At the Meiwan Street of Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province located in Southeast China, are remains of Kim Koo*’s hideout.

Who helped Kim Koo to seek shelter here?

His name is Chu Fucheng(褚輔成 1873~1948).

*Kim Koo was the president of the Korean Provisional Goverment

Chu Fucheng is a politician from Jiaxing, and also took part as the president of Shanghai Law School and the executive director of the Shanghai anti-Japanese National Salvation Association.

In April 1932, Kim Koo was being pursued by Japan with a high bounty after the bombing by Yun Bong-gil. The Chinese government requested Chu Fucheng to prepare a shelter for Kim Koo.

Chu Fucheng selected the house of his foster son, Chen Tongsheng, as the shelter. The house was connected to the lake, allowing escape via boat in a situation of emergency.

The house was elaborately built in a semi-western style near the lakeside. Xiulun Yarn Factory faced the house and the scenery was beautiful. Only Chu and his wife, his son, his daughter-in-law, Chen Tongsheng, and his wife knew who I really was.-『Baekbeomilji』

However, the pursuit by Japanese police reached the shelter of Jiaxing. Chu Fucheng decided to transfer Kim Koo to Haiyan, where the parents’ house of his daughter-in-law, Zhu Jiarui, was located.

Kim Koo documented his gratitude toward Zhu Jiarui’s help in his autobiography.

“When our country regains independence, every descendant and compatriot will admire and respect her courage and kindness. Though no film can be produced, I write down this account to pass down to future generations. -『Baekbeomilji』”

Chu Fucheng provided shelter to not only Kim Koo but also other key figures of the Korean Provisional Government and their families.

Yi Dong-nyeong, Yi Si-yeong, Eom Hangseop, Kim Uihan and their families all took refuge here. They were able to continue the Independence Movement in Jiaxing until 1935.

After the liberation, General Kim Shin, Kim Koo’s son who took shelter together, revisited the hideout of Kim Koo to send his gratitude to Chu Fucheng and his family for their help.

飮水思源: Think about the source of water when drinking

In 1996, the Korean government conferred posthumous honors of the Order of Merit for National Foundation to Chu Fucheng.

Kim Koo’s hideout and the Residence of Provisional Government figures in Jiaxing are now serving as exhibits for the Korean Independence Movement. Next to the hideout, the Exhibition Hall for Historical Materials of Chu Fucheng also displays the history of Korea and China fighting together against the invasion of Japanese Imperialism.

Chu Fucheng, who brought himself and his whole family to help the Korean Independence Movement against Japanese Imperialism, is the true ‘Friend of Korea’!

Let’s carry on the dream of Chu Fucheng by promoting Korea to the world and changing the global society.