Kim Ha-gi (born 1958) is a modern South Korean writer and ex-political prisoner.
1. Life
Kim Ha-gi was born in Ulsan, South Gyeongsang Province. He entered Pusan National University in 1978 to study philosophy, but was arrested in 1980 for participating in the student movement protesting against the expansion of Korean martial law. In 1991 he was arrested again, this time for involvement in the Burim incident, and was sentenced to ten years in prison. He was released on parole after eight years, in 1988, upon which he published a collection of his poems and letters written in prison, Han jeoleuniga gatyeo itda (한 젊은이가 갇혀 있다 A Young Man Imprisoned). In 1989 he published "Sarainneun mudeom" (살아있는 무덤 Living Tomb) in the quarterly Changbi, followed by such works as "Noran bulkkot" (노란 불꽃 Yellow Flame) and "Haemi" (해미 Haemi). He received the first Im Sygyeong Unification Literary Award for his collection Wanjeonhan mannam (완전한 만남 Perfect Meeting), and the 1992 Shin Dong-yeop Creative Grant, after which he published the novel Hangno eomneun bihaeng (항로 없는 비행 Uncharted Flight). Since 2015 Kim has devoted himself to politics.
2. Writing
Some critics have characterized Kim's works as being too schematic; however, Kim has certainly publicized the problem of long-term political prisoners through his works such as those collected in Wanjeonhan mannam.
His first novel, Hangno eomneun bihaeng, as the title implies, follows the growing pains of former student activists in the changing landscape of the 1990s. The young protagonists of the novel rediscover the painful history of their parents' generation, which they overcome to forge their own paths. The author's second collection of short stories, Boksakkot geujarido (복사꽃 그자리도 Where the Peach Blossoms Were), explores the fate of long-term political prisoners and their isolation from both Koreas, as well as the lives of disadvantaged workers.
Kim has also written historical novels, such as Singminjisonyeon (식민지소년 Colonial Boy), set in the Japanese colonial era, and Dokdojeonjaeng (독도전쟁 The Dokdo Wars), about the life of 17th century figure Park Eeo-dun, one of those who fought to protect Dokdo's sovereignty during the reign of Sukjong of Joseon.
