The Moscow meeting note that turned his ally into an executioner

A secret 1939 meeting in Japanese-occupied Seoul seeking U.S. help for Korean resistance becomes the paper that years later condemns him. The Moscow meeting note that turned his ally into an executioner In this episode, we follow the life and choices of Pak Hon-yong from his rural yangban origins to the international networks that shaped him, and the meeting that would later be used as evidence against him. What does loyalty mean when yesterday’s ally can deliver your ruin? Person: Pak Hon-yong Date: May 28, 1900 (birth); 1939 (meeting); December 1955 (sentence) Location: Japanese-occupied Seoul; Moscow Topic: 1939 secret meeting seeking U.S. support for Korean resistance - Born illegitimate into the Yeonghae Park clan in Sinyang-myeon, he carried yangban lineage yet never fully belonged. - At 19 he joined the March First Movement and by 24 co-founded the Communist Party of Korea in 1925. - He traveled to Moscow in 1922 and later attended the International Lenin School, building global revolutionary connections. - In 1926, facing prosecution, he feigned insanity in court, was confined, escaped via Manchuria, and reached the Soviet Union. - In 1939 he met secretly with a Christian college principal in Seoul to ask whether the United States might support Korean resistance. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].