Hong Jong-u

Hong Jong-u was a Korean assassin, reformer, activist and statesman during the Korean Empire. He assassinated Kim Okkyun in Shanghai in 1894.

Biography

Hong Jong-u was born in Ansan circa 1850. His father died in 1886. Afterwards Hong decided to study in France as the first Korean exchange student in France. He arrived in Paris in December 1890. In Paris the 40-year-old student worked at the Guimet Museum, where he translated the Chunhyangjeon, The [Tale of Sim Chong], and the Jikseong haengnyeong pyeonram into French.
In 1893, Hong traveled to Japan where he decided to assassinate Kim Okkyun and Pak Yeong-hyo, two reform-minded Koreans. In 1894, he shot and killed Kim Okkyun aboard ship en route to Shanghai. He later returned to Korea where he was appointed to high office. With the growing influence of Japan over Korean affairs, the anti-Japan Hong Jong-u resigned his official position. He died in 1913.