Statue of Kim Gu

Kim Ku, also known by his art name Paekpŏm, was a Korean politician. He was a leader of the Korean independence movement against the Empire of Japan, head of a predecessor to the modern South Korean government for multiple terms, creator of the Korean Liberation Army, 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 was born into a poor farming family in the unstable last few decades of the Joseon kingdom. In its last century, Joseon experienced several peasant rebellions and encroachment 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 even permanently disfigured by Japanese authorities for his activities.