Kim Gu (1876–1949), August 1948. 132 x 32.5cm.
Kim Gu, during the Japanese colonial period, served as the President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. He organized the Korean Patriotic Corps, leading the patriotic acts of Lee Bong-chang and Yoon Bong-gil, and was active in organizations such as the New People’s Association and the Korean Liberation Army.
This calligraphy, which reads “Long Live Independence,” was written by Kim Gu for Park Se-hwan, the son of a fellow independence activist. Kim Gu referred to himself as the “President of the Provisional Government” only until August 1948, when the government of the Republic of Korea was established.
