It has already been 20 years since Professor Uhm Young-sik’s book Escape was published by Yas Media. As the book has gone out of print and is no longer available, we decided to republish it so that today’s readers can access it. To make the book more engaging, we included photos of related individuals and relevant maps found online in this revised edition. To date, various writings about student soldiers (hakbyeong) have appeared in books, magazines, and newspapers in Korea. Among them is also a book titled Escape by Mr. Shin Sang-cho. However, Professor Uhm’s Escape uniquely covers a wide range of experiences: the situation in Korea before conscription, the author’s own despair at being forced to serve, the anguish of his parents, the complex emotions of a Korean donning a Japanese military uniform and landing deep in China’s interior at Xuzhou, the life-risking escape, military activities with the Chinese Communist forces-first the Eighth Route Army and then the New Fourth Army-his journey to Yan’an, the revolutionary heartland of the Chinese Communist Party, as a member of the Korean Volunteer Army, and the thrill and anticipation he felt upon hearing the news of Korea’s liberation on August 15. It also includes rare accounts of the Korean Volunteer Army members returning home, expecting to lead the new North Korean government, only to experience yet another escape, this time from the Korean Volunteer Army, amid fear and discouragement; his imprisonment in a North Korean jail; his arduous journey south across the 38th parallel; and his eventual settlement in South Korea. These are stories not found in any other writing about student soldiers (hakbyeong). After escaping from the Japanese army in the heart of the vast Chinese continent, the author, supported by the Eighth Route and New Fourth Armies, carried with him the pride of being a member of the Korean Volunteer Army. He endured all hardship and physical suffering in the hope of one day returning to a liberated homeland. Through his story, he candidly expresses the helplessness and despair experienced by the young generation of student soldiers, whose country had been taken from them. Furthermore, he shares the small joys and gratitude he found through encounters with poor Chinese farmers and offers insights into how the Chinese Communist Party managed to overcome Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist forces and gain control of China’s vast territory. I believe this is the only book that describes such experiences.
