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Kim Pen HwaCollective farm activist, chairman of the Polar Star collective farm
Date of Birth: 06.08.1905
Country:  Uzbekistan |
Content:
- Early Life and Military Career
- Deportation and Resettlement in Uzbekistan
- Chairman of "Polar Star" Collective Farm
- Political and Civic Involvement
- Legacy and Honors
Early Life and Military Career
Kim Pen Hwa was born on August 6, 1905, in the village of Chapigou (now extinct) in the Primorsky region of Russia, to Korean immigrant parents. He completed four years of primary education.
During the Russian Civil War, Kim joined a partisan detachment fighting against Japanese invaders. In 1927, he was conscripted into the Red Army and joined the Communist Party. He fought in the Sino-Soviet conflict over the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1929, where he rose to the rank of company commander. In 1932, he graduated from the Moscow Military Infantry School.
Deportation and Resettlement in Uzbekistan
In 1937, Koreans in the Primorsky region were deported. Kim was arrested in 1938 on charges of involvement in a nationalist organization and dismissed from the military. He relocated to Uzbekistan, where his relatives had been deported.
Chairman of "Polar Star" Collective Farm
In 1940, Kim was elected chairman of the "Polar Star" collective farm in the Srednechirchik district of Uzbekistan. He remained in this position for over 34 years, leading the farm to prosperity.
Political and Civic Involvement
Kim was a member of the Communist Party from 1927 and served as a deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the Uzbek SSR from 1951 to 1967. He was highly respected in his community and passed away on May 7, 1974.
Legacy and Honors
Kim Pen Hwa's life and achievements were celebrated with a bronze bust erected in his honor and the renaming of the "Polar Star" collective farm after him. The farm was later transformed into a people's corporation and subsequently became a private enterprise. A street in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, was named after him but was later renamed in 1991.
The 100th anniversary of his birth was commemorated with a charitable foundation established in his name. Kim Pen Hwa's life exemplifies the resilience and determination of those who faced adversity and overcame challenges.
