Park Si-chang

Park Si-chang (朴始昌; February 5, 1900¹ – June 7, 1986), born in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, in the Korean Empire, died in Seoul, Republic of Korea, was a Korean independence activist and soldier, a retired Republic of Korea Army major general, and a social activist and head of social organizations.

Life

Early life

His family seat was Miryang (密陽). He was the adopted son of Baek-am Park Eun-sik (白巖 朴殷植), who served as president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. His biological father, Park Hae-gyeom (朴海謙), was a sixth cousin of his adoptive father, Park Eun-sik.

He was born in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, as the fifth child and youngest son among three sons and five daughters of his biological father, Park Hae-gyeom. He spent his early childhood in Hanseong, Jemulpo in Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, and briefly in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. On February 29, 1904, he returned to Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, where he grew up. Then, on November 5, 1905, at the age of six, he was adopted by his seventh-cousin once removed Park Eun-sik, who had only three daughters, and afterward grew up in Hwangju, Hwanghae Province.

He joined the Korean Independence Army at an early age and also served in the Korean Liberation Army. After the Liberation of Korea on August 15, he took part in founding the and fought in the . He continued to serve in the , holding positions including regiment commander under the , conscription officer, Chief of Information of the , acting division commander of the , and commander of the . He then served in succession as deputy corps commander of the , and in 1959 retired from the as a . Afterward, in 1976, he served as chairman of .