지달수 池達洙
Independence fighter in the Korean Independence Army and Liberation Army; eldest son of Ji Cheong-cheon
| Life | 1909 ~ 1969 |
| Era | 일제강점기·대한민국 |
| Clan | 충주 지씨 |
Life & career
Ji Dal-su (1909-1969) was an independence fighter, soldier and politician of the Chungju clan. He was the eldest son of General Ji Cheong-cheon, commander of the Korean Liberation Army, and is also said to have used the names Yi Gyeong-ok and Yi Dal-su. Following his father he went to northeastern China and graduated from Geomseong Middle School in Jilin.
In Wuchang county he organized a youth association among rural youths to rouse anti-Japanese sentiment, and in 1931 joined the Korean Independence Army as a corporal under his father. He fought in the Jilin and Shuangcheng battles and in 1932, in alliance with anti-Manchukuo Chinese forces, became a platoon leader and is said to have joined some thirty battles.
In 1933-34 he received military training at a branch of the Central Military Academy and at the Luoyang branch's Korean special class, joined the founding of the Korean Liberation Army in 1940 as its headquarters' paymaster and in 1941 served as a company leader in the Second Detachment. After liberation he returned home, worked in the Daehan National Party and Democratic Nationalist Party, and received the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Independence Medal) in 1963.
In the Independence Army in Manchuria
Ji Dal-su went to northeastern China with his father at a young age. In Wuchang he gathered rural youths into a youth association to promote anti-Japanese independence ideas, and in 1931 joined the Korean Independence Army under commander-in-chief Ji Cheong-cheon, taking part in the Jilin battle and the Jeongil-gun battle in Shuangcheng county, Heilongjiang. In 1932 he allied with anti-Manchukuo forces as a platoon leader and is said to have fought in some thirty battles.
Military Training and the Liberation Army
He received military education at the Second Branch of the Central Military Academy in 1933 and, in 1934, at the Korean special class of its Luoyang branch. In 1936 the Provisional Government appointed him to a North China (Hua-bei, Pingsui) operations unit and he served on the central committee of the Joseon National Revolutionary Party. When the Korean Liberation Army was formed in 1940 he was named paymaster of the headquarters, and in 1941 he served as a company leader in the Second Detachment.
After Liberation
After liberation he returned home and worked briefly for the US Army Military Government; after the government was founded he served as central committee member of the Daehan National Party, central inspection committee member of the Democratic Nationalist Party, vice chair of the Korean Liberation Army Comrades' Association and standing chair of the Korean Independence Comrades' Association. He is introduced as completing the administration course of the first class at the National Defense College in 1956. He was awarded the Independence Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1963.
Grave
The location of his tomb was not confirmed in this research. He is said to have died of a long illness at Seoul National University Hospital on 16 May 1969.
Descendants
His father was Ji Cheong-cheon, his mother Yun Yong-ja, his younger brother Ji Jeong-gye and younger sister Ji Bok-yeong; Ji Un-yeong and Ji Seok-yeong are given as distant granduncles.