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Kim Sangok

1889 – 1923

Korean independence activist

Independence activist
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About Kim Sangok

Lived 1889 – 1923 (aged 34). Kim Sangok was a Korean independence activist.

Kim Sang-ok (, January 5, 1889 – January 22, 1923) was a Korean independence activist.

Biography Kim was born on January 5, 1889.

At the age of 20, Dongheung Night School was established and the education movement began by Kim Sang Ok. He discussed issues related to national independence with Lee Jong-so and Lim Yong-ho.

When March 1st Movement took place, he organized a secret reform group with Yun Ik-jung and Shin Hwa-soo. He also published and distributed Innovation Notice. And in the spring of 1920, he met Kim Dong-soon, who came in from Manchuria, and planned to launch an independence movement with direct action, including the formation of an assassination squad to destroy the enemy's institutions.

He returned to Korea in 1921 and carried out the mission of collecting military funds and spying for the country. In the winter of 1922, he entered Seoul with his comrades, Ahn Hong-han and Oh Bok-young, carrying weapons such as bombs, pistols, and live ammunition.

He later defected to Shanghai, China, in October that year and avoided tracing by Japanese police that year. There, he developed a struggle for national independence by interacting with the governors of China through guidance and introduction of temporary government factors such as Kim Gu and Lee Si-young.

Then on January 12 the following year, he was in hiding after throwing a bomb at the Jongno Police Station. On January 22, 1923, Kim ran around the roof of a civilian house surrounded by some 1,000 Japanese military police officers in Hyoje-dong, central Seoul, and fought a three-hour gun battle before killing himself with one remaining bullet.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Independence activist
Also known as
Kim Sang-ok

People in Kim Sangok's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Kim Sangok's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Kim Sangok?

Korean independence activist (1889-1923)

When was Kim Sangok born?

Kim Sangok was born on 5 January 1889.

When did Kim Sangok die?

Kim Sangok died on 22 January 1923 in Seoul.

What was Kim Sangok's occupation?

Kim Sangok was an independence activist.

What nationality was Kim Sangok?

Kim Sangok was Korean.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Kim Sangok

· Wikidata: Q952919

· DBpedia: Kim Sang-ok (independence activist)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Kim Sangok. https://biography.guide/kim-sangok/

MLA: "Kim Sangok." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/kim-sangok/.

Chicago: "Kim Sangok." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/kim-sangok/.

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