Korean laborers?

[Josh Beckett]

What did the Koreans in the japanese army do?

[TWP]

The common misconception as your title/query indicates is that they simply built roads etc. But they fought in the front lines. In fact in the foremost front lines. They also were used to "recon" mined areas. Bloody nips...

[Allan H.]

Korean Laborers did anything that their Japanese masters commanded them to do. Substitute "slave" for "laborer" and you have a good idea of what their duties entailed.
Allan

[TWP]

I knew some Korean vets who had to fight for Japan during WW2. They fought against the allies in South East Asia such as the Philippines and Borneo. They told me how they were used as "recon troops" and purposely expose themselves as bait to the allies, to see where the allies were. Many died fighting the allies as frontline troops in such occurences and some even won awards and they surprisingly enough were treated well for the most part by their Japanese colleagues.

Some Koreans became highly regarded and powerful generals and admirals in the Imperial Japanese Military. To this day, they are buried in Japanese shrines for fallen heroes and venerated with respect by the Japanese themselves.

However having said all this, many Koreans were mistreated. They were forced to fight for the Japanese. Yet, when they were called to service, they were called the "volunteer Army" but in truth they had no choice. Many died for a war that was not theirs and the Korean government today calls them "collaborators" and in todays scewed up climate, they and their surving relatives are hounded down in a Communist instigated witch hunt. North Korea is sending in agents to South Korea and deviously flaming anti-western sentiments amongst the South Korean youth. And anyone who's families had dealings with Japan more than 60 70 years ago are called traitors and collaborators and are hounded down and ostracized at best and persecuted in the worst cases.

[Homer Hodge]

Just to add to what TWP said, there were a number of Koreans who graduated from the Japanese Military Academy at what is now Camp Zama US military base in Japan. Probably the most famous was Pak Chong Hee, president of South Korea 1962-1979; he is regarded as the creator of the Korean economic miracle of the 1970s.

Some Koreans became highly regarded and powerful generals and admirals in the Imperial Japanese Military. To this day, they are buried in Japanese shrines for fallen heroes and venerated with respect by the Japanese themselves.