Meritorious Service Record

Following Japan’s intensified invasion of China in the 1930s, Zhang Qun engaged in diplomatic negotiations with Japanese authorities concerning their oppression of Koreans. In 1935, when Japanese and Manchukuo forces invaded the Chahar Province region, including Guyuan (沽源) and Dushikou (獨石口), he conducted eight rounds of negotiations with Japan.
During these negotiations, Japan justified its aggression by accusing China of failing to uphold "friendly relations." The Japanese government then presented five demands to China:
1. Unrestricted flight operations for Japanese aircraft,
2. Reduction of tariffs,
3. Crackdown on the so-called "illegal activities" of Koreans,
4. Appointment of Japanese advisors,
5. Suppression of anti-Japanese speech and activities.
Japan concluded the negotiations by asserting that it would monitor China's enforcement of these conditions, particularly the suppression of Korean anti-Japanese activities. While Zhang Qun formally acknowledged Japan’s concerns at a diplomatic level, he secretly maintained connections with Korean independence activists.
Additionally, he played a key role in managing Korean prisoners of war who had been forcibly conscripted into the Japanese military. In 1945, the Chinese Nationalist Government’s Military Affairs Commission issued directives to regional military commanders regarding the handling of Korean POWs. These orders stated that:
“If the Chinese government needed to assign tasks to Korean POWs, prior consultation with the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was required. Any decision to utilize Korean POWs for operational work must be communicated to the Provisional Government.“
As the Governor of Sichuan Province and the head of the Chengdu regional administration at the time, Zhang Qun actively facilitated the execution of these policies. His efforts significantly supported Korean resistance activities in China and contributed to the Provisional Government’s war efforts against Japan.
The South Korean government awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Independence Medal) in 1968.