Liberation Day in Korea was about a week ago. A female activist in the Korean independence movement and women's movement was from Jeju. Here’s Kim Minhoe with (최정숙) Choi Jung-sook’s story.




Report

Recording
Yi Gi-hyeong / Choi’s colleague
It was patriotism that drove her life.
<씽크 : 이기형/당시 최정숙 선생 동료 교사>
"역시 애국일 겁니다. 기본은"

Ms. (최정숙) Choi Jung-sook devoted her life to education.

She was only 8 when Korea came under Japanese rule.

After the hardships endured during the Japanese occupation, she was aware that education was necessary to get the country back on track.

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Studied at Shinseong Girls' School, Kyungsung National Women's HS

After graduating from (신성) Shinseong Girls' School, which a French priest established in Jeju, she entered (경성) Kyungsung National Women's High School in Seoul to study education.

At that time, most of the teachers and students were still Japanese, so Koreans faced a lot of hostility.

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Imprisoned for 90 days for role in independence movement

Choi joined the March 1st Movement and shouted "Hurray for Korean Independence.” Consequently, she was arrested by the Japanese military police and held at (서대문) Seodaemun Prison in Seoul.

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Selfless work in education, medicine

After the hardships of prison life, she came back to her hometown, Jeju. She established a school and taught students, illiterate people, women, and girls for about 20 years. But Japanese imperialism forced her to stop teaching.

She decided to learn medicine instead, so that she could continue to help others. She entered medical school when she was 37. After earning her medical license, she worked to help those less fortunate.

After performing medical services in Seoul, she dedicated herself to women's education and welfare services in Jeju, until she retired due to the age limit.

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Jeju’s first superintendent of education (1964)

While focusing on treating patients after her retirement, she was elected as the first superintendent of education in Jeju.

During her four years of tenure, she was responsible for establishing dozens of elementary and secondary schools. She focused on women's education and started a boom of library construction

INTERVIEW
Yang Jong-ryeol / Planning directory, Jeju Education Museum
She believed that teaching uneducated people was necessary to get the country back on track.
<인터뷰 : 양종렬/제주교육박물관 기획부장>
"배워야 된다는 신념으로 학생들을 가르쳤고, 배워야만 일제에 항거할 수 있는 밑바탕이 된다고 생각했기 때문에…."

Her life’s story is not widely known, but nonetheless, she was a real heroine.

Some gathered to form a group to commemorate Choi’s noble spirit.

INTERVIEW
Go Hyo-suk / Vice chair, Choi Jung-sook commemoration org.
She dedicated her whole life to education and helping the underprivileged. We gather to commemorate her good deeds and to learn to live like her.
<인터뷰 : 고효숙/'최정숙을 기리는 모임' 부회장>
"일평생 제주와 제주 사람을 위해 교육현장에서 일하셨는데 그 교육적 나눔에 대해 저희들이 진지하게 고민하고 있고 또 소외된 분들을 위해 도움을 몰래 주셨는데 저희도 나눔의 실천을…."

[Reporter] Kim Minhoe
[Camera] Kim Seung-cheol

While she may be gone, her contributions to education, public welfare, and medicine still live fresh in the memories of many.

Kim Minhoe, KCTV