National Institute of Korean History Releases Statement: "Ha Young's Great-Grandfather Ahn Sang-ho Committed Clear Pro-Japanese Acts"

*This content was translated by AI.

The National Institute of Korean History pointed out that Ha Young's great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, served as a preparatory committee member for the memorial service of Ito Hirobumi and as a councilor of the Daetong Friendship Association, an organization promoting Korea-Japan assimilation, labeling these actions as "clear pro-Japanese conduct."

On the 14th, the National Institute of Korean History released a statement titled "Position on Controversy Surrounding Ahn Sang-ho," stating, "Although Ahn Sang-ho (1874–1927) was a professional physician who graduated from the Imperial Japanese Language School of the Korean Empire and the Tokyo Jisei Hospital Medical School, it is an undeniable fact that behind his impressive resume lay pro-Japanese and collaborationist activities as follows."

The National Institute of Korean History highlighted Ahn Sang-ho's major pro-Japanese activities, including: participation in memorial services for Ito Hirobumi, the mastermind of Japan's invasion; involvement in colonial administration and exploitation institutions; engagement in Korea-Japan assimilation and pro-Japanese organizations; and internalization of assimilationist ideology.

Furthermore, regarding claims that Ahn Sang-ho could not be considered a pro-Japanese collaborator because he was not included in the "Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators," the institute explained, "At the time of its publication in 2009, the National Institute of Korean History had insufficient accumulated data to meet the selection criteria for Ahn Sang-ho's pro-Japanese activities, so the editorial committee decided to defer his inclusion."

It further stated, "The fact that one's name does not appear in the 'Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators' cannot serve as a pardon implying no pro-Japanese activities. The dictionary compilation project, which bore fruit after more than 60 years since liberation, was conducted within the limits of academic research achievements and historical materials accumulated at the time, and many individuals were deferred due to shortages in personnel and data." It clarified that past history documentation projects like the "Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators" are not completed works but ongoing academic initiatives that continue through the discovery and verification of historical records, leading to updated editions such as 'Supplementary Volumes' and 'Revised and Enlarged Editions.'

The institute emphasized, "The essence of this controversy does not lie in actor Ha Young being a descendant of pro-Japanese collaborators per se, but rather in the lack of minimal historical reflection on ancestors' colonial collaboration records when making public statements, which caused pain to the public. This is fundamentally an issue of absent historical awareness and reflection. A humble reckoning must precede any attempt to glorify or uncritically consume ancestral mistakes without reflection."

Recently, Ha Young has mentioned in various entertainment programs and video content, including KBS 2TV's variety show "Problem Children Are Here," that his family has been a lineage of physicians for four generations. Specifically regarding his great-grandfather, he stated, "My great-grandfather was one of the first to open Jeon Mun (Rep.) in Hanyang after studying medicine in Japan. He opened Yang (Rep.), the first hospital in Hanyang, and treated Ko Jong (황제)."

Subsequently, online discussions emerged claiming that the great-grandfather mentioned by Ha Young on television was Dr. Ahn Sang-ho. Ahn Sang-ho graduated from Tokyo Jisei Medical School in 1902, becoming the first Korean to obtain a Japanese medical license, and is also known as a figure suspected of pro-Japanese collaboration during the Japanese colonial period.

In fact, records surfaced showing that on December 10, 1918, Ahn Sang-ho stated through Maeil Sinbo, an institutional investor-backed newspaper, "I am like a Japanese person; I wear Japanese clothing, my wife is Japanese, and our family rules and diet are entirely Japanese. Unlike Koreans, we do not even own a single traditional robe." This revelation further fueled public outrage.

Ha Young's agency, Bisters Entertainment, initially issued a statement on the 10th calling the allegations regarding his great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities "baseless," but unexpectedly reversed its position the following day, on the 11th, stating, "Upon further verification, we confirmed that there is indeed a record showing Ahn Sang-ho's name listed as a councilor of the Daetong Friendship Association in 1916," and bowed in apology.

Ha Young, the party directly involved, also posted a handwritten apology on the 12th, saying, "I only knew my great-grandfather's life through fragmented stories passed down by family members. Without proper knowledge, I spoke about him as if he were a source of family pride. The fact that I was unaware does not justify ignoring or trivializing history. I deeply accept this mistake and sincerely apologize as his descendant." However, public outrage has not subsided.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.