Roman Kim Russian Soviet writer, author of popular spy novels Date of Birth: 01.08.1889

1. Early Life and Education
2. Academic Career and Translations
3. Involvement with OGPU and Arrest
4. Imprisonment and Release
5. Later Life and Literary Career

Early Life and Education

Roman Kim, a Russian-Korean writer, was born into a Korean family. He spent his childhood in Japan and pursued his education at a college in Tokyo from 1907 to 1917. In 1923, Kim graduated from the Oriental Faculty of Vladivostok University, where he co-founded the Far Eastern branch of the All-Russian Scientific Association of Oriental Studies.

Academic Career and Translations

From 1923 to 1930, Kim taught Chinese and Japanese literature at the Moscow Institute of Oriental Studies. He also published scholarly and journalistic articles on these topics. Beginning in 1924, he worked as a translator, debuting with two short stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa.

Involvement with OGPU and Arrest

In the 1930s, Kim became an employee of the OGPU's Foreign Intelligence Department, focusing on Japan. However, on April 2, 1937, he was arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison on July 9, 1940, under Article 58-1a of the RSFSR Criminal Code.

Imprisonment and Release

During World War II, Kim worked as a translator for the NKVD's special propaganda organization in Kuibyshev while still an inmate. In late 1945, his case was reviewed, and his sentence was reduced to the time he had already served. Kim was released on December 29, 1945, and rehabilitated in February 1959.

Later Life and Literary Career

After his release, Kim married Mariyam Samoylovna Tsin (1904/05–2002), a Japanese studies scholar. From 1950, he began publishing espionage and detective novels. While his works were translated into numerous languages, they received little recognition in his homeland from both readers and critics.