Growing up under Japanese pressure
She was born on May 4, 1930, during the Japanese occupation of Korea (일제강점기), a period marked by the tragic assassination of her grandmother (을미사변). As a child, she had to endure Japanese pressure and was subjected to stringent royal protocols. (National institute of Korean History)
She was raised as if she was a pampered doll in her childhood; when she was two, she was forced to part with her mother and was raised by Princess Ui Wang. Her life became a spectacle of royal pageantry and strict protocol. Despite her status as a member of the Royal Family, she endured numerous hardships throughout the Japanese colonial era, leading her to reflect, “I’m a princess yet I’m not a princess.”
Her brother, prince Lee Wu
World War II and Liberation
During her elementary school years, she received education that promoted hyper-nationalistic and militaristic ideologies of the Japanese empire. This curriculum included teachings about wielding katanas and the idea of sacrificing one's life for the sake of Japan. However, Japan's influence extended beyond just her education; it also impacted her family's destiny.
As the second Sino-Japanese war started, many Koreans were forced to fight in the battlefield for Japan, and that was the case even for the Royal family. Her older brother, Lee Wu, was one such unfortunate individual, He was forced to serve in both the second Sino-Japanese war and pacific war and died in the bombing of Hiroshima. (Journal of Studies on Korean National Movement)
While August 15, 1945, marked a day of liberation for many Koreans, for her family, it was a day of mourning and remembrance.
The Korean War
After liberation, Korea was divided into North and South Korea. Neither government in the North nor the South recognized the royal family, leading to the forfeiture of their fortunes. To make a living, she started a career in the U.S. Army as a librarian.
On June 25, 1950, without any hint of war, the North Korean government deliberately attacked South Korea, sparking the Korean war. The North Korean offensive was so swift that Seoul (서울), South Korea's capital, fell within just three days. (The Academy of Korean Studies) Amy Lee, who lived in Seoul, was unable to escape, and in order to survive, she was compelled to hide her royal identity and sell her dowries at a local market to provide for her family.
The Korean War
A few days later, she was captured by North Korean soldiers and was forced into serving with a North Korean propaganda musical band.
When the North Korean troops eventually retreated from Seoul, after the success of the Incheon landing operation (인천상륙작전), the leader of the musical group ordered them to gather their belongings, as they were to be relocated to Pyongyang. Fortunately, she fell seriously ill at this critical juncture, which enabled her to escape from North Korea after pleading to be taken to a hospital
After the South Korean military restored Seoul, he was taken to the Jongno Police Station due to her association with the North Korean musical band. However, she was released in three days because of her status as "daughter of King Uichin (의친왕)."
Sources
“명성황후 시해 사건.” National institute of Korean History. http://contents.history.go.kr/front/hm/view.do?levelId=hm_119_0040.
Korean Citation Index. “The Forced Mobilization of Korean and the Army Special Volunteer System in the Japanese Colonial Period.” Journal of Studies on Korean National Movement, January 1, 1970. https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/ci/sereArticleSearch/ciSereArtiView.kci?sereArticleSearchBean.artiId=ART001883467.
“한국전쟁(韓國戰爭).” (Korean war) - 한국민족문화대백과사전. Accessed September 27, 2023. https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0042143.
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Amy Lee