Meritorious Service Record

Dai Li, a native of Zhejiang Province, China, embarked on a military career in 1917 by joining the 1st Division of the Zhejiang Army. In 1926, he enrolled in the sixth class of the Whampoa Military Academy and joined the Kuomintang (KMT).
Following the Manchurian Incident of September 1931, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the formation of the Three Principles of the People Advancement Society (三民主義力行社), also known as the Blue Shirts Society, comprised of Whampoa Academy graduates. Dai Li was appointed as a key official in this organization, which was primarily composed of right-wing elements within the Kuomintang. The name "Blue Shirts" originated from the blue uniforms worn by Kuomintang members.
As a staunch supporter of Chiang Kai-shek's anti-communist policies, Dai Li oversaw intelligence operations, monitoring both Chinese Communist Party activities and leftist factions within the Kuomintang. Under Chiang’s favor, he managed special operations, conducting secret missions to monitor and suppress pro-Japanese military officers, politicians, and opposition groups.
In 1937, while serving as the head of the Special Services Department(特武隊) of the Nanjing Military Council, Dai Li established contacts with Kim Gu and other officials of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. Beginning in late 1942, Dai Li, along with Chen Lifu (陳立夫) and Chen Guofu (陳果夫), coordinated with the Provisional Government to provide financial support of 60,000 Chinese dollars per month.
In October 1944, he founded the Korean Intelligence Bureau to assist the Korean Liberation Army in military intelligence operations. In January 1945, when the bureau was reorganized into the Korean Salvation Corps, he continued his role as director of the Military Council's Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, providing further support to the Korean Liberation Army. Around June 1945, he planned to establish a training center for Korean youth in Chengdu to further assist in their military education.
The South Korean government posthumously awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Independence Medal) in 1968.