Kim Chong Lim (김종림): Dreaming of His Homeland’s Sky on American Soil

In 1906, at the age of 22, Kim Chong Lim left his homeland of Joseon, which was increasingly shadowed by Japanese imperialism, and arrived in the United States in search of survival and opportunity. He crossed the Pacific aboard the Alameda and landed in San Francisco, starting his American life as a railroad laborer in Salt Lake City, Utah. With nothing but two bare hands, he worked hard to make a living.

Yet Kim Chong Lim’s  life in America was not just about survival. In 1907, he donated $10 to the Gongnip Association (Public Association), and the following year, he contributed $30 to purchase printing equipment for the association’s newspaper. For a poor laborer, this was a significant sum. His giving was not a luxury—it was his way of expressing love for his country. He later volunteered as a clerk for the Gongnip Sinbo (Public News), served as printer for Shinhan Minbo (New Korea News) and Kungminbo (People’s News), and supported the Korean independence movement through media and advocacy.

In 1908, he left railroad work and moved to California, where he founded the Asia Industrial Company. This firm aimed to support the creation of independent military bases in Manchuria and the Russian Far East. Kim began to establish himself as both a businessman and a patriot. Whether it was with money, food, or time, he contributed however he could. Alongside leaders like Syngman Rhee and Lee Sang-seol, he helped establish the Daedong Orphanage in Korea. He supported Korean language schools for second-generation Koreans and gave scholarships and gifts to Korean students studying in the U.S.—acts that foreshadowed his future as the largest financial supporter of a Korean aviation school.

In 1914, World War I broke out. The devastation of Europe created a massive demand for food, and California began large-scale commercial rice farming. Kim saw the opportunity and began cultivating rice in the fertile plains of Willows, Northern California. He was one of the first Koreans to do so and quickly rose to success. By 1915, he farmed 100 acres, and by 1919, his farmland had expanded to over 3,300 acres. His annual income soared into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, earning him the nickname “Rice King” among the Korean American community.

Yet Kim’s heart remained fixed on his homeland. When he learned about the March 1st Movement and the establishment of the Korean Provisional Government in 1919, his passion for independence was reignited. In early 1920, he met with General Noh Baek-rin, the Minister of Military Affairs in the Provisional Government. Noh said, “The victor of the next war will be the one who rules the sky. For Korea to win its independence, we must have our own air force.” Kim agreed wholeheartedly.

Thus began the greatest project of Kim Chong Lim’s  life: the establishment of a Korean aviation school. He donated 40 acres of his own land in Willows for the school grounds, contributed $20,000 upfront for startup costs, and pledged over $30,000 annually for operating expenses. He hired American flight instructors and mechanics, purchased three aircraft, and paid all room, board, and tuition for the students. On February 20, 1920, the Korean aviation school officially opened. It began with 15 students, which increased to 30 by June. Kim served as president of the school, while General Noh served as secretary. Even Dosan Ahn Chang-ho frequently visited to show his support.

Unfortunately, that same year, tragedy struck. A massive storm devastated the Willows region in October, just before harvest. Kim’s rice fields were destroyed, causing a financial disaster. Without his primary source of income, the aviation school also suffered. Despite heroic efforts, it was forced to close. Still, the dream lived on. The school’s graduates dispersed and continued the independence movement elsewhere. Today, the Republic of Korea Air Force officially traces its origins to the Willows Aviation School.

Kim continued his patriotic work even after the school’s closure. He stayed involved in organizations such as the Korean National Association, the North American Regional Committee, and supported the Korean Volunteer Army in exile. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, Kim—then nearing 60 years old—enlisted in the California State Guard. His two sons also joined the U.S. Navy and fought in the Pacific theater against Japan. One served in the Aleutian Islands, and the other fought near the Philippines before landing in post-war Japan as part of the occupying forces. All three—father and sons—became soldiers fighting Japan.

Kim’s business never fully recovered after the storm. In his later years, he lived quietly in Los Angeles. Even his children were unaware of the full extent of their father’s contributions until after his death. In 2005, 32 years after his passing, the South Korean government posthumously awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Patriotic Medal, 5th class). In 2009, his remains were transferred to the National Cemetery in Daejeon in recognition of his service.

Kim Jong-rim was not just a successful immigrant. He was a man who took root in America and gave all the fruit of his labor to the sky of his homeland. He was a father of the Korean Air Force, a pioneer of aviation independence, and a patriot whose legacy must no longer remain in the shadows.