Kim Seok-won (1893–1978) graduated from the 27th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1915 and served as a Japanese army officer, fighting in the Manchurian Incident (1931) and the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) as a celebrated "war hero" and receiving a Golden Kite Medal. After liberation he was commissioned into the Republic of Korea Army in 1946, became the first commander of the 1st Infantry Division in 1948, led the Capital and 3rd Divisions during the Korean War, and retired as a major general in 1956. He was later elected to the 5th National Assembly in 1960 as an independent from Yeongdeungpo-eul, Seoul, and served as principal of Seongnam High School. As a colonel in the Imperial Japanese Army he fought in the Second Sino-Japanese War and promoted Japan's war of aggression, actions for which he is listed as a pro-Japanese collaborator.