Kim Ok-gyun (김옥균; 金玉均; February 23, 1851 – March 28, 1894) was a reformist (Gaehwapa, 개화파) activist during the late Joseon dynasty of Korea. He served under the national civil service under King Gojong, and actively participated to advance Western ideas and sciences in Korea. The goal of the reform movement was to develop Korea in government, technology, and military by using foreign resources to help Korea become stable enough to withstand anticipated increases in foreign encroachment. Kim was assassinated in Shanghai, and later was given the posthumous title "Chungdal". Early life Kim was born into the Andong Kim clan to Kim Byung-tae and his wife, Lady Song of the Eunjin Song clan, on 23 February 1851 in Chungcheongnam-do. Through his father, Kim is related to Kim Sang-yong, the older brother of Queen Sunwon’s 6th great-grandfather, Kim Sang-gwan. His family was poor, and, by the age of four, they moved to Cheonan. His father opened a Seodang, or Korean verbal school, at which Kim was educated. When he was six, he was adopted by Kim Byung-gi, a distant relative who had lost his son and was desperate to secure the continuation of his family lineage. For four years, Kim stayed in what is today Seoul and, when Kim Byung-gi was named the governor in Gangneung state in spring of 1861, they moved once again. When Kim reached the age of fifteen, Kim Byunggye was named "Beopmubu Chagwan" in the judicial office, and his family returned to Seoul. There, Kim learned and competed with the sons of other aristocratic families. He displayed his talents in playing the Kayakem, singing and dancing, poetry, calligraphy, and art. His fame and talents eventually reached the imperial palace, and Queen Dowager invited him. At the age of 22, Kim took the national civil service exam, and was ranked "Jang-won Geub-jae" (level 6) (usually it took about ten years to achieve this status). To avoid the possible negative impacts of the internal political conflicts that could result on his adopted son, Kim Byung-gi retired from his holding. Revolutionary efforts At the time, Heungseon Daewongun, who had implemented policies to avoid contact with the West then for ten years, lost political power. Although trade with the West began and foreign policies were adopted, the situation worsened, and Kim meddled in the internal conflicts in the palace. Dongnipdang Kim was for more open policies to the West so