Woo Jang-choon - Early Life

Early Life

Woo was born on April 8, 1898, in either Akasaka, Tokyo or Hiroshima, and raised in Kure, Hiroshima, the first son of a Korean father, Woo Beom-seon (禹範善) (우범선) and a Japanese mother, Sakai Naka (酒井 仲). Woo Beom-seon served as the second battalion commander of Hullyeondae (a Japanese-trained Korean military force) during the late period of Joseon dynasty and had sought political asylum in Japan. He was involved in the Gaehwapa movement (a modernization faction), and was suspected of involvement in The Eulmi Incident, the assassination of the Korean Queen Min and murder of two other women in 1895. Fifty-six Japanese nationals were arrested and tried on suspicion of involvement, but acquitted in a Japanese court due to lack of evidence. Meanwhile, Queen Min's son, Prince Sunjong, accused Woo Beom-seon of complicity in the murders and Woo Beom-seon fled to Japan.

On November 24, 1903, father Woo Beom-seon was assassinated by Go Yeong-geun (高永根) (고영근), leaving five-year-old Woo Jang-choon fatherless. His brother, Woo Hong-chun (禹洪春) (우홍춘) was born when Woo was six. Although Woo Jang-choon was part Japanese and held Japanese citizenship, his Japanese mother taught him to honor his Korean heritage. Sakai Naka left Woo in the care of a Buddhist temple orphanage so she could find work and raise funds for his education. Food at the temple was limited to potatoes, and Woo was ostracized by other Japanese children for being part Korean. Woo's mother returned for him after three years away.

Woo then began his grade school education, working hard to cope with discrimination from peers. Meanwhile, the Empire of Japan had begun to challenge European colonial powers in East Asia, beginning with the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), which lead almost directly to the annexation of Korea in 1910. In Japan, talented male students enlisted in the military, but Woo continued with school. To meet his financial needs, his mother sold all of their possessions, even his father's tomb. (A friend allowed the remains of Woo Beom-seon to be buried in another cemetery.)

A talented math student, Woo sought to study engineering at Kyoto Imperial University, but at the suggestion of pro-Japanese Korean statesman Pak Yeong-hyo, Woo chose to pursue agriculture at Tokyo Imperial University with a scholarship administered by the Japanese General-Government in Korea. He began his university career at Tokyo Imperial University in 1916, where he was well-regarded by his professors. He graduated in 1919.