Draft Kim Gu

Title	Kim Gu

1차 원고

Political Leader Kim Gu

As an independence activist and politician, Kim Gu (1876~1949) was one of leaders in the Korean provisional government established in China. In his youth, he believed in the Cheondogyo, an indigenous religion in Korea, and stood in the vanguard of Donghak troop during the Gabo Peasant Reform(갑오농민운동).

Shocked by the Eulmi Incident of assassinating Empress Myeongseong, Kim Gu killed a Japanese army officer in 1896 in his age of 21 years and was arrested. He was given a death sentence in 1897 but he could save his life by escaping from prison in the following year.

After the Eulsa Treaty was concluded between Joseon and Japan in 1905, Kim Gu established a school in 1907. Having defected to Shanghai after March 1 Independence Movement in 1919, he assumed an important position in the Korean provisional government and became one of cabinet members in 1927. In 1928, he founded the Korean Independence Party with colleague leaders, and organized an armed patriots’ corps in 1931 to directly punish Japanese top political leaders. He arranged heroic actions of Lee Bong-chang and Yun Bong-gil in 1932.

Having inaugurated as the president of Korean provisional government in March 1940, he organized the Korean liberation army and declared war against Japan in December 1941. While he struggled for Korea’s independence in alliance with the U.S. army at the end of the World War II by training soldiers, Korea was liberated on August 15, 1945.

After liberation, Korea fell into serious confusion. Korea was divided into South and North. He wanted to establish a unified independent nation by Korean people with no intervention of other countries. When the United Nations General Assembly resolved in September 1947 the general election in both South and North Korea, he welcomed the resolution.

He proposed North Korea in February 1948 to hold a joint meeting for establishing a government of unified Korea. But North Korea already established its own army and announced draft of constitution of the DPRK in early February 1948. He denied the general election conducted on May 10, 1948 in South Korea, and he failed in the first presidential election. Even after the new Korean government was established in South Korea, he continuously argued to hold the general election in both South and North Korea under observation of the United Nations. But he was assassinated in June 1949 by an army second lieutenant.

감수본

Political Leader Kim Gu

As an independence activist and politician, Kim Gu (1876 -~1949) was one of leaders in the Korean Provisional Government established in China after 1919. In his youth, he believed in the Cheondo-gyo, a Korean indigenous religion, and stood in the vanguard of the farmer troops during the 1894 Peasant Reform Movement.

Shocked and enraged by the assassination of Queen Min (later Empress Myeongseong) by Japan, Kim Gu killed a Japanese army officer in 1896 at age 21 and was arrested. He was given a death sentence in 1897 but he saved his life by escaping from prison in the following year.

After the Protectorate Treaty was concluded between Joseon and Japan in 1905, Kim Gu established a school in 1907. Having defected to Shanghai after the March 1st Independence Movement in 1919, he joined in the Korean provisional government and became one of cabinet members in 1927. In 1928, he founded the Korean Independence Party with colleagues, and organized an armed patriots’ corps in 1931 to punish top Japanese leaders. He arranged the heroic attacks on Japanese leaders by Lee Bong-chang and Yun Bong-gil in 1932.

Having been inaugurated as the President of Korean Provisional Government in March 1940, he organized the Korean Liberation Army and declared war against Japan in December 1941. While he trained soldiers, Korea was liberated on August 15, 1945.

Korea fell into serious confusion as it was divided into South and North, backed by the United States and the Soviet Union respectively. He wanted to establish a unified independent nation by Korean people without intervention of other countries. He welcomed the United Nations General Assembly resolution of September 1947 to hold a general election in both South and North Korea.

He proposed a joint meeting to the northern leaders for establishing a unified government, but North Korea already established its own army and announced the draft constitution in February 1948. Kim denied the general election conducted on May 10, 1948 in South Korea, and he failed in the first presidential election. The Republic of Korea government was established in the South on August 15, 1948, He still hoped to see a general election in both halves under observation of the United Nations, but was assassinated in June 1949 by a second lieutenant of the army. He remains a symbol of a unified Korea in the minds of the people.