies surrounding the Korean War is “who fired the first shot.” This is due to the fact that the responsibility for the War hinges on this issue, which resulted in tremendous property damage and sacrifice of human life.
Starting with the origin of the Korean War, the North Korean authorities have severely distorted historical facts. The official position of the North Korean authorities regarding the War is that it was a U.S.-provoked War and the North Korean people’s “counter war for justice to free the brethren.”
◆ The understanding of North Korean citizens of the Korean War
North Korea, until now, has criticized the War as a war instigated by the U.S. in all published materials and textbooks. In order to provide evidence for this fact, it has made documentaries such as “Prosecuting the American Invaders” and “A National Liberation War” and movies such as “Red Autumn Leaf.”
On the other hand, it has hidden the fact until now that the U.S. Army had entirely evacuated South Korea in 1949 in order to make the North Korean citizens believe that the “U.S. was stationed in the South at the time of the War and directly invaded the North on the morning of June 25 in 1950.”
All books and documentaries in North Korea regarding the Korean War begin with a text, “5 A.M. on June 25,” as a representation of the War and are filled with photos and images of U.S. soldiers invading the North with trench mortars and carbines.
North Korea has claimed that the Americans started the War at 5 A.M. on June 25th and Kim Il Sung made radio speeches that morning, such as “Let us put all our strength together for victory in the War!”
In one movie, “The Road of Battle,” Kim Il Sung receives a report from Kim Chaek–a frontline commander at the time of the War—after the latter’s discussion with Kang Gun, who was a commander of the Mechanization Unit, that the Americans started the War. In one scene, Kim Il Sung, upon receipt of the report, says, “The Americans picked a wrong battle,” and boasts about North Korea’s anticipated victory.”
Until now, the North Korean citizens have believed the propaganda regarding the War and were not allowed to pose counter-objections. However, recently, a new perspective has been rising among North Korean intellectuals and citizens regarding the War.
◆ ”The Red Autumn Leaf,” produced to support the position of invasion into the North, has a converse effect
North Korea, in order to corroborate the invasion by American soldiers, released a 7-part series movie called “Red Autumn Leaf (produced by Chosun February 8 Arts Movie Studio)” between early to mid-1990s.
The content of the movie is that before the War, North Korea, after having discovered the date of the War through North Korean spy Sung Si Baek (a real person, alias Jung Hyang Myung), came up with a detailed measure in order to secure its victory after defeating the Americans.
The reason for North Korea making such a movie is to portray the fact that Kim Il Sung’s detailed planning allowed the capture of Seoul in just three days right after the War broke out, while fighting against the U.S., the world’s strongest power, as well as the occupation of 80% of South Korean soil.
However, North Korea’s conscientious intellectuals and citizens hold differing views on this point. If Kim Il Sung had conducted secret investigations into the U.S.’ planned date for the War, preventing the War beforehand by publicizing the date to the world would have been the right course of action.
Despite the fact that North Korean authorities had known of an imminent calamity which could result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, they did not try to prevent the War, but only fuelled it. The explanation of the North Korean regime is difficult to justify on any grounds.
◆ Osan Battle
The North Korean authorities, while insisting that the Korean War was caused by imperialist American, committed many errors. A representative incident is contained in a book, “The War and an Eminent Commander,” which was published at the end of the 1980s by the Chosun Workers’ Party Publishing Company.
The War and an Eminent Commander praises Kim Il Sung’s heroic tactics which led to victory in the Osan Battle in which the U.S.’ Smith Special Forces first faced the North and crushingly be defeated by the North Korean Army on July 5th, 1950.
However, doubt has been raised that the People’s Army and the U.S. Army fought for the first time in 10 days after the seizure of Seoul in mere three days after the outbreak of the War because North Korea authorities veiled the fact that the U.S. Army had already withdrawn from the South’s soil in June 1949 according to the UN’s decision.
Also, North Korea does not stress China’s participation in the Korean War, but only has emphasized the point that it was UN soldiers that illegally took place in the War.
North Korea has insisted until now that the Korean War began as a result of the American invasion into the North, but recently, the veracity of this claim has been questioned by defectors and people who had visited relatives in China. Even if it may be difficult for North Koreans to believe the South Korean’s side, the definite opinion in China is that the North invaded the South first.
Consequently, no matter how hard the North Korean authorities try to cover up the truth about the War, not too many days remain likely until the veil will be removed.
