Is the poisoning of Emperor Gojong by Ahn Sang-ho true? The controversy surrounding his son, Professor Ahn Bu-ho, and Sorokdo (+Actress Ha Young)

An unprecedented controversy surrounding actor Ha Young's family! From the theory that his great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho poisoned Emperor Gojong and his pro-Japanese activities, to the fallout from his grandfather Professor Ahn Bu-ho's service on Sorokdo Island, we will neatly summarize the facts based on historical records.

 

1. Naeseon-ilche to the Bone? Who is Great-Grandfather Ahn Sang-ho?

Hayoung's great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho (1872–1927), graduated from Tokyo Jikei Medical College in Japan in 1902 and became the first Korean to obtain a Japanese medical license. After returning to Korea, he served as the royal physician to Emperor Sunjong and established Korea's first Western-style medical clinic, earning a reputation as one of the top elite doctors of his time.

 

The problem is the extreme pro-Japanese behavior he displayed. If you look at the 1918 interview in the *Maeil Sinbo*, the official organ of the Japanese Government-General of Korea, you will find shocking details.

"I am like a Japanese person; I wear Japanese clothes, and my wife is Japanese. There isn't even a single durumagi in the house, and since I don't speak Korean, my children don't know the language either."

The Government-General extensively promoted this interview as a "model example of the unity of Japan and Korea." Furthermore, since he served as a council member of the Taisho Business Friendship Association, where prominent pro-Japanese figures such as Yi Wan-yong and Song Byeong-jun gathered, it is difficult for him to avoid criticism that he was a figure who collaborated with the Japanese Empire to the core.

2. The An Sang-ho Poisoning Theory of Emperor Gojong: Is It Really True?

The most shocking thing is that Ahn Sang-ho's name is being mentioned as the number one culprit in the theory of Emperor Gojong's poisoning.

When Emperor Gojong suddenly passed away in 1919, rumors were widespread among the people that the Japanese had poisoned him, and this became the decisive spark for the March 1st Movement, didn't it? However, Ahn Sang-ho himself appears in various records of that time.

 

Lady Yi Bang-ja's Memoirs: "I heard a rumor that the Japanese Government-General of Korea ordered An Sang-ho of the city to poison (the Emperor)."

Shirosuke Kondo's memoir *Secret History of the Yi Royal Palace*: "There is a rumor that pro-Japanese collaborators and high-ranking officials of the Government-General conspired to order Ahn Sang-ho to use poison."

 

Historians analyze that, regardless of whether Ahn Sang-ho actually poisoned the victim, public anger and negative views had reached such an extreme level that Ahn Sang-ho, who lived like a Japanese person, was accepted by the people at the time as the most likely person to have committed the poisoning.

3. Controversy over Professor Ahn Bu-ho's son's work at Sorokdo

As the controversy surrounding the great-grandfather intensified, through reactions from some media outlets or the agency, the grandfather Remarks emerged suggesting that the late Professor Ahn Bu-ho of the Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine "dedicated his entire life to treating leprosy patients on Sorok Island." However, this also sparked another controversy.

 

This is because the period from 1949 to 1954, when Professor Ahn Bu-ho was working at Sorokdo Hospital, was the time when the most horrific human rights violations in the history of Sorokdo were taking place.

 

Forced vasectomy and forced abortion without patient consent

A painful clinical trial of inserting a needle into a patient's chest to extract bone marrow

Autopsies and forced labor without the consent of bereaved families

 

Of course, there is no clear evidence yet that Professor Ahn Bu-ho was directly involved in these human rights violations. However, netizens remain indifferent to the fact that he attempted to package the tragic history of Sorokdo as "mere volunteer work."

4. Why the agency's response added fuel to the fire

Even though historical records and newspaper articles clearly exist, Hayoung's agency They keep repeating that "An Sang-ho is indeed my great-grandfather, but the allegations of pro-Japanese collaboration are groundless."

 

Critics point out that the evasive response of unconditionally claiming "it is not true" without concrete grounds for rebuttal is actually escalating the controversy. Given that they promoted their family history on broadcast as if it were the family's glory, it is regrettable that they did not show a more cautious and responsible attitude regarding the historical merits and demerits associated with it.

 

💡 Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q1. Is Ahn Sang-ho listed in the Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities' *Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators*?

 

A. No, they are not listed. They are excluded from the official list due to a lack of specific records regarding "malicious acts" that directly obstructed or led the independence movement, in accordance with legal and institutional standards. However, their pro-Japanese activities themselves, such as interviews with the Government-General's official publication or participation in pro-Japanese organizations, remain as historical facts.

 

Q2. Actress Ha Young, you didn't personally do anything wrong, did you?

 

A. That is correct. There are opinions that it is excessive to criticize the celebrity by applying the principle of guilt by association. However, given that he appeared on broadcast and actively used (promoted) his great-grandfather's history as a source of family pride, the prevailing sentiment is that it is difficult to avoid public evaluation and criticism regarding the historical light and shadow of that figure.

 

Q3. Is the theory of Emperor Gojong's poisoning a historically completely proven fact?

 

A. The theory of Emperor Gojong's poisoning is considered a leading theory in academia, based on the memoirs of Lady Yi Bang-ja, the diaries of Japanese officials, and numerous circumstantial evidence from that time. However, regarding whether Ahn Sang-ho actually administered the poison, while records clearly state that he was "the figure most suspected by the public at the time," physical evidence has not been fully established.

 

 

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