Choe Hyon

Original photo of Choe Hyon (center) with Kim Il-sung (left). North Korea later edited it placing Kim in the center to emphasize his role.[5]

Choe Hyon was born on 6 May 1907 in Hunchun, Jilin, China.[6][7] Choe's father was Choe Hwa-shim. Hwa-shim had served in the Hong Beomdo Unit of the Korean Independence Army in the early 1900s. The mother reportedly died in 1920 after the Japanese invaded Manchuria to suppress the March 1st Movement. As such, Choe Hyon had an advantageous revolutionary background.[8]

The Japanese arrested Choe in 1925 and put him in jail in Yanji for seven years.[8] Upon his release, Choe joined the anti-Japanese guerrilla movement in July 1932.[8][9] Thereafter, Choe fought as a guerrilla in the anti-Japanese struggle.[10] He rose to a leadership position in the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army of the Chinese,[11] and became a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC).[12] Choe also fought in the Soviet 88th Brigade.[13]

The Battle of Pochonbo in 1937 is highly important in the North Korean cult of personality of Kim Il-sung as its victory is attributed to him. Some evidence, however, point to the conclusion that it was Choe Hyon, not Kim Il-sung, who commanded the troops that raided Pochonbo.[14] Choe reportedly also led troops into battle in Musan and Gansanbong.[8]

The army lead by Choe was one of the main targets of the Japanese during a phase of the Pacification of Manchukuo that began in 1939.[15] Dennis Halpin concludes in The National Interest that "Choe Hyon may well have been the key leader in the anti-Japanese colonial struggle in Manchuria and along the Korean border". According to Halpin, this discredits the revolutionary legitimacy of the Kim dynasty and lends it to Choe Hyon's son, Choe Ryong-hae, instead.[8] North Korea has subsequently edited photographs from this era to emphasize Kim's role.[5]

Choe Hyon was a close associate of Kim Il-sung during their guerrilla years.[16] Choe was older than Kim Il-sung. As such, Choe did not have to use honorifics when speaking to him,[8] although according to Kim Il-sung's autobiography With the Century this was of Kim's insistence:

"General, have you a plan to attack any other place, sir?"

"Please don't say 'sir' to a young man. Please call me by my name, Kim Il Sung."

My humble request frightened this tried veteran as much as if something serious had happened.

"What does a man's age matter here? I've long since regarded you, Commander Kim, as the top man of the Korean army. So it's natural that I address you respectfully."

"If you extol young people in that way, they'll soon become self-conceited and giddy. If you keep on extolling me in that way, I'll not keep company with you any longer."

"For all my courage, you have the upper hand. From now on I'll not call you 'sir', just as you wish."[17]

The Soviets grooming Kim Il-sung for leadership of Korea. At one time, Choe seemed like the likelier candidate.

After the liberation of Korea Choe was brought into the politics of North Korea as part of the Guerrilla faction, a group of about 200 ex-guerillas.[18] There is evidence that the top guerrillas, including Kim Il-sung, Kim Chaek, Kim Il, Choe Yong-gon, and Choe Hyon himself, agreed among themselves to promote Kim Il-sung as the leader of the future country just before they returned to Korea in September 1945. This was at odds with the fact that both Kim Chaek and Choe Hyon were higher-ranking members in the CPC. It was decided, however, that Kim Il-sung had the best reputation and abilities. Choe consequentially missed out on the supreme leadership of the country, but became part of its core elite nonetheless.[12]

After the liberation, the Korean People's Army (KPA) was organized.[19] Choe become the commander of the Kanggye Regiment of the 1st Division. The regiment was of particular strategic importance because of its location in Kanggye.[20] Choe also lead the Military Liberation College that trained special forces.[13] Additionally, Choe commanded the 2nd Division of the KPA and,[21] during the Korean War, the II Corps.[22]

Choe published an autobiography, Over the Mountain-Waves of Mt. Paektu. Robert A. Scalapino and Chong-Sik Lee critically assess it as follows: "Though very revealing, some sections, particularly on his first encounters with Kim Il-sŏng, are so propagandistic as to be largely unreliable".[3] Choe's first encounter with Kim are also recounted in Choe's memoir "The Unforgettable First Meeting" in Reminiscences of the Anti-Japanese Guerillas,[35] and in Kim Il-sung's autobiography, With the Century.[36] A meeting with Choe inspired the poet Cho Ki-chon to write his epic poem, Mt. Paektu, in 1947 about the Battle of Pochonbo.[37] The resulting poem was a foundational work of Kim Il-sung's cult of personality.[38] Choe's life is also chronicled in the 55th installment of the multi-part film Nation and Destiny.[39]

Choe died on 10 April 1982.[7] The 30th anniversary of his death in 2012 was marked prominently in North Korea. A memorial service was held,[28] wreaths were laid at the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery,[40] and the Korean Central News Agency published an article praising him. This came at a time when his son Choe Ryong-hae (born 1950) rose up in the ranks of the WPK and was heavily featured at the 4th Conference of the WPK and an annual meeting of the SPA.[28][41]

Choe held the title of Hero of the Republic.[6] Choe's son is Choe Ryong-hae (born 1950).[41] He also had a daughter, Gop-dan.[27]

• Choe Hyon (1970). "The Unforgettable First Meeting". Reminiscences of the Anti-Japanese Guerillas. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House. OCLC 869368184.
• Kim Il; Choe Hyon; et al. (1981). Twenty-year-long Anti-Japanese Revolution Under the Red Sunrays: June 1926 – August 1931. 1. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House. OCLC 873742698.
• —; —; et al. (1982). Twenty-year-long Anti-Japanese Revolution Under the Red Sunrays: September 1931 – February 1936. 2. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House. OCLC 914716941.
• Sai Ken [Choe Hyon] (1964). 白頭の山なみを越えて [Over the Mountain-Waves of Mt. Paektu] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Chōsen Seinensha. OCLC 674619272.

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• Photos dedicated to Kim Jeong-Un by Y. S. Kim