Kim Shin

Kim Shin (; September 21, 1922 – May 19, 2016) was a lieutenant general of the South Korean Air Force, a Korean independence activist, a politician, and a diplomat.

He was the son of Kim Ku. He spent much of his early life in exile in China alongside his father, older brother , and grandmother Kwak Nak-won. There, he participated in the Korean independence movement; for these activities he was eventually awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, grade 5 in 1990. He eventually became interested in becoming a pilot, and enrolled in the Republic of China Air Force Academy. He received training there, in Lahore, British India, and in San Antonio, Texas. He eventually returned to the liberated Korean peninsula in 1947.

He served with distinction in the Korean War, in which he flew in numerous combat operations. Afterwards, he served as Chief of Staff for Personnel and Administration and then as Chief of Staff for the . He later served as 6th , the 21st , and a member of the 9th National Assembly. In his later life, he worked on the National Conference for Unification chaired the Independence Hall of Korea, and led the Association of Commemorative Services for Patriot Kim Koo.

He died on May 19, 2016, and is now buried in the Daejeon National Cemetery.

Early life

Kim was born on September 21, 1922, in Shanghai, Republic of China. His father was notable Korean independence activist Kim Ku, and his mother was mother was Ch'oe Chun-rye (1889 – 1 January 1924). He had an older brother.

Kim spent much of his early life during the Japanese occupation of Korea. His father was a prominent member of the Korean Provisional Government (KPG) and seen as a leader in the independence movement. He then went to the Randolph Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas. There, he shook hands with Kim Il Sung, who reportedly said to him: "Comrade, good work in taking care of your father's journey here".

After diplomatic relations were established between South Korea in China in 1986, Kim visited the Chinese mainland for the first time in 40 years. In 1990, he organized and participated in a ceremony at the Beijing Great Hall of the People that honored a Chinese translation of his father's autobiography, the Baekbeomilji.

Kim was a Christian.

Awards In 1990, the South Korean government awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation, grade 5. Kim also has the Order of Military Merit, classes two through four.