Koryo-saramEngineerInventorLenin Prize

Mikhail Kim

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim was a Soviet hydraulic engineer and geophysicist, pioneering permafrost engineering with deep piling techniques and winning the Lenin Prize in 1966.

1. Biography

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim's life journey began in the Russian Far East, progressing through his education in Leningrad, a period of severe political persecution and forced labor, and his eventual return to his significant scientific work in permafrost engineering.

1.1. Early Life and Background

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim was born on August 8, 1907, into a Korean family in the village of Kedrovaya Pad, located in the Primorsky Region of the Russian Far East. He resided in Vladivostok from 1923 and later moved to Leningrad in 1927.

1.2. Education

Kim pursued his academic studies, graduating from the workers' faculty at the Far Eastern Federal University in 1927. He continued his higher education at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute, from which he graduated in 1932.

1.3. Political Persecution and Imprisonment

On October 5, 1935, Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim was arrested under accusations of establishing a counter-revolutionary group. These charges alleged ties with anti-party organizations in Korea and Manchuria. Despite the lack of clear evidence, he was sentenced to four years of imprisonment. He served this term at Norillag, a notorious forced labor camp in Norilsk, where he was compelled to work as a hydraulic engineer and senior foreman.
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This period highlights the severe human rights abuses prevalent within the Soviet system, where individuals, including ethnic minorities like the Koryo-saram, were often subjected to arbitrary arrests and forced labor.

1.4. Career Resumption and Permafrost Engineering

Following his release on March 1, 1939, Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim was able to resume his professional career. He returned to work at the Norilsk Combine, where he took on significant leadership roles. He became the head of the permafrost station and also led the survey department of the combine's design office. It was during this period that he intensified his focus on permafrost engineering, a field critical for construction in the challenging cold environments of Siberia.

2. Major Achievements and Contributions

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim's professional career was marked by significant accomplishments that profoundly influenced the field of permafrost engineering.

2.1. Pioneer in Permafrost Engineering

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim is widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of permafrost engineering. His groundbreaking work focused on developing and implementing innovative construction techniques for building foundations in regions characterized by permanently frozen ground. Specifically, he championed the use of deep piling techniques, which involved elevating a building's foundation above the ground. This method was crucial for preventing the heat from the building from warming the underlying permafrost, thereby maintaining its stability and preventing structural damage due to thawing. He theoretically and practically demonstrated that structures built on piles with a ventilated underground space would remain stable and robust if properly managed.

2.2. Lenin Prize Award

In recognition of his profound theoretical contributions and practical applications in the field of pile foundation theory for permafrost conditions, Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim was awarded the prestigious Lenin Prize in 1966. This award acknowledged his pivotal role in developing the principles that ensured the stability and longevity of buildings constructed in challenging cold environments.

3. Death

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim died on September 4, 1970, in Krasnoyarsk. He passed away while attending a meeting specifically focused on construction issues pertinent to Siberia and the Russian Far East.

4. Evaluation and Impact

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim's legacy extends beyond his technical innovations, encompassing his personal journey within the complex historical and societal context of the Soviet Union.

4.1. Scientific and Technical Impact

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim's innovations in permafrost engineering had a lasting and profound impact on construction methodologies, particularly in cold regions. His development and advocacy of deep piling techniques revolutionized the approach to building foundations in areas with permanently frozen ground. By demonstrating how to effectively prevent heat transfer from structures to the permafrost, he provided critical solutions that ensured the structural integrity and longevity of buildings in challenging environments. His work significantly advanced civil engineering practices in the Soviet Union's vast northern territories, enabling the sustainable development of cities and infrastructure in permafrost zones.

4.2. Historical and Societal Context

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kim's life and career are deeply intertwined with the historical narrative of the Soviet Union. As a Koryo-saram, a member of the Korean diaspora in the Soviet Union, his experiences reflect the broader societal conditions and challenges faced by ethnic minorities during that era. His unjust arrest and subsequent forced labor at Norillag serve as a stark reminder of the political repression and human rights violations characteristic of the Stalinist era. Despite enduring such severe persecution, Kim's ability to resume his scientific work and achieve national recognition for his contributions highlights both his resilience and the complex, often contradictory, nature of the Soviet system, which could both oppress and, at times, utilize the talents of its citizens, even those who had suffered under its policies. His story underscores the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity and the critical importance of his scientific advancements for the development of the Soviet Union's northern regions.