Kim Ji-ha, a well-known poet who spoke out against the military dictatorship of the 1960s and 1970s, died on Sunday at the age of 81. Let’s see how did Kim Ji-ha die.
Who was Kim Ji-ha?
Kim Ji-ha was a Korean poet and democracy activist who was imprisoned in the 1970s for criticizing the authoritarian government.
Kim Yeong-il, born in 1941, is best known for his poem “With a Burning Thirst,” which depicts the narrator’s desire for democracy. He was imprisoned several times in the 1960s and 1970s while opposing President Park Chung-authoritarian hee’s regime.
He was embroiled in a national controversy over a 1991 column in which he condemned a spate of suicide deaths among young workers and students. The suicides were carried out in response to a violent police crackdown that resulted in the death of a student in 1987.
In 2012, the poet shocked the country once more when he declared his support for conservative presidential candidate Park Geun-Hye (the daughter of Park Chung-hee, who eventually won the race) while criticizing rivals Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo.
In 1973, he married the daughter of Park Kyung-ree, a well-known novelist in South Korea. Park is best known for her epic novel “The Land,” also known as “Toji” in Korean. Kim’s second son is the current president of the Toji Cultural Foundation.
Cause of death
According to the Toji Cultural Foundation, Kim had been suffering from an unspecified illness for the previous year before passing away at his home in Wonju, Gangwon Province. The foundation, which supports Korean authors and scholars, was named after the late Park Kyong-ni, Kim’s mother-in-law, and her novel “Toji.”
Wonju Severance Christian Hospital will host a memorial altar for Kim. (Yonhap)
What happened to Kim Ji-ha?
Kim Ji-ha, a Korean poet and democracy activist who was imprisoned in the 1970s for criticizing the authoritarian government, died on Sunday at the age of 81, according to a source.
How did Kim Ji-ha die, Kim died at his home in Wonju, 132 kilometers east of Seoul, at around 4 p.m., after suffering from a disease for about a year, according to a source at the Toji Cultural Foundation.
“His condition suddenly deteriorated, so we called 911, but he just died,” the source explained.
In 1974, he was sentenced to death for violating the National Security Law by allegedly inviting students to collaborate with North Korea in overthrowing the government. Kim was released ten months later after international institutions banded together to reduce his sentence.
A local court ruled in 2013 that he was not guilty of the charges, citing a lack of evidence to prove the allegations.
Despite his outspoken calls for democracy, Kim remains a contentious figure.
ALSO READ,
- Horoscope Today: Astrological prediction for May 9, 2022
- Why did Will Smith punch Chris Rock in Oscars? Oscar banned Will Smith
- How did George Perez die? What happened? Cause of death revealed
- How did Mickey Gilley die? What happened? Cause of Death Revealed
- What is Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez new baby name?
Follow us on Reddit for instant updates!