Zhao Nanqi 趙南起 (Korean: Cho Nam-gi) ethnic Korean 3 star general of China. He was born Cheonju, southern Korea under Japanese Occupation in 1927. Migrated w family to Manchuria in 1940. Aft Japan surrender in 1945, 18yr old Cho joined PLA Korean unit, fought Chinese Civil War

When PLA marched into Manchuria, supply became a prb. Cho (2nd left) volunteered to supply 100,000 kilo of rice from 8 Korean villages. Cho was sent to newly opened PLA school where he learned Chinese. In Korean War, Cho served as Korean interpreter for PVA commander Peng Dehuai

Aft Chinese spring offensive in 1951, US/UN forces exploited weakness in PVA logistics/supplies. Largest flood in 40yrs hit Korea in the summer, 60% PVA supplies couldn’t reach the front due to flood and US bombing. Cho was send to be in charge of PVA logistics

US/UN deployed 80% of its air force in Korea to bomb PVA supply lines in August 1951. Cho come up w short-distance relay system that reduced 40% loss in PVA materiel to single digits.

In US “Operation Showdown” offensive agst PVA position in Triangle Hills 上甘岭 in 1952, PVA defended trenches w mostly machine gun + grenades. Cho was ordered to supply 20,000 grenades in 20hrs. He setup a relay system to switch drivers, send 30,000 grenades frm China in 20hrs

In Cultural Revolution, Cho came into conflict w Mao’s nephew Mao Yuanxin 毛远新 who had led Red Guards to struggle head of Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture on trumped up charge of betraying China for ceding half of Mt Baekdu to DPRK. Red Guard stabbed his 9 yr old daughter

After Cultural Revolution, ethnic relation btw Han and Koreans in Yanbian were very bad. Cho took charge of Yanbian and reversed CR policies and repaired the damage done to ethnic relations. His approach in Yanbian was later promoted across China.

Cho was to be promoted to the head of PLA logistics department and a 3 star general in 1987 but an anonymous letter came to PLA allege Cho is a South Korean spy...

Cho’s grandpa 趙東植 was a leader of Korean resistance to Japanese colonialism in the March 1st Movement. Grandpa returned to Korea frm China w Cho’s brother in 1940. Cho received a letter frm #HongKong in 1979 frm a South Korean journo on behalf of his brother hoping for reunion

But China didn’t recognize South Korea except as US puppet regime in 1979. Cho turned the letter to Public Security Bureau and explained to Yanbian Prefecture and provincial gov. His brother later put an lost person ad on South Korean radio looking for his info.

PLA HQ cleared Cho. he was promoted to the head of logistics department and a 3 star general in 1988. China recognized South Korea in 1992. Cho paid official visit to South Korea in 2000 as vice-chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and saw his hometown

Cho pushed for Korean War movie ‘38th parallel’ 北纬三十八度线 in 2000. But because Chinese gov censors didn’t want to aggravate US. The film was blocked from showing in theaters for 21 years to this day