[Medical doctors' independence movement during the Japanese colonial period]

There are approximately 10,000 people who have been identified as men of merit for independence movement by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs in Korea. Currently, January of 2008, it is assumed that there are 156 doctors (medical school students included) had participated in independence movement, among them, 71 people have received the rewards from the government with the honor of independence movement as a doctor or medical school student. However, there are still 85 doctors have not received any rewards from the government despite their participation in independence movement. Korean doctors and medical students participated in independent movement through many ways in domestic and foreign country during the Japanese colonial period. They made use of their doctor license, and occasionally took part in independent movement as ordinary people. They not only had acted as politicians, diplomats, and medical officers, but also supported medical service, donation campaign, social movement, and educational movement for independent movement against Japanese colonial rule.