Speaking to Ilgan Sports in Seoul late on August 10, Ha-young’s father, identified only as A, apologized on behalf of the family and said they were taking the controversy seriously, particularly with South Korea’s August 15 Liberation Day approaching. “We have absolutely no intention of glorifying our grandfather’s past simply because he is family.”
He added that the family plans to carefully examine Ahn Sang-ho’s history and reflect on what they should do as his descendants.
The controversy began after Ahn Sang-ho’s name was found on a list of council members of the Daejeong Sil-eop Chinmokhoe, a pro-Japanese organization. Ha-young’s father acknowledged that the family had confirmed the historical record. “Seeing such a record connected to a serious historical issue makes us feel deeply troubled as his descendants,” he said.
He also apologized for causing discomfort, emphasizing that the controversy concerns an important period in Korean history and comes just before Liberation Day.
When the controversy first emerged, Ha-young’s agency denied the allegations as “groundless.” Her father explained that the family’s initial response was influenced by stories passed down through generations about Ahn Sang-ho’s relationship with Prince Imperial Uihwa (Uichinwang), a member of the Korean imperial family who is remembered for his anti-Japanese stance. Ahn Sang-ho reportedly worked at Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo and treated Prince Imperial Uihwa during his time in Japan.
According to Ha-young’s father, the family had long believed that Prince Imperial Uihwa had encouraged Ahn Sang-ho to return to Korea and contribute to the country. Because of this relationship and the family’s understanding of Ahn’s life, they had not previously considered that he could have been associated with pro-Japanese activities.
Ha-young’s father also referenced the book Pioneers of Korean Medicine, which he owns, while explaining the family’s understanding of Ahn Sang-ho. According to the account cited by him, author Jeong Gu-chung attributed a story about Ahn Sang-ho and former Emperor Gojong to a conversation with Prince Imperial Uihwa.
The account reportedly concerned rumors that Ahn Sang-ho had administered poison to Gojong before the emperor’s death. According to the family’s interpretation of the historical account, Prince Imperial Uihwa rejected the rumor and suggested that it had emerged amid widespread anger and misunderstanding following the country’s annexation by Japan. Ha-young’s father said this account had contributed to the family’s longstanding belief that Ahn Sang-ho was not involved in pro-Japanese activities.
Ha-young’s father also highlighted another part of his grandfather’s history. He claimed that after Japan’s annexation of Korea, Japanese doctors organized the Gyeongseong Medical Association, prompting Ahn Sang-ho to gather Korean physicians and establish an independent Hanseong Medical Association in 1915, where he reportedly served as its first president. He described the organization as a predecessor to what eventually developed into the Korean Medical Association.
However, these claims are part of the family’s account of Ahn Sang-ho’s history and do not by themselves resolve the controversy surrounding his documented activities.
Another historical record has become part of the controversy. A 1918 article in the Maeil Shinbo reportedly introduced Ahn Sang-ho as an example of “one Korea and Japan” after he married a Japanese woman and adopted aspects of Japanese lifestyle. Ha-young’s father confirmed that Ahn Sang-ho’s wife his grandmother was Japanese. He said the family had only recently learned about the historical context of the Maeil Shinbo article through the current controversy. According to his family’s understanding, Ahn Sang-ho met his future wife while working in Tokyo after she was introduced to him through Prince Imperial Uihwa.
However, Ha-young’s father stressed that the family had never previously interpreted Ahn’s marriage to a Japanese woman itself as evidence of pro-Japanese activity. He recalled stories from his grandmother that Ahn Sang-ho had encouraged his children to remain in Korea, raise their families there and contribute to society even after his death.
In his closing remarks, Ha-young’s father said the controversy had prompted the family to reconsider their understanding of their ancestor’s history. “We are carefully examining from the beginning how our grandfather lived throughout history,” he said. He emphasized that the family does not intend to defend or beautify Ahn Sang-ho’s past simply because of their relationship to him. “We have no intention whatsoever of glorifying our grandfather’s past because he is family.”
He added that the family feels sorry for causing concern amid a controversy involving an important part of Korea’s history. “We will study and learn history again with a more careful and humble attitude, while considering what we as descendants should do and putting that into practice,” he said.
The statement marks a significant shift from the family’s initial categorical denial of the allegations, with Ha-young’s father now acknowledging the historical records and expressing a willingness to examine his great-grandfather’s past more closely.
Sources: Daum | 일간스포츠