Ha Yu-seok

Kim Yu-seok was a Jeongmian philosopher, author, historian, and political activist.

Early life and background


Kim Yu-seok was born on the 23rd of January, 1891, to Kim Myeong-sam, his father, and Kang Hye-rim, his mother. His father, a Gyeonghan Kim, was a low-level official serving Yangsang, and both parents came from minor landowning families. His mother was a Doju Kang. He had an older brother, Min-seok, who died of influenza in 1896.

Accusations of corruption led to the termination of his father's position, and following troubles and financial difficulties resulted in multiple moves through Kim's early childhood until finally settling in Hapcheon in 1900. There, his father obtained a job as a manager at a factory, while his mother did not work.

Despite the family's financial problems, both his parents adamant that Kim acquire a quality education. When unable to hire a personal tutor, Kim's father, an educated man himself, would teach him classics and philosophy.