Yu Kil-chun facts for kids
- In this Korean name, the family name is Yu.
| Yu Kil-chun | |
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Quick facts for kids Korean name |
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|---|---|
| Hangul |
유길준
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| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Yu Gil-jun |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yu Kil-chun |
| Art name | |
| Hangul |
구당, 천민, 구일
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| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gudang, Cheonmin, Guyil |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kudang, Chonmin, Kuyil |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul |
성무
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| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Seongmu |
| McCune–Reischauer | Sŏngmu |
Yu Kil-chun (Korean: 유길준 兪吉濬, 1856-1914) was a very important person in Korean history. He was a politician, a deep thinker, and an activist who wanted to make Korea better and keep it independent. He lived during the Joseon Dynasty, a long period when Korea was ruled by kings. People also knew him by his nicknames, like Gudang, Chunmin, and Guyil.
Contents
Yu Kil-chun's Early Life and Studies
Yu Kil-chun was born in Gwangju. When he was young, he learned from famous teachers like Park Kyu-su and Oh Kyung-suk.
In 1881, when he was a young man, he traveled to Japan during the Meiji period. There, he studied at Keio University. A few years later, in 1884, he went even further, traveling to the United States to study mathematics.
Challenges and Government Work
After returning to Korea, Yu Kil-chun faced some difficulties. He was accused of supporting a group called the Gaehwadang, which wanted new ideas and changes for Korea. Because of this, he was put in jail from 1885 to 1894.
After he was released, Yu Kil-chun started working for the government. Between 1894 and 1895, he served as the Vice Minister of State for Home Office under Prime Minister Kim Hongjip.
In October 1895, King Gojong of Korea believed that Yu Kil-chun was involved in a sad event where Queen Min died. Soon after, Kim Hongjip died, and his government was no longer in power. Yu Kil-chun had to leave the country and went to Japan for safety.
Return to Korea and Later Years
Yu Kil-chun was able to return to Korea in 1907. This happened after Emperor Sunjeong gave him a special pardon.
In 1910, when Korea was taken over by Imperial Japan, Yu Kil-chun started a movement to protest against this. The Japanese government offered him a special title called danshaku, but he bravely refused it.
Yu Kil-chun passed away in 1914 from a heart problem. He was 58 years old.
Yu Kil-chun's Writings
Yu Kil-chun wrote an important book called Seoyugyonmun (서유견문). This book shared his observations and thoughts from his travels and studies abroad.
See also
In Spanish: Yu Gil-jun para niños
