Kim Ku
Korean independence activist (1876–1949) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Kim Ku[lower-alpha 1] (Korean: 김구; August 29, 1876 – June 26, 1949), also known by his art name Paekpŏm,[lower-alpha 2] was a Korean Stateman and politician. He was a leader of the Korean independence movement against the Empire of Japan, head of the Provisional Government of Korea for multiple terms, and a Korean reunification activist after 1945. Kim is revered in South Korea, where he is widely considered one of the greatest figures in Korean history.
Kim Ku | |
|---|---|
 Kim in 1949 | |
| President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea | |
| In office December 14, 1926 – August 1927 | |
| Vice President | Kim Kyu-sik |
| Preceded by | Hong Jin |
| Succeeded by | Yi Dong-nyeong |
| In office March 1940 – March 1947 | |
| Preceded by | Yi Dong-nyeong |
| Succeeded by | Syngman Rhee (President of the Provisional Government) |
| Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea | |
| In office October 1930 – October 1933 | |
| Preceded by | Roh Baek-lin |
| Succeeded by | Yang Gi-tak |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1876-08-29)August 29, 1876 T'otkol village, Paegunbang, Haeju, Hwanghae Province, Joseon |
| Died | June 26, 1949(1949-06-26) (aged 72) Gyeonggyojang, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea |
| Manner of death | Assassination by gunshots |
| Resting place | Hyochang Park, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea |
| Nationality | Korean |
| Political party | Korea Independence Party |
| Children | |
| Religion | Methodism formerly Cheondoism, Buddhism |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 김구 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Gu |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Ku |
| IPA | [kim.ɡu] |
| Art name | |
| Hangul | 백범 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Baekbeom |
| McCune–Reischauer | Paekpŏm |
| IPA | [pɛk.p͈ʌm] |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | 김창암 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Chang(-)am |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Ch'angam |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | 연하 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Yeonha |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yŏnha |
Kim was born into a poor farming family during the Joseon period. In Joseon's last century, it experienced several peasant rebellions and interventions from multiple global powers, including the Empire of Japan, the Russian Empire, Qing China, and the United States. Kim fought for Korean independence for most of his life, and was jailed, tortured, and permanently disfigured by Japanese authorities for his activities. He spent 26 years in exile in China, serving various roles in the Provisional Government and collaborating with the Republic of China. During this time, he founded and led the Korean Patriotic Organization and the Korean Liberation Army. He both planned and was the target of numerous assassination attempts, including an assassination attempt on Japanese Emperor Hirohito. After the 1945 surrender of Japan in World War II, Kim returned to the peninsula alongside the provisional government and tried to prevent the division of Korea.
However, in 1949, just four years after his return and just before the outbreak of the 1950 Korean War, Kim was assassinated by Korean Lieutenant Ahn Doo-hee.
While Kim is mostly celebrated in modern South Korea, he is not without his share of critics. In 1896, Kim murdered a Japanese man who he believed may have been connected to the Japanese military or even involved in the recent assassination of Empress Myeongseong. The man is generally agreed to be Tsuchida Josuke, a civilian merchant on a business trip.[1][2] Kim was also involved in coordinating attacks against Japanese military and colonial government personnel. His legacy is somewhat less enthusiastically celebrated in North Korea, due to his anti-Communist views.