Meritorious Service Record

In 1912, Hu Hanmin joined the New Asia Tongji Society (新亞同濟社), an organization founded by Shin Gyu-sik (申圭植) to promote Sino-Korean solidarity and support Korea’s independence movement. This society was based on the earlier Tongji Society (同濟社) in Shanghai and brought together Korean and Chinese revolutionaries. The activities of the New Asia Tongji Society significantly contributed to the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in April 1919.
In 1919, prominent Korean and Chinese figures co-founded the Xingguo Industrial Bank (興國實業銀行) to strengthen economic cooperation between the two nations and support the independence movement.
Between October and November 1921, Shin Gyu-sik, serving as Prime Minister of the Provisional Government, met with Sun Yat-sen (孫文) to seek official recognition of the Korean government-in-exile. At the time, Hu Hanmin was the Secretary-General of the Constitutional Protection Government (護法政府) and strongly advocated for Korea’s independence.
Regarding China’s recognition of the Provisional Government and the justification for Korea’s independence movement, Hu Hanmin emphasized:
"Korea is the ‘Balkan’ of East Asia. If the Korean issue is not resolved promptly, the geopolitical stability of Asia will be disrupted, and there will be no way to maintain peace in the region."
In November 1926, he helped facilitate the admission of more than ten Korean youths from Vladivostok into the Whampoa Military Academy (黃埔軍官學校). Established in Guangzhou in January 1924, this academy aimed to train military officers for the Chinese Revolution. Koreans were officially allowed to enroll beginning in the third class in July 1925.
In 1931, he met with Jo So-ang (趙素昻), the Foreign Minister of the Provisional Government, to discuss a joint Sino-Korean strategy for resisting Japan.
The South Korean government posthumously awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Presidential Medal) in 1968.