Jang Gi-bin

Jang Gi-bin (張箕彬, September 9, 1874 – July 24, 1959) was an official of the Korean Empire and a businessman during the Japanese colonial period, and at times also worked as a poet, translator, and critic. His pen name (號) was Taeam (太巖).

Life

His family seat was Indong (仁同). He was the father of Vice President and Prime Minister Chang Myon (張勉), painter and university professor Jang Bal (張勃), and aeronautical engineer and university professor Jang Geuk (張勀). He was born in Junghwa, Pyongan Province, his pen name was Taeam (太巖), and his Catholic baptismal name was "Leo."

In 1895 he entered the Hanseong Government English School (官立英語學校), where he studied English. At the same time, he attended a Japanese school at night and acquired foreign languages. In 1896 he converted to Catholicism and became a believer. In 1897, through the matchmaking of his maternal uncle Gang Hwa-seok, he married Hwang Lucia (黃-, 1878–1954), the second daughter of Hwang Seong-jip (黃聖集, baptismal name: Peter), a Catholic believer from Pyongan Province. He graduated from the English school with excellent grades.

Immediately after graduating, he was recognized for his command of English and Japanese conversation, became an official, and after serving as assistant to the Office of Finance (度支部), was promoted to clerk (主事) in 1905, and worked at the Incheon Customs Office (海關). Following the in 1910, he left his official post and engaged in business. Afterward, until 1939, he worked at the Korean branch of the Standard Oil Company (Townsend & Co.), handling trade operations and insurance matters. After liberation in 1945, he served as an adviser to the Finance Department (財務部) and as director of the .