Kim Yun-kyong"Kim Yun-kyong [김윤경(金允經)]," The National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Korea [대한민국학술원], accessed June 10, 2024, https://www.nas.go.kr/page/8c0cc182-c5db-4b72-ba2e-5b8171b5a2a4?mber_key=10000329&mber_dept_upper_cd=MBER_CL_DEPT_01&mber_dept_cd=&select_mber_dept_cd=&mber_dept_nm=&change_explorer_number=0.49242460055695414. (; ; June 9, 1894 – February 3, 1969) was a Korean linguist and educator, renowned for his works such as Joseon Script and History of Joseon Linguistics (, 1938), Korean Language Grammar (나라말본, 1948), and Middle School Korean Language Grammar (중등말본, 1948). Kim was an activist for the Korean language movement and attempted to preserve the Korean writing system during the Japanese colonial period.Pil-jae Lee, "150 Years of Yonsei through Its People(12)-Korean Linguist Hangyeol Kim Yun-kyong: Preserving the Korean Language and Spirit Thanks to His Defense of Hangul Studies [인물로 보는 연세 150년(12)-국어학자 한결 김윤경 선생: 그가 한글학을 지켜냈기에 우리말과 정신이 보존돼]," Yonsei Alumni Newsletter [연세동문회보], October 1, 2023, 15. In recognition of his efforts to safeguard the Korean language and promote national consciousness, he was posthumously awarded the National Foundation Medal in 1977 and the Patriotic Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1990."2. A Scholar Who Persisted in His Research Despite the Adversities of the Joseon Language Society Incident and Other Challenges : Kim Yun-kyong [2. 조선어학회 사건등의 역경속에도 연구를 놓지 않은 학자 : 김윤경]," Electronic Archives of Meritorious Service for Korea [공훈전자사료관], accessed June 10, 2024, https://e-gonghun.mpva.go.kr/user/IndepCrusaderDetail.do?goTocode=20003&mngNo=1596.
Biography
Early life Kim Yun-kyong was born in Gojam-ri (), , , Gyeonggi Province, Joseon on June 9, 1894, as the eldest son of Jeong-min Kim () and Rak-hyul Park (). He studied Chinese literature in his hometown from the age of five to fifteen and moved to Seoul in April 1908 to pursue modern education. He then enrolled at the Private Woosan School () located in western Seoul. In December of the same year, he transferred to Virtuous Law School (), from which he graduated on July 9, 1909, and immediately entered its advanced program () in the following September. He completed this program in 1910, a year marked by the Japan–Korea Annexation (). Subsequently, in January 1911, he enrolled at the Private Youth Academy () in Sangdong (), southern Seoul, where he received Hangul instruction from his lifelong mentor, Si-gyeong Ju. Influenced by Ju's teachings on the excellence of the Korean alphabet, Kim's prejudices and conventional views about Hangul were completely transformed. Although initially interested in mathematics, he eventually chose to dedicate his life to the study of the Korean language.
Mid-life In the spring of 1913, after graduating from the Private Youth Academy, Kim began teaching Korean, history, and mathematics in the advanced program at Changsin School () in Masan.San Kim, "[Meeting the Independence Activists of Gyeonggi Province] 20. Hangyeol Kim Yun-kyong, Who Protected the Korean Language and Script 경기도 독립운동가를 만나다] 20. 나라의 말글을 지킨 한결 김윤경," Kyeonggi Ilbo [경기일보], July 11, 2019, https://www.kyeonggi.com/article/201907111073642. He lectured there for four years, during which he authored his early scholarly work, a paper titled The Basis of Joseon Language Research ().
In April 1917, he enrolled in the liberal arts program at Yonhi College (now Yonsei University). There, he emerged as a leading figure in student movements, serving as the chairman of the Joseon Student Conference (), an organization of 1,000 students from general high schools () and colleges in Seoul advocating for friendship and unity among Korean students. After participating in the March First Movement in 1919, a nationwide anti-Japanese resistance movement, he took a gap year and stayed in the countryside to evade arrest.
Upon his return to school, he took an active role in studying and advancing Hangul. On December 3, 1921, he founded the Joseon Language Research Institute (), together with fellow researchers Tu-son Choi (), Ji-yeong Jang (), Deok-gyu Kwon (), and Byeong-gi Lee (). This institute played a central role in researching and promoting Hangul during the Japanese colonial period. By January 1922, Kim drafted a paper titled On Correcting Our Language and Script by Observing Their Past and Present Forms (). The following month, he joined the Self-Cultivation Friendship Association (), organized by Chang-ho Ahn ().
Kim graduated from Yonhi College on March 24, 1922, and taught Korean and history at Paiwha Girls' General High School () until 1926. After receiving a scholarship from Paiwha in the same year, he furthered his studies at Rikkyo University's Department of History in Japan. He completed his thesis, A Historical Examination of Joseon Script (), on September 17, 1928, and earned a bachelor's degree in East Asian history in 1929 at the age of 36. Starting in 1934, he expanded on his thesis, eventually publishing Joseon Script and History of Joseon Linguistics () in 1938. After graduating from Rikkyo University, Kim returned to teach at Paiwha Girls' General High School and was actively involved in the Joseon Language Research Institute. He also devoted himself to nationwide Hangul education (see "Career: Before Korean liberation").
Later life and death As the Japanese fascist regime intensified, Kim suffered significantly due to the Self-Cultivation Friendship Association incident () in 1937. Perceived by the Japanese authorities as a rebellious group, the association saw 181 of its members arrested under the Peace Preservation Law (), with 31 eventually indicted. All were released by November 1941. During this period, Kim was arrested, tortured, and lost his job amid the trials that spanned from the first to the third court hearings. Even after his release, he suffered from aftereffects of torture, including becoming deaf in one ear.
He was acquitted by the high court in October 1941 and began working as a teacher at Sungshin Girls' School of Home Economics () in April 1942. However, in October of the same year, he was arrested again along with fellow Hangul scholars Ji-yeong Jang, Deok-gyu Kwon, and Byeong-gi Lee, during the Joseon Language Society incident (Joseon Language Research Institute was renamed Joseon Language Society in 1931)—a strategic move by the Japanese authorities designed to disrupt ongoing Hangul research. After enduring a year in prison, he was released on probation by the Hamhung District Court on September 18, 1943.
Following Korean liberation, Kim Yun-kyong dedicated his career to Korean education through numerous academic and advisory roles (see "Career: After Korean liberation"). He suffered a heart attack on February 3, 1969, during a visit to the Ulsan Industrial Complex at the age of 76. He died at Busan First Hospital, and his funeral, held as a public ceremony, took place on February 9 in Gwangjiwon-ri, Jungbu-myeon, Gwangju County, Gyeonggi Province.
Career
Before Korean liberation Kim Yun-kyong played a central role in the Hangul initiatives pursued by the Joseon Language Society. After being reinstated as a teacher at Paiwha Girls' General High School, he was appointed to the editorial committee for the Joseon Language Dictionary () to systematically organize the accumulated results of Hangul research. In 1930, he joined the committee responsible for the Proposal for Unified Korean Orthography (), and in 1931, he was elected to the Committee for the Examination of the Standard Joseon Language (). Simultaneously, he led educational efforts for Hangul. Supported by The Dong-A Ilbo newspaper in 1931, he toured the nation with Deok-gyu Kwon and others to teach Hangul. In May 1934, he also participated as a founding member of the Jindan Society (), an organization formed to study Korean history and language.
After Korean liberation Following Korean liberation, Kim Yun-kyong tried to disseminate and research Hangul. In August 1945, he was appointed as the executive director of the Joseon Language Society () and lectured as an instructor at the Korean Language Revival Workshop (). By October of the same year, he became a professor at his alma mater, Yonhi College. By November, he served as the dean of its College of Liberal Arts. From September 1947 to September 1948, he took on the role of acting president of Yonhi University (Yonhi College was officially recognized as a university in 1946"History of Yonsei", Yonsei University, accessed July 10, 2024, https://www.yonsei.ac.kr/en_sc/intro/history1.jsp.), focusing on its management and national education projects.
Starting in 1952, he held numerous positions including a specialist advisor for the Ideological Guidance Bureau of the Ministry of Education (), a member of the National Institute of Korean History, and a member of the Teacher Restoration Committee () following the Korean War. He also served on the National Education Review Committee (), was a Korean language specialist on the Curriculum Revision Review Committee (), and participated in the Textbook Typography Improvement Committee of the Ministry of Education (). Additionally, he was the dean of the Graduate School at Yonhi University, a member of the Korean Language Council (), and a member of the Educational Textbook Compilation Review Committee (). In 1954, he was elected as a member of the Humanities & Social Sciences Division of the National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Korea.
Even after he retired from Yonsei University (Yonhi University was renamed Yonsei University in 1957) at the age of 69 in 1962, he continued to contribute as a member of the Korean Language Council, and as a lecturer at Sookmyung Women's University Graduate School and Hanyang University. In 1963, he was appointed as a professor at the College of Liberal Arts at Hanyang University. In 1964, he assumed the role of chairman of the National Association of Korean Language and Literature Professors ().
Achievements
Joseon Script and History of Joseon Linguistics This scholarly work details the history of the development of Korean linguistics and related research achievements. It was first published in January 1938, while Kim Yun-kyong was incarcerated due to the Self-Cultivation Friendship Association incident (see "Biography: Later life and death"), by the Joseon Memorial Library Publishing House (). A second edition was released in February 1938, a third edition in 1946 by Jin Hak Publishing Association (), and a fourth edition in 1954 by Dongguk Culture Company ().
The content is divided into two main parts: the Introductory Section and the Main Discussion. The Introductory Section covers the classification of languages, characteristics of the Ural-Altaic language family, the scope of the Korean language, and the origins and types of scripts. The Main Discussion is split into two chapters: Scripts before the invention of Hunminjeongeum, and the Hunminjeongeum. The latter chapter elaborates on the script's name, reasons for its creation, thoughtful considerations during its development, its properties, its value, various theories about its origin, and a summary of changes since its distribution. Additionally, this chapter explores the main text of the book Hunminjeongeum.
The book Joseon Script and History of Joseon Linguistics (조선문자 급 어학사; 朝鮮文字及語學史, 1938) is recognized as an authoritative text on Hangul research. It offers a clear explanation of the script's originality through a genealogical analysis of its development and sets a benchmark for future studies on Hangul. Furthermore, it is credited with aiding scholars recognize the originality of Hangul and contributing to the cultivation of Korea's unique culture. Kim Yun-kyong's focus on the history of Korean linguistics aligns with the spirit of independence in seeking the origins of Hangul and the Korean people.
Korean Grammar