Cha Do-seon

Cha Do-seon (車道善, 29 January 1863 (lunar calendar) – 8 February 1939 (solar calendar)) was a righteous army leader from the Korean Empire and an independence activist honored by the Republic of Korea.

Life

He was from Gapsan County, South Hamgyong Province. He served in the Jinwidae of the Korean Empire and, in August 1907, shortly after the Dissolution of the Korean Empire's army, raised a righteous army in South Hamgyong Province. In this region, Hong Beom-do gathered hunters and raised a righteous army, and the righteous army leader Tae Yang-uk was also active there, and together they formed righteous army units.

After distinguishing himself during the Russo-Japanese War, Cha Do-seon decided to eliminate members of the Iljinhoe who were wielding power in this region. He publicly announced this and first killed the township head of Ansan-myeon in Bukcheong County, who also held membership in the Iljinhoe. From then on, he fought battles with the Japanese Army and inflicted damage on them several times.

In 1908, the Japanese Army carried out a campaign of surrender persuasion and captured Cha Do-seon and Tae Yang-uk. Because Cha Do-seon went through the form of surrendering, he survived, while Tae Yang-uk, who resisted to the end, was killed. After Tae Yang-uk was killed, Cha Do-seon escaped and joined Hong Beom-do's unit, but as the situation turned unfavorable, he crossed the border and went into exile. It is confirmed that until around 1919 he trained armed units in Russia and engaged in anti-Japanese activities.

In 1962, the Order of National Foundation Medal of Independence was posthumously conferred upon him.

References

• 차도선 : 독립유공자 공훈록 - Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs