Kim Chaek (, 14 August 1903 – 31 January 1951) was a North Korean revolutionary, military general, and politician. His real name was Kim Hong-gye ().

Life

Kim Chaek was born in Sŏngjin,

North Hamgyong North Hamgyong Province (Hamgyŏngbukdo, ) is the northernmost province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Hamgyong Province. Geography The province is bordered by China (Jilin) on the north, ...

, Korea, in 1903. He and his family fled to Manchuria after Korea was colonized by Japan. In 1927, Kim joined the Communist Party of China and the Anti-Japanese movement to oppose the Japanese occupation. He was imprisoned for his resistance activities. After his release from prison, Kim joined the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army in 1935 and fought alongside Kim Il-sung. He fled to the Soviet Union to escape the Japanese conquest of the partisans in 1940. He lived in

Khabarovsk Khabarovsk ( rus, Хабaровск, a=Хабаровск.ogg, r=Habárovsk, p=xɐˈbarəfsk) is the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative centre of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia,Law #109 located from the China ...

where he met with Kim Il-sung and formed the 88th Special Brigade. After the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, he returned to Korea along with the Soviet Army in 1945. On September 9, 1948, the

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and ...

was established, Kim became the industry minister and deputy prime minister under Kim Il-sung. He was appointed number 2 Committee Vice Chairman in the Workers' Party of Korea. In the Korean War, he was a commander of the North Korean troops on the front lines. A Japanese history of the Kim Il-sung family claims that Kim Chaek was purged when he was found responsible for the failure at the

Inchon landing The Battle of Incheon (), also spelled Battle of Inchon, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved s ...

, and died in January 1951 after an American military air raid bombing or was assassinated following a power struggle. Kim Il-sung's memoir '' With the Century'' states instead that Kim died of heart failure after a long night of work.Kim Il-sung (1998) ''With the Century'' vol. 8

Posthumous honours

Views from Yanggakdo International Hotel 05

After his death, Kim Chaek's birthplace Haksong County, combined with the neighboring city of Songjin, was formally renamed to Kim Chaek City to commemorate his life and accomplishments.

Kim Chaek University of Technology Kim Chaek University of Technology is a university in North Korea, on the banks of the Taedong River in Pyongyang. It is named after General Kim Chaek. The university's programs in nuclear reactors, nuclear electronics, nuclear fuel and nuclear ...

in Pyongyang and

Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex Kim Chaek Iron & Steel Works ( ko, 김책제철련합기업소) is the largest steel mill in North Korea, named after national independence hero and military official Kim Chaek. It is located in Songpyong-guyok, Chongjin, North Hamgyŏng Province ...

in Chongjin are also named after him. He was awarded North Korea's

National Reunification Prize The National Reunification Prize () is an award of North Korea, bestowed by the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly upon people who have contributed to the reunification of Korea. The award was instituted in 1990. Recipients * An Ji-sae ...

in 1998.

Work

* Feature-length epic "Mt. Paektu" 《장편 대서사시 백두산》

References

*''Korea, a century of change'' by Jürgen Kleiner page 275 *''Korea Web Weekly'
Remembering Kim Chaik
*''Kim Jong Il Biography''. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House for Literature, 2005. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Chaek 1903 births 1951 deaths People from Kimchaek Government ministers of North Korea North Korean generals North Korean military personnel of the Korean War Recipients of the National Reunification Prize Members of the 1st Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea Members of the 2nd Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Members of the 2nd Political Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Members of the 2nd Standing Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Members of the 1st Supreme People's Assembly People of 88th Separate Rifle Brigade