Kim Jong-rim (1884-1973): A Big Player Known as the “Rice King”

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Kim Jong-rim earned the nickname “Rice King” for being the largest landowner among Koreans at the time, cultivating vast amounts of rice and making a significant fortune. With his earnings, he donated substantial amounts to various needs within the Korean community, as well as to the independence movement, and established a flight school, supporting it financially as a generous businessman. In 1916, he cultivated rice on 4,300 acres in Willows, generating an annual income exceeding one million dollars, and he owned a Cadillac at that time.

An article published in the Shinhan Minbo on January 17, 1918, reported:

“Mr. Kim Jong-rim donated 200 won to purchase a printing press—’Mr. Kim Jong-rim, known as the giant of Korean rice farming in California, donated 200 won for the purchase of this year’s printing press when he visited the assembly hall in San Francisco. When this proposal was first passed, it was agreed that each Korean businessman in the U.S. would contribute a certain amount, and while we expected Mr. Kim to take on a portion of this, we did not anticipate such a large donation. This 200 won contribution has set a ten-year record for Koreans in the U.S. Although Mr. Kim has made a significant profit this year, his willingness to contribute such a large sum is truly remarkable.’”

On March 10, 1918, he married Beck Ellis at the Maxwell White Chapel and held a reception at his home in Tailorsville near Sacramento, reportedly spending $5,000 on the wedding. He assisted No Baek-rin, the Minister of Military Affairs of the Provisional Government, in establishing a flight school in Willows, donating $20,000 to the school in 1920. He also provided $3,000 monthly to cover operational costs, including teachers’ salaries, which was a considerable amount at the time. Additionally, on June 22, 1920, he actually purchased an airplane for student training. Kim Jong-rim was also known for donating the largest single amount of $3,400 to the Korean National Association for the independence movement.

The North American Daily reported on February 15 and March 1, 1946, about Kim Jong-rim ordering printing equipment for the newspaper and the marriage of his children. An article titled “The Wedding Ceremony of Kim Jin-won and Kim Ross” covered Kim Jong-rim’s involvement in the operation of the North American Daily alongside various organizations in California. He worked as an expansion committee member for the North American Daily alongside Jeong Mong-ryong and Song Cheol. The achievements of the independence movement that Kim Jong-rim initiated and promoted deserve to be re-evaluated.

In 2005, the government posthumously awarded him the Order of National Foundation for his contributions.

New museum to memorialize start of Korean Air Force in Willows

The City of Willows in Glenn County has a rich aviation history. So much so, that a group is working on building the Willows Air Museum between the airport and Interstate 5. The Quint one-room schoolhouse was repurposed to house Korean pilots during Japan’s occupation of Korea. They were attracted to Glenn County by Jong Lim Kim, a landowner known as the “Rice King. ” It was the very beginning of the Korean Air Force, which is now the seventh most powerful in the world.