초록/요약

Huh Jung-Sook is one of the first woman socialists who has left an indelible mark in both South and North Koreas. Despite her political and social influences, she is not well known in South Korea as a result of her defection to North Korea. This study thus aims to explore her life that spans over 90 years, from the colonial era to the postwar Koreas, and the reasons why she was able to survive and rise to power in North Korea. In so doing, this study sheds light on the tumultuous history of 20th century Korea. A closer look into Huh’s life reveals that she was very quick to adapt to socio-political changes and continuously sought to broaden her thoughts and ideals. She also took prompt actions to actualize her dreams and goals. Even though she was from a wealthy family, she never settled for an easy life and fought for women’s rights, socialist reform, and Korea’s national independence. Huh defected to North Korea after Korea was liberated from Japan and became one of the very few surviving female intellectuals and the longest-living revolutionary. Her social success was largely due to her unrivaled intellectual ability, her commitment to socialism and feminism, her usefulness as an exemplary and symbolic North Korean female leader who has also fought against the Japanese imperialists for Korea’s independence, and especially because she was from Kim Il-sung’s trusted Huh family. To this end, the narrative of one woman and her rise to political power in North Korea reconsiders the fragmented history of modern Korea in which the voices of women and North Koreans are marginalized and under-represented.