Kim was born in Hwanghae, Korea in 1876. At the age of 15, he studied the Chinese language. (한학; 漢學). In 1893, he joined the Donghak movement. He became the regional leader for Haeju. The next year, while he was leading the Donghak Peasant Revolution, he went to Manchuria to escape from Japanese soldiers. In 1896, he returned to Korea and killed Josuke Tsuchida, a Japanese soldier. He killed Tsuchida as revenge for the 1895 assassination of Empress Myeongseong of the Korean Empire. Empress Myeongseong was killed by Miura Goro, a Japanese assassin.