Descendant of a traitor group member.. Ha Young's father: "Our family is one of the few prestigious medical families; time has been on our side" sparks controversy [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

As it was revealed that actor Ha Young (33, Ahn Ha-young)'s great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho was a member of a traitor group alongside Yi Wan-yong, an old interview with Ha Young's father has been brought back into focus.

Previously, in 2002, JoongAng Ilbo published an article titled "Orthopedic Specialist Ahn Byung-moon Raised His Disabled Daughter With Fierce Determination; His Name Is 'Aebe' (Father)." This was a letter from Ha Young's father, orthopedic specialist An Byeong-mun (Director), to his eldest daughter who had returned to the United States after completing a solo concert commemorating her CD release last month. The article introduced how Ha Young and her older sister, who is ten years her senior, overcame congenital brachydactyly (short fingers) and grew up to become pianists.

Ha Young's father stated, "My dear daughter, whom I would never mind putting in my eyes without pain. No matter how beautifully the azaleas and forsythias bloom, all that matters to me is the emotion from your CD release celebration held at Seoul Ambassador Hotel on the evening of last month 12th. On that day, over 100 guests were present. At first, they didn't fully understand the significance of the event until you played Beethoven and Chopin on the piano. They thought, 'The wealthy hospital director is making his daughter play the piano to show off.' However, when they saw videos of you playing the piano with your left hand that had no fingers, accompanied by your mother's greetings and explanations, their expressions were filled with surprise. Both I and your mother have always been proud and relieved that you endured all sorts of prejudices so well over the years, but when we realized you were receiving public recognition in front of many people, our voices choked up. Your younger sister's violin performance was also outstanding on that day. My daughter, I cannot help but vividly recall those scenes from back then."

He continued, "In truth, the reason I can speak to you so freely now is because time has kindly passed with us on its side. When we had you despite your poor health, how heartbroken your mother and I were. Every time I reflect on it, I feel unworthy of looking at you."

Especially, Ha Young's father boasted, "Since we're already talking about the past years, let's discuss them further. You may vaguely know this, but our family is one of the few prestigious medical families. Your great-grandfather, who used the characters Sang () and Ho (), served as an instructor at Gwanlip Medical School, which later became Seoul National University College of Medicine, alongside Ji Seok-young, a physician famous for implementing smallpox vaccination. He also served as the first Han Seong-ui-sa (Chairman) (now president of the Korean Medical Association). Your grandfather (Ahn Boo-ho, 1922–1979) also served as Seong Sim-byeong (Director). Thanks to that, I attended high school and university in what are commonly called prestigious institutions and inherited our family business." This revelation left people shocked.

He added, "After graduating from university in 1976, I trained at the hospital where my grandfather worked and became chief resident by age 31. Your mother first met me there. She graduated from a nursing college in Busan and was employed at that hospital. Shortly after, she left for Norway to study art, completed her master's degree in handicap design, and returned home five years later. We got married at the end of 1982, so it took seven years for our love to bear fruit."

Ha Young's father mentioned his family as a "prestigious medical family," and Ha Young's great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho is recorded as having participated as a council member in the founding of the Daejeong Friendship Association in November 1916. This association was established by Min Yeong-gi, a pro-Japanese collaborator who served as vice president of the Oriental Development Company, with him serving as chairman. Many prominent pro-Japanese collaborators of the era, including Yi Wan-yong, Jo Jung-eung, Song Byeong-jun, and Lee Yun-yong, were members.

Furthermore, records indicate that Ahn Sang-ho was one of the doctors who saved Yi Wan-yong. According to a paper published in Volume 32 of the National Institute of Korean History's Journal of Historical Studies, Yi Wan-yong was attacked with a dagger by independence activist Lee Jae-myung at Seoul Myeong-dong Cathedral on December 22, 1909, suffering wounds to his shoulder and abdomen.

However, the assassination attempt failed. Yi Wan-yong survived despite being stabbed three times because he received Korea's first thoracic surgery. Among the medical team involved was Ahn Sang-ho. Records state that Ahn Sang-ho, along with physicians from Hansung Hospital, Andong Hospital director, Daehan Hospital president and senior vice-president, and former physician Park Jong-hwan, participated in treating Yi Wan-yong and saved his life.

At that time, Lee Jae-myung, the doctor arrested for the assassination attempt, was sentenced to death and died for his country on September 30 of the following year.

Additionally, Ahn Sang-ho is also a figure suspected of poisoning Ko Jong (황제).

On December 10, 1918, Ahn Sang-ho was featured in an article in Maeil Sinbo, published by the institutional investor of the Jo Seon (총독) bureau, under the title "The Home of Assimilation Between Japan and Korea" (의 가정), citing it as an example that "living like Japanese people and assimilating is exemplary."

Ahn Sang-ho, who married a Japanese wife and established a household, proudly stated, "I have never worn Korean clothing once, nor can I eat even slightly spicy food," and "My children only speak Japanese at home. They cannot speak Korean at all. We are raising them as a completely Japanese family. Only Japanese is spoken in the house, and we do not interact with Koreans." The policy of "Naisen Ittai" (Japan and Korea as one body) was the core pro-Japanese logic used by collaborators during the Japanese colonial period to justify their treasonous acts.

Moreover, it was revealed that Ha Young's grandfather worked as a physician at National Sorokdo Hospital, where human rights violations against Hansen's disease patients occurred. Ha Young's side stated, "It has been confirmed that Ha Young's father An Byeong-mun (Director) was born there during his grandfather's tenure at Sorokdo Hospital."

Meanwhile, Ha Young's agency, Vistors Entertainment, announced on the 11th: "We have confirmed that records exist showing our great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho's name appears on the council member list of the Daejeong Friendship Association in 1916," thereby acknowledging his traitorous actions.

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*This content was translated by AI.