Uljin-born independence activist who organized the secret society Changyugye and died in prison
| Life | 1908 ~ 1945 |
| Era | 일제강점기 |
| Clan | 영양 남씨 |
Nam Bok-i (1908-1945) was an independence activist of the Yeongyang Nam clan, born in Jeongnim-ri, Uljin, Gangwon Province. After finishing Uljin primary school in 1921 he studied classical Chinese until 1926 and then farmed.
On 28 October 1939 he organized the secret independence society Changyugye (暢幽稧) and is recorded as its president. The group was exposed in March 1943 and he was arrested; he was sentenced to five years in prison on 10 June that year, reduced to three years in February 1944.
He died of pneumonia in Daegu Prison on 11 January 1945. He was posthumously given a presidential citation in 1982 and the Order of National Foundation, Patriotic Medal, in 1991. Uljin is known as an area where many independence honorees belong to the Yeongyang Nam. See the Yeongyang Nam clan page for the clan overview.
In autumn 1939 he formed the secret society Changyugye and is recorded as its president. A young man trained in classics and farming, he stood at the center of a local underground group.
The group was exposed in 1943 and he was arrested and sentenced; he died of illness in Daegu Prison in January 1945, only about seven months before liberation.
His grave location was not confirmed.