Helen Kim

{{about|the politician|the American actress|Helen Kim (actress)}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Helen Kim

| image = Helen Kim.png

| imagesize =

| caption = Busan 1951

| pseudonym =

| period = 1899–1970

| birth_date = 1899

| birth_place = Seoul, Korean Empire

| death_date = {{death date and given age|1970|2|10|71}}{{cite news |title=DR. HELEN KIM, 71, KOREAN FEMINIST |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/02/12/archives/dr-helen-kim-71-korean-feminist-ewha-university-head-and-pioneer-in.html |access-date=9 June 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=12 February 1970}}

| death_place = Seoul, South Korea

| occupation = politician, educator, and social activist

| genre = Poetry, novel, essay, drama

| influences =

| influenced =

| awards = Order of Cultural Merit (1963, rank unknown)

| module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto|child=yes

| hangul = %김활란

| hanja = 金活蘭

| hangulho = %_우월

| hanjaho = 又月

}}

Helen Kim (also Kim Hwal-lan; {{Korean|hangul=김활란}}; 1899–1970) was a South Korean politician, educator, social activist, and feminist. Her art name was Wuwol ({{Korean|hangul=우월|labels=no}}). Kim was the founder of the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women{{Cite web |title=History – World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women |url=https://wfmucw.org/about/history |access-date=2024-02-20 |language=en-US}} (WFMUCW), and the daily Korean newspaper, The Korea Times.{{Cite news|url=https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/people/2013/12/178_148902.html |title=Korea Times Leads 'Personal Journalism' |last=Kwon |first=Ji-youn |date=31 December 2013 |work=The Korea Times |access-date=4 November 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208113323/http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/people/2013/12/178_148902.html |archive-date=8 December 2015 }}

Biography

Kim was born in Incheon to a large, modern family.{{Cite journal|title = Feminists Navigating the Shoals of Nationalism and Collaboration: The Post-Colonial Korean Debate over How to Remember Kim Hwallan|url = https://muse.jhu.edu/journals/frontiers/v027/27.1kwon.html|journal = Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies|date = 2006-01-01|issn = 1536-0334|pages = 39–66|volume = 27|issue = 1|doi = 10.1353/fro.2006.0018|first = Insook|last = Kwon |s2cid = 161295080|author-link=Kwon In Suk|url-access = subscription}} She attended Christian schools as a girl.{{Cite web|url = http://www.bu.edu/cgcm/research/korean-diaspora-project/individuals/helen-kim-and-ed-hymoff/|title = Helen Kim and Ed Hymoff|access-date = 4 November 2015|website = Boston University|archive-date = 5 November 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151105000212/http://www.bu.edu/cgcm/research/korean-diaspora-project/individuals/helen-kim-and-ed-hymoff/|url-status = dead}} She attended Ewha Girls School. Between graduating from Ewha, she "established the national YWCA Korea" in 1922.{{Cite news|url=https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2013/05/113_136713.html |title=Ewha Students Demand Ex-Leader Statue Down |first=Eun-ji |last=Bahk |date=31 May 2013 |work=The Korea Times |access-date=4 November 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100124/http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2013/05/113_136713.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 }} Then she went to Wesleyan College where she earned her bachelor's degree in 1924. Kim went to Boston University for a master's in philosophy (1931) and then received her PhD in education from Columbia University in 1931.

Kim later became dean of a girls' college (Ewha College) in 1931.{{Cite news|url = https://newspaperarchive.com/us/colorado/greeley/greeley-daily-tribune/1931/11-20/page-5?tag=helen+kim+korea&rtserp=tags/helen-kim?plo=korea&page=2|title = Dean of Girls College in Korea Speaks Here|date = 20 November 1931|work = Greeley Daily Tribune|access-date = 2 November 2015|via = Newspaper Archive}} By the time of her death, this school will have become the largest women's university in the world.{{Cite web|url = http://c250.columbia.edu/c250_celebrates/remarkable_columbians/helen_kim.html|title = Helen Kim|access-date = 2 November 2015|website = Columbia 250|publisher = Columbia University}}

Kim was involved with Kŭnwuhwoe, which was a national women's organization that was dedicated to ending the "remaining Korean feudal practices and beliefs as well as colonial constraints." However, she didn't stay involved for long because she was "unwilling to work with women who were Marxists and socialists."{{Cite book|title = The Great Enterprise: Sovereignty and Historiography in Modern Korea|last = Em|first = Henrey H.|publisher = Duke University Press|year = 2013|isbn = 9780822353577|location = Durham|pages = 171}}

On 26 October 1939, the original Charter of Assent for the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women (WFMUCW), then called the World Federation of Methodist Women, was signed by 27 countries in Pasadena, California, USA. This was a project begun by Kim in 1923.

In 1945, Kim, O Ch'ŏn-sŏk, Yu Ŏk-kyŏm and Paek Nak-chun formed the Korean Committee on Education.{{Cite book|title = Education Fever: Society, Politics, and the Pursuit of Schooling in South Korea|last = Seth|first = Michael J.|publisher = University of Hawai'i Press|year = 2002|isbn = 0824825349|location = Honolulu|pages = 37}} This committee worked with the United States in the Education Bureau, making recommendations about schools and their staff.

Kim became director of the Office of Public Information for President Syngman Rhee in 1948. In 1949, she attended the United Nations General Assembly in Boston. As the director of the Office of Public Information, she recommended that an English newspaper was needed.{{Cite news|url=https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/11/113_97671.html |title=Helen Kim: Mother of the Korea Times |last=Yun |first=Suh-young |date=1 November 2011 |work=The Korea Times |access-date=4 November 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120601/http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/11/113_97671.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 }} She chose the name of the paper, deciding that The Korea Times was the best name for representing the whole country. The newspaper was published on November 1, 1950.

Controversy

Kim is a controversial figure because of her involvement in activities that were considered "pro-Japanese" during the Japanese occupation of Korea. As the principal of Ehwa, she used her position to inspire others to encourage the men in their lives to join the military draft for the Japanese army.{{Cite book|title = Fighting for the Enemy: Koreans in Japan's War, 1937–1945|last = Palmer|first = Brandon|publisher = University of Washington Press|year = 2013|isbn = 9780295992570|location = Seattle, Washington|pages = 100}} Kim herself justified her actions as "necessary in order to keep Ewha open under harsh colonial policies" and could also be seen as consistent with Methodist Church teachings (Kim's religion). Kim continues to be an agent of controversy, with her effigy being burned and students protesting her statue.

The World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women

The World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women (formally the World Federation of Methodist Women) is a world-wide organisation founded by Kim in the 1920s. Its motto is To Know Christ and Make Him Known.{{Cite web |title=World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women – World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women |url=https://wfmucw.org/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |language=en-US}} The aim of the WFMUCW is stated on their website:

"The World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women (WFMUCW) seeks to aid in establishing Christ's Kingdom among all peoples and in all areas of life; to share the abundant life of Christ through evangelism, healing ministries, education and social services: to assist in the promotion of mission outreach throughout the world: to seek with women of all continents, fellowship and mutual help in the building of a Christian community, and to develop bonding links and partnership with women of other Christian Churches, ecumenical bodies, and the United Nations in promoting peace and justice."{{Cite web |title=About Us – World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women |url=https://wfmucw.org/about |access-date=2024-02-20 |language=en-US}}

Kim first proposed her vision of a world-wide Methodist organisation for women in 1923. The first meeting to plan the formation of what was to be called the World Federation of Methodist Women took place in 1929. The first Charter of Assent was signed by 27 countries on October 26, 1939 in Pasadena, California, USA.

The WFMUCW held an assembly in Kansas, USA during the 1944-48 term, where the first President, [https://www.umc.org/en/content/nicholson-evelyn-riley-1883-1967 Mrs Evelyn Riley Nicholson], was elected.

In 1954, the WFMUCW became affiliated with the World Methodist Council.

On 17 February 1983, the WFMUCW became a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with the United Nations.

In 1996, an assembly was held in Rio de Janeiro, at which the name was officially changed from the World Federation of Methodist Women to the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women.

In 2011, the WFMUCW celebrated the 100th anniversary of Ehwa College where Kim had been dean by developing the [http://wfmucw.org/about/helen-kim-memorial-scholarship Helen Kim Memorial Scholarship], a five-year leadership development program for young Methodist and Uniting women.

References

External links

[http://c250.columbia.edu/c250_celebrates/remarkable_columbians/helen_kim.html Helen Kim (1899–1970)] : Columbia University
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150609012006/http://www.nas.go.kr/member/basic/basic.jsp?s_type=&s_value=&member_key=10000316 김활란:대한민국 학술원] {{in lang|ko}}
[http://www.hymnary.org/person/Kim_H Helen Kim]
[http://rdap02pxdu.dev.oclc.org:6251/identities/lccn-n84-198331 Helen Kim]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Category:1899 births

Category:1970 deaths

Category:Korean collaborators with Imperial Japan

Category:South Korean religious leaders

Category:Korean women poets

Category:South Korean Methodists

Category:Korean novelists

Category:Korean fantasy writers

Category:Mythopoeic writers

Category:Korean revolutionaries

Category:Korean writers

Category:Korean educators