Identification - Korea GI bringback

[DaveA]

Note the similarity of the hilt design to the sword shown here, identified as Japanese army officer: WWIII Japanese Military Collectibles

and here: Japanese Military Swords Scroll down to the section on "Kyu-gunto" swords and the discussion of army vs. navy backstraps. Also, the scabbard with a single ring is identical to the one in my pictures.

Is it a plum blossom or a cherry blossom?

How would a Nationalist Chinese sword end up in Korea in the 1950's, to be brought back by an American GI? What specific indicators do you see to suggest this is Nationalist Chinese vs. Japanese?

Thanks for taking a look!

Best Regards,

David