Kim Ok-gyun (김옥균; 金玉均; February 23, 1851 – March 28, 1894) was a reformist (''Gaehwapa'', 개화파) activist during the late
Joseon dynasty
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
of
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
. He served under the
national civil service
The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
under King
Gojong, and actively participated to advance Western ideas and sciences in Korea. The goal of the reform movement was to develop Korea in government, technology, and military by using foreign resources to help Korea become stable enough to withstand anticipated increases in foreign encroachment. Kim was assassinated in
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
, and later was given the posthumous title "Chungdal".
Early life
Kim was born into the
Andong Kim clan
{{unreferenced, date=December 2014
The Andong Kim clan (Hangul: 안동 김씨, Hanja: 安東 金氏) refers to two Korean clans. They were prominent yangban families during Korea's Joseon Dynasty originating from Andong, North Gyeongsang provinc ...
to Kim Byung-tae and his wife, Lady Song of the
Eunjin Song clan
Eunjin Song clan () is one of the Korean clans. Their ''Bon-gwan'' is in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. According to the research in 2015, the number of Eunjin Song clan was 226,050. Their founder was who was a descendant of Song Ju eun.
...
, on 23 February 1851 in
Chungcheongnam-do
South Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청남도, ''Chungcheongnam-do''), also known as Chungnam, is a province of South Korea. South Chungcheong has a population of 2,059,871 (2014) and has a geographic area of 8,204 km2 (3,168 sq mi) located in ...
. Through his father, Kim is related to Kim Sang-yong, the older brother of
Queen Sunwon
Queen Sunwon (순원왕후; 8 June 1789 – 21 September 1857), of the Andong Kim clan was the queen consort and wife of Sunjo of Joseon. She was known as Queen Dowager Myeonggyeong (명경왕대비) after her husband's death in 1834. She served ...
’s 6th great-grandfather, Kim Sang-gwan. His family was poor, and, by the age of four, they moved to
Cheonan
Cheonan (; 천안시, ''Cheonan-si''), also spelled Ch'ŏnan, is a city in South Chungcheong, South Korea.
Cheonan has a population of 666,417 (2018), making it the most-populous city or county in South Chungcheong, and the third most-populous ci ...
. His father opened a
Seodang
Seodang were private village schools providing elementary education during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties of Korea.
Background
They were primarily occupied with providing initial training in the Chinese classics to boys of 7-16 years of age, but ...
, or Korean verbal school, at which Kim was educated. When he was six, he was adopted by Kim Byung-gi, a distant relative who had lost his son and was desperate to secure the continuation of his family lineage.
For four years, Kim stayed in what is today
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
and, when Kim Byung-gi was named the governor in
Gangneung
Gangneung () is a municipal city in the province of Gangwon-do, on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 213,658 (as of 2017).Gangneung City (2003)Population & Households. Retrieved January 14, 2006. Gangneung is the economic ...
state in spring of 1861, they moved once again. When Kim reached the age of fifteen, Kim Byunggye was named "Beopmubu Chagwan" in the judicial office, and his family returned to Seoul. There, Kim learned and competed with the sons of other aristocratic families. He displayed his talents in playing the
Kayakem
The ''gayageum'' or ''kayagum'' (in Korean 가야금, 伽倻琴 in Chinese characters) is a traditional Music of Korea, Korean plucked zither with 12 strings (music), strings, though some more recent variants have 18, 21 or 25 strings. It is prob ...
,
singing
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
and
dancing
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...
,
poetry
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...
,
calligraphy
Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
, and
art
Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas.
There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...
. His fame and talents eventually reached the imperial palace, and Queen Dowager invited him.
At the age of 22, Kim took the
national civil service
The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
exam, and was ranked "Jang-won Geub-jae" (level 6) (usually it took about ten years to achieve this status). To avoid the possible negative impacts of the internal political conflicts that could result on his adopted son, Kim Byung-gi retired from his holding.
Revolutionary efforts
![Kim Ok-gyun](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Kim_Ok-gyun.gif)
At the time,
Heungseon Daewongun
Heungseon Daewongun (흥선대원군, 興宣大院君, 21 December 1820 – 22 February 1898; ), also known as the Daewongun (대원군, 大院君), Guktaegong (국태공, 國太公, "The Great Archduke") or formally Internal King Heungseon Heon ...
, who had implemented policies to avoid contact with the
West
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
then for ten years, lost political power. Although trade with the West began and foreign policies were adopted, the situation worsened, and Kim meddled in the internal conflicts in the palace.
Dongnipdang
Kim was for more open policies to the West so that Korea might adopt Western ideals, knowledge, and technology thereby securing its existence. During his national civil service, Kim found many others who agreed with him, and they formed the ''Dongnipdang'', or "Independence Party."
Among their various contacts, the group met a Buddhist monk at
Bongwonsa
Bongwon Temple (or Bongwonsa) is a South Korean Buddhist temple in Bongwon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, near Yonsei University.
Situated to the northeast of the university on the hillside of Ahn Mountain, this is the head temple of the Taego Order ...
, who showed them a peculiar European device. It was a projector that displayed different photographs of the West, such as the streets of
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
and a
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
soldier. He also showed a Japanese book that contained scenes of foreign nations. The activists asked the monk to obtain more Western artifacts for them. The monk then spent two months journeying to and from
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
bringing more Western products. These had to be kept hidden due to the policies of the time which prohibited foreign contact.
First plan
After the conflict with the
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...
and the implementation of the
Treaty of Ganghwa
A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...
, which Kim was against, Kim realized that Japan, regarded by the Korean government as a barbaric nation, had westernized and become a much stronger country. Therefore, Kim wished to visit Japan to learn how the Japanese had westernized. In November 1881, Kim was granted permission to visit Japan under the mission of finding out whether Japan was planning to invade Korea. After arriving in
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
, he met with various influential Japanese politicians during his stay, and was sponsored by
Fukuzawa Yukichi
was a Japanese educator, philosopher, writer, entrepreneur and samurai who founded Keio University, the newspaper '' Jiji-Shinpō'', and the Institute for Study of Infectious Diseases.
Fukuzawa was an early advocate for reform in Japan. His ...
to study at
Keio University
, mottoeng = The pen is mightier than the sword
, type = Private research coeducational higher education institution
, established = 1858
, founder = Yukichi Fukuzawa
, endowmen ...
from February to August 1882. Kim concluded that for now Japan would not invade Korea because its military strength was not comparable to
Qing China
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu people, Manchu-led Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin (1616–1636), La ...
. Kim felt that, in order to ensure survival when China was in decline, Korea would have to borrow Japanese help to modernize itself, and that the only solution to the situation was to introduce a new political force to wipe out the present dominant party.
During his stay in Japan, he sought assistance, and Japanese statesman
Inoue Kaoru
Marquess Inoue Kaoru (井上 馨, January 16, 1836 – September 1, 1915) was a Japanese politician and a prominent member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesmen (''Genrō'') in Jap ...
promised him 3,000,000
won (Korean currency) if Kim were to obtain permission from Korean
Emperor Gojong
Gojong (; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919) was the monarch of Korea from 1864 to 1907. He reigned as the last King of Joseon from 1864 to 1897, and as the first Emperor of Korea from 1897 until his forced abdication in 1907. He is known ...
for reforms. Unfortunately, conflicts with a German ambassador and a change in Japanese policy on Korea caused Inoue to break his promise. Kim returned home in March 1884 without having attained his goal.
Second plan: Gapsin Coup
The Gaehwapa activists continued to meet at Kim's private house and discuss the ongoing events concerning
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
and the international politics. In a feast offered by Kim for the members of the Min Yeong-ik political faction, several Japanese government officials were present, including Inoue and several of the Gaehwapa activists. Under the uncomfortable atmosphere, the discussions soon led to the
Sino-French War
The Sino-French War (, french: Guerre franco-chinoise, vi, Chiến tranh Pháp-Thanh), also known as the Tonkin War and Tonquin War, was a limited conflict fought from August 1884 to April 1885. There was no declaration of war. The Chinese arm ...
. The Min Yeong-ik faction fiercely supported Qing China (which they felt would ensure the survival of Korea), and Japan fiercely supported France (which they felt would allow Japan to overtake Korea). The meeting broke up as Kim and others tried to stop the heated exchanges of debate. From this meeting, Kim could clearly predict that Japan would try to take advantage of the
Sino-French War
The Sino-French War (, french: Guerre franco-chinoise, vi, Chiến tranh Pháp-Thanh), also known as the Tonkin War and Tonquin War, was a limited conflict fought from August 1884 to April 1885. There was no declaration of war. The Chinese arm ...
by extending its influence on Korea.
Clandestinely, Kim visited the Japanese embassy after the feast. During a discussion with Shimamura, Kim questioned Japan's stance for the Gaehwapa and complained about the incident with Inoue. Shimamura explained that the Japanese still support the movement, and that the internal conflicts and misunderstandings contributed to the ill relationship for Kim with
Inoue
Inoue (kanji: , historical kana orthography: ''Winouhe'') is the 16th most common Japanese surname. Historically, it was also romanized as Inouye, and many Japanese-descended people outside of Japan still retain this spelling. A less common vari ...
. He added that the
Sino-French War
The Sino-French War (, french: Guerre franco-chinoise, vi, Chiến tranh Pháp-Thanh), also known as the Tonkin War and Tonquin War, was a limited conflict fought from August 1884 to April 1885. There was no declaration of war. The Chinese arm ...
was a great chance for spurring another movement, to which the Japanese government would definitely respond to.
In a meeting of the Gaehwapa activists and Japanese supporters, Kim outlined a plan for the revolution. It consisted of the assassinations of certain political figures, and creating a major chaos on the day of the reception for the founding of "Ujeongchongguk (우정총국, 郵政總局)", or ''Office for International Postal Service''. They would select potential enemies as scapegoats to whom the blame would rest. The Japanese embassy strongly pledged their active military support to this plan. The young
Seo Jae-pil
Soh Jaipil or Seo Jae-pil (January 7, 1864 – January 5, 1951), also known as Philip Jaisohn, was a Korean- American political activist and physician who was a noted champion of the Korean independence movement, the first Korean naturalized cit ...
and
Seo Gwang-beom
Seo or SEO may refer to:
* Search engine optimization, the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines
Organisations
* SEO Economic Research, a scientific institute
* Spanish Ornithological Society (''Socied ...
also supported Kim's efforts to overturn the old retrograde regime.
On the night of December 4, 1884, near the post office opening reception, a fire occurred. While the activists created chaos with explosives and gunshots, the assassins proceeded in their murders. Over the night, the
Gaehwapa
The Gaehwa Party () was a Korean liberal and progressive party founded after the Imo Incident. They were also called the Independence Party of Joseon, the Innovation Party of Joseon, and the Reformist Faction. They tried to cut off the submissiv ...
became the prevailing party in the government. This event is known as the
Gapsin Coup
The Gapsin Coup, also known as the Gapsin Revolution, was a failed three-day coup d'état that occurred in Korea during 1884. Korean reformers in the Enlightenment Party sought to initiate rapid changes within the country, including eliminating ...
.
Chinese interference
The truths behind the
Gapsin Coup
The Gapsin Coup, also known as the Gapsin Revolution, was a failed three-day coup d'état that occurred in Korea during 1884. Korean reformers in the Enlightenment Party sought to initiate rapid changes within the country, including eliminating ...
incident were leaked to Queen Min (posthumously known as
Empress Myeongseong
Empress Myeongseong or Empress Myungsung (명성황후 민씨; 17 November 1851 – 8 October 1895In lunar calendar, the Empress was born on 25 September 1851 and died on 20 August 1895), informally known as Empress Min, was the official wife ...
), and the plans of the Gaehwapa threatened her political rights. Therefore, the queen secretly requested the Chinese military for their presence. The Korean and Japanese soldiers fought outnumbered against the Chinese army, but were forced to retreat. With the predominance of the Chinese army, the Gaehwapa activists lost power to the Sadaedang, and their lives were threatened. The Gaehwapa activists headed toward the city port of Jemulpo (
Incheon
Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...
) under the escort of the Japanese ambassador Takejo, and boarded a Japanese ship, ''Sensei''. When there was a request to the Japanese ambassador Takejo to hand over the activists, he yielded; the Japanese captain Sujikas scolded Takejo and prohibited their release. The activists fled, many to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, but Kim Okgyun to Japan. Because his Korean name would be unfit for living in Japan, the captain gave Kim a new name, Iwata Shusaku. He led a life under the protection of the Japanese government, staying in Tokyo, then in
Sapporo
( ain, サッ・ポロ・ペッ, Satporopet, lit=Dry, Great River) is a city in Japan. It is the largest city north of Tokyo and the largest city on Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of the country. It ranks as the fifth most populous city ...
, and also visiting the
Ogasawara Islands
The Bonin Islands, also known as the , are an archipelago of over 30 subtropical and tropical islands, some directly south of Tokyo, Japan and northwest of Guam. The name "Bonin Islands" comes from the Japanese word ''bunin'' (an archaic readi ...
.
Following the failure of the Gapsin Coup, Kim lived in fear of assassination. However, when invited to meet with
Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang, Marquess Suyi ( zh, t=李鴻章; also Li Hung-chang; 15 February 1823 – 7 November 1901) was a Chinese politician, general and diplomat of the late Qing dynasty. He quelled several major rebellions and served in important ...
(李鴻章) in
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
, he felt that he could not refuse. Before departing Kim gave his personal diaries to Koyama, one of his close Japanese friends, in case something should happen to him.
Hong Jong-u
Hong Jong-u (홍종우, 洪鍾宇, 1850 – 1913) was a Korean assassin, reformer, activist and statesman during the Korean Empire. He assassinated Kim Ok-gyun in Shanghai in 1894.
Biography
Hong Jong-u was born in Ansan circa 1850. His fat ...
who had travelled to Japan in 1893 to assassinate Kim Okgyun and
Park Yeong-hyo
Park Yung-hyo or Bak Young-hyo (; 1861 – 21 September 1939) was a Korea, Korean politician from the Joseon Dynasty, an enlightenment activist, diplomat and Chinilpa, pro-Japanese collaborator. He was one of the organizers of the Gapsin Co ...
(another reform-minded Korean) learned of the voyage and managed to obtain passage to China on the same vessel. While en route to Shanghai he killed Kim Okgyun with a pistol. Hong later returned to Korea where he was appointed to high office. Kim's body was turned over to a Chinese warship, where it was dismembered. Parts of the body were put on public display in several towns in Korea as a traditional humiliation and punishment for treason. In Japan, there was an official protest to the Chinese government over the treatment of Kim's remains.
Fukuzawa Yukichi
was a Japanese educator, philosopher, writer, entrepreneur and samurai who founded Keio University, the newspaper '' Jiji-Shinpō'', and the Institute for Study of Infectious Diseases.
Fukuzawa was an early advocate for reform in Japan. His ...
led a memorial service in Japan in Kim's honor, and erected a gravestone for him at the
Aoyama Cemetery
is a cemetery in Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The cemetery is also famous for its cherry blossoms, and at the season of hanami, which many people would visit.
History
The cemetery was origin ...
in Tokyo. The assassination of Kim Ok-gyun was cited by the Japanese as one of the events leading to the
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between China and Japan primarily over influence in Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the po ...
.
After his death
Kim Ok-gyun's assassination served as a
casus belli
A (; ) is an act or an event that either provokes or is used to justify a war. A ''casus belli'' involves direct offenses or threats against the nation declaring the war, whereas a ' involves offenses or threats against its ally—usually one b ...
for the
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between China and Japan primarily over influence in Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the po ...
. The Japanese government predicted the assassination of Kim Ok-gyun,
but they did not stop the assassination.
Family
* Great-Grandfather
** Kim Hu-sun (김후순, 金厚淳)
* Grandfather
** Kim Gyo-geun (김교근, 金喬根)
* Father
** Kim Byeong-tae (김병태, 金炳台)
*** Adoptive father - Kim Byeong-gi (김병기, 金炳基) (1814 - 1891)
* Mother
** Lady Song of the Eunjin Song clan (은진 송씨)
*** Adoptive mother - Lady Jo of the Pungyang Jo clan (풍양 조씨)
[Lady Jo is a cousin of ]Queen Shinjeong
Queen Sinjeong (Hangul: 신정왕후, Hanja: 神貞王后; 21 January 1809 – 4 June 1890), also known as Queen Dowager Hyoyu (효유왕대비), of the Pungyang Jo clan, was the only wife of Crown Prince Hyomyeong and mother of Heonjong of Joseo ...
* Siblings
** Older sister - Kim Gyun-yi (김균이), Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (? - 1944)
*** Brother-in-law - Song Byeong-ui (송병의)
** Younger brother - Kim Gak-gyun (김각균, 金珏均)
* Wives and their children
** Lady Yu of the Gangreung Yu clan (강릉 유씨)/Lady Yu of the Gigye Yu clan (기계 유씨)
*** Daughter - Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan
*** Son - Kim Yeong-jin (김영진, 金英鎭) (26 May 1876 - 16 January 1947)
**** Grandson - Kim Seong-han (김성한, 金聲漢) (1918 - ?)
** Concubine - Lady Song (송씨)
** Sukitani Otama (스기타니 오타마)
** Masuno Naka (마쓰노 나카, 松野なか)
*** Daughter - Kim Sada (사다)
*** Son-in-law - Suzuki Ichigoro (스즈키 이치고로, 鈴木市五郎)
**** Granddaughter - Suzuki Hideko (히데코) (1910 - 6 June 1937)
** Nami (나미)
*** Unnamed son
** Unnamed concubine
*** Kim Hak-jin (김학진, 金學鎭)
Popular culture
* Portrayed by Yoo Tae-woong in the 2010
SBS TV series ''
Jejungwon
Chejungwon () was founded in Seoul in 1885, and is known as the first Western medical institution in Korea. It affiliated with Yonhee University in 1957, which changed its name to Yonsei University to mark the collaboration. It is now part of the ...
''.
* Portrayed by
Yoon Hee-seok
Yoon Hee-seok (born February 19, 1975) is a South Korean actor.
Filmography
Film
Television series
Music video
Theater
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
*
Yoon Hee-seok Fan Cafeat Daum
*
*
*
1975 bir ...
in the 2014
KBS TV series ''
Gunman in Joseon
''Gunman in Joseon'' () is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Lee Joon-gi, Nam Sang-mi, Jeon Hye-bin, Han Joo-wan, and Yu Oh-seong. It aired on KBS2 from June 25 to September 4, 2014 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 22 episod ...
''.
References
Bibliography
*https://archive.today/20041218035345/http://www.asan.go.kr/eng/art/sub_04_08_03.asp
*Woong-jin Wee-in-jun-gi #19 Kim Okgyun by Baek Suk-gi. (C) 1996 Woongjin Publishing Co., Ltd.
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Okgyun
1851 births
1894 deaths
19th-century Korean people
Assassinated Korean politicians
Deaths by firearm in Korea
Gim clan of Andong
Korean politicians
People from South Chungcheong Province
People murdered in Korea
Soh Jaipil
Yun Chi-ho