Kim Deok-jin, from Nakji-ri, Jeokgok-myeon, Cheongyang County, South Chungcheong Province, joined the Hongju righteous army after the 1905 Eulsa Treaty. When the unit was scattered by a Japanese military attack in May 1906, he worked with Gwak Han-il and Park Yun-sik to regroup. In late September that year he helped plan an attack on Yesan town, but the plan was betrayed by an Iljinhoe member and failed; he was imprisoned at Gongju police station before being released by special pardon. He received a presidential citation in 1963, a Order of Merit medal in 1980, and the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Patriotic Medal) in 1990.