Kim Koo 김구 金九 |
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6th President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea | |
In office 1927–1927 |
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Vice President | Kim Kyu-sik |
Preceded by | Hong Jin |
Succeeded by | Yi Dong-nyung |
12th, 13th President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea | |
In office 1939 – August 15, 1948 |
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Preceded by | Yi Dong-nyung |
Succeeded by |
Rhee Syngman (President of the Provisional Government) |
Personal details | |
Born |
Baegun-dong, Haeju, Hwanghae, Joseon Dynasty |
August 29, 1876
Died | June 26, 1949 Seoul, South Korea |
(aged 72)
Nationality | Korean |
Political party | Korean Independence Party |
Kim Koo | |
Hangul | |
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Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Gim Gu |
McCune–Reischauer | Kim Ku |
Pen name | |
Hangul | 백범 or 연상 |
Hanja | or |
Revised Romanization | Baekbeom or Yeonsang |
McCune–Reischauer | Paekpŏm or Yŏnsang |
Courtesy name | |
Hangul | 연하 |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Yeonha |
McCune–Reischauer | Yŏnha |
Kim Koo (김구; 金九; Kim Gu or Kim Ku Korean pronunciation: [kimɡu]; also known by his pen name Baekbeom (백범; 白凡; [pɛkpʌm]), August 29, 1876 – June 26, 1949) was a Korean nationalist politician. He was the sixth and later the last Premier of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, a leader of the Korean independence movement against the Japanese Empire, and a reunification activist after 1945.
Kim was born on August 29 (11th day of the 7th month in the Lunar Calendar), 1876 in Teot-gol (텃골), Baek-un-bang (백운방), Haeju (해주; 海州), South Hwanghae Province, Korea, the only son of a farmer Kim Soon-young (김순영) and his wife Kwak Nack-won (곽낙원). His name at birth was Kim Changahm (김창암; 金昌巖; [kimtɕʰaŋam]). When he was nine years old, he started to study Chinese classic texts such as Zizhi Tongjian (자치통감; 資治通鑒), and Great Learning (대학; 大學) at local seodangs.
At the age of 16, Kim applied for the Gwageo (Imperial Examination) of Joseon but failed. After that, he joined the Donghak Movement (동학; 東學), a rebellion against government and foreign oppressions in 1893 and changed his name to Kim Changsoo (김창수; 金昌洙). As the organization grew rapidly, he was appointed the district leader of Palbong (팔봉) at the age of 17 and a Donghak army regiment. Under the instruction of Donghak leader Choi Si-hyung (최시형; 崔時亨), Kim's troops stormed the Haeju fort in Hwanghae-do, but the army was eventually defeated by governmental forces. After that, he was defeated by his companion, Lee Dong-yeop (이동엽) in the turf war of Donghak’s organization. Thereafter, the Royal Army's General An Tae-hun (안태훈; 安泰勳; (father of Ahn Jung-geun (안중근; 安重根) who would in 1909 assassinate the Japanese governor Ito Hirobumi (伊藤博文)), gave Kim's Donghak rebels a safe pass, but other government troops ignored An's safe pass and attacked them. At 20, with I-eon Kim whom he had met around Yalu River, Kim attacked the Royal Army unit holding the Gang-gye fort, supported by the Qing Dynasty's army. However, the attack failed and he went into hiding.