Roman N. Kim - a prominent Soviet East Asian studies researcher and writer. Scientific conference dedicated to the scholar’s work for the IFES RAS

An International Conference dedicated to Roman N. Kim, a prominent East Asian studies researcher and writer, opened on May 26, 2016 in the Academic Council Hall of the IFES RAS The conference, hosted by Institute of Far Eastern Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences, has been attended by historians, political studies researchers, literary critics from Russia, Republic of Korea, Japan and the USA, as well as family members of R. N. Kim. The addresses and speeches delivered were devoted to his biography and literary works, which had exerted great influence on the genre of political detective in Soviet literature, especially upon such famous writers, as V. Vardamatski and Yulian Semyonov. There is a high probability that the literary and cinematic image of the famous Soviet spy Maxim M. Isaev (Stirlitz), Julian Semyonov’s literary hero, has been suggested by Roman N. Kim, who had shared the experience of working for the Secret Intelligence in the Russian Far East during the 1918-1922 civil war. Roman Kim was one of the first employees of the Soviet Secret Service, who have later become professionally engaged in literary activity. He was one of the first writers of his time who have estimated the vector of literature development towards documentary prose up to the state where it actually merges with non-fiction literature. Kim was one of the first to use specific literary devices and methods, drawing on experience of journalists, documentary prose writers and scientific researchers. Many pages of his biography are still unknown. Not much is known about his family roots in Korea, nor about his mother’s, his family members there have not been found.

Роман Ким, исследователь Восточной Азии, писатель, политический детектив, оперативный работник спецслужб, Roman Kim, East Asian studies researcher, writer, political thriller, operatives of Intelligence Service, operation section employee

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