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Finding Aid to the Channing and Popai Liem Papers, ca.
1927-1997
BANC MSS 98/94 z
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Collection Title: Channing and Popai Liem Papers,
Date (inclusive): ca. 1927-1997
Collection Number: BANC MSS 98/94 z
Creator:
Liem, Channing, 1909-
Liem, Popai
Liem, Popai
Extent:
Number of containers: 11 boxes, 6 cartons, 12 volumes, 1 oversize folder
Linear feet: 14.5
Repository: The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Abstract: Contains the personal archives of Dr. Channing Liem, a Korean
nationalist and diplomat, with the papers of his wife Popai Liem. Dr. Liem's papers
include manuscripts, speeches, sermons, correspondence with world leaders, and material
related to organizations he founded or led in the United States in his fight for Korean
reunification and peace. Much of his writing and correspondence is in Korean. Popai
Liem's papers include memoirs, correspondence, and material related to her work with the
Korean Patriotic Women's Association.
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials,
please consult the Library's online catalog.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in Korean,
English,
Chinese,
Japanese
Collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission
to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of
Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft
Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or
imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the
reader.
[Identification of item], Channing and Popai Liem papers, BANC MSS 98/94 z, The
Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
- Printed materials have been transferred to the book collection of The Bancroft Library.
- Photographs have been transferred to Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library.
The Channing and Popai Liem Papers were given to The Bancroft Library and the Ethnic
Studies Library by Popai Liem on November 18, 1997. Additions were made on
December 11, 1998 by Paul Liem.
Funding for processing provided by Paul Liem.
Channing Liem, born in Whangai Province, North Korea October 30, 1909, came to the United
States in 1930 where he attended Lafayette College (1930-1934) later studying political
science at Princeton (1940-1945). He did post-graduate work on a Ford Fellowship at Yale
(1954-1955).
During World War II Liem served as Consultant on Far Eastern Affairs to the United States
Office of Censorship (1942-1945) and assisted Philip Jaishon and Syngman Rhee, Korea's
emigre nationalist leaders in the Korean independence movement. Following the war he
returned to Korea to serve concurrently as Korean Affairs Advisor to the American
Military Government in Korea (1948-1949) and secretary to Philip Jaisohn, Chief Advisor
to the Commanding General of the United States Army Forces.
Liem refused to serve in his government during the Presidency of Syngman Rhee and returned to
the United States to begin twelve years of self imposed exile. During this period Liem
taught political science at Pennsylvania College for Women (now called Chatham College).
Following Korean president Syngman Rhee's ouster in 1960 Liem served as the first
ambassador to the United Nations in the reform government of J. Myun Chang. A year later
he submitted his resignation in protest of Park Chung Hee's. He was one of several
hundred Korean leaders to lose their citizenship rights under the Park regime.
In 1976 Liem's wife, Popai, journeyed to North Korea. Two years later Liem made his own first
visit since partition. It was his conviction that Korean reunification could be achieved
peacefully without foreign interference and, serving as the head of several national and
international organizations in the years following, he endeavored to maintain peace in
his native land.
The Channing and Popai Liem Papers, 1927-1997, contains the personal archives of Dr. Channing
Liem, a Korean nationalist and diplomat, with the papers of his wife Popai Liem. Dr.
Liem's papers include manuscripts, speeches, sermons, correspondence with world leaders,
and material related to organizations he founded or lead in the United States in his
fight for Korean reunification and peace. Much of his writing and correspondence is in
Korean. Popai Liem's papers include her memoirs, correspondence, and material related to
her work with the Korean Patriotic Women's Association.