Seo-ho Kim Won-yong came to the United States from Shanghai, China, in May 1917 for his studies, but initially delayed his education to participate in patriotic movements. While studying at a university in Ohio, he participated as a founding representative in the Korean Student Association meeting held in San Francisco in April 1920. From 1923 to 1930, he worked in the Midwest and Eastern United States, striving to establish local organizations to support the independence movement. In June 1930, he attended the Korean National Association as a representative from the Americas and served in coordinating communications among various organizations to promote the independence movement.
In 1931, he became the editor of the National News, the official publication of the Korean community in Hawaii. When Lee Seung-man attempted to sell church properties and the community center to fund the organization, Kim opposed this, working to halt Lee’s centralized system and to establish a Korean organization dedicated solely to the national movement. This led to a rift between him and Lee. Additionally, conflicts arose with Lee regarding travel expenses guaranteed by the Korean National Association in San Francisco, which escalated to legal proceedings.
Korean Americans who knew him helped cover the over one thousand dollars in legal fees. At that time, Kim reportedly felt threatened and carried a handgun for self-protection.
Kim Won-yong understood his historical mission as uniting the Korean community and concentrating all efforts on the independence movement. He became a key figure in the Korean National Association formed in 1941 and served as the first vice-chairman of the Legislative Committee after liberation.
He established a scholarship program for Koreans with real estate valued at $500,000 invested by the Kim Brothers Association, awarding a total of $300,000 by 1968. In December 1946, he was elected as a legislator in South Korea and later served as a central executive committee member of the North American Korean National Association. In 1957, he served as the secretary-general and treasurer of the Korean Foundation.
He authored “Liberated Korea” and “A History of Koreans in America over 50 Years.” Notably, “A History of Koreans in America over 50 Years,” written after eight years of research in the 1950s, is regarded as one of his remarkable achievements. This book, made possible with financial assistance from the wealthy Kim Ho, has become an important resource for the study of Korean American history.
In 1965, he, along with Kim Hyung-soon, Kim Ho, and Song Cheol, formed the Korean Association. This was a model for early immigrants in the patriotic and nationalistic movement. The government posthumously awarded him the Order of National Foundation in 1995.
답글 남기기