'Kim Gu's Great-Grandson' Kim Yongman: "We Cannot Choose Our Parents at Birth, But..."

Kim responds to Ha Young’s pro-Japanese controversy... "The public will make their own judgment"

"What matters is how one acts after learning of their ancestors’ wrongdoings"

Kim Yongman, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and great-grandson of Independence activist Kim Gu, shared his views on the controversy regarding actor Ha Young’s great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese activities.

Kim Yongman, great-grandson of Baekbeom Kim Koo and member of the Democratic Party of Korea, spoke out regarding the controversy over actor Ha Young's great-grandfather's pro-Japanese actions. JTBC

On August 14, one day before the 81st National Liberation Day, Assemblyman Kim appeared on the “Straightforward” segment of JTBC’s “Newsroom” and commented on the ongoing controversy surrounding Ha Young’s family history, stating, “What matters is how one acts after learning the facts regarding the steps taken by one’s ancestors.”

He added, “We cannot choose our parents at birth,” suggesting that there are limits to the responsibility individuals can bear for their forebears’ actions. However, he emphasized, “I hope that people will interpret the wrongdoings of their ancestors from the perspective of historical justice and act accordingly. If they do so, I believe the public will make their own judgment.”

Ha Young recently became embroiled in controversy after mentioning her great-grandfather’s medical career on a TV show, which led to the revelation that her great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho, who served as a council member of the pro-Japanese organization Daejeong Industrial Friendly Society. After her agency initially denied the suspicion but later reversed its stance, on August 12, Ha Young issued a handwritten letter saying, “I have come to learn about my great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese activities. I sincerely apologize and reflect on my mistake of mentioning the topic lightly due to ignorance.”

Regarding the saying, “If one joins the independence movement, three generations suffer, but if one is pro-Japanese, three generations prosper,” Assemblyman Kim said, “That is the reality.” He went on to point out the difficult situation faced by the descendants of independence activists, noting, “The average annual income of independence meritorious family descendants is around 25 million won, which is lower than the national median income.”

He also expressed anticipation for the forthcoming Committee for Investigation of the Assets of Pro-Japanese Collaborators, which is scheduled to be established in December this year. Assemblyman Kim explained, “Since 2000, there has been one attempt to recover unlawfully acquired assets, but less than 5% of the identified hidden assets was reclaimed. Now, we have created a legal foundation to recover such assets even if they have already been liquidated and disposed of.”

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Kim Gu’s birth and has also been designated as “Baekbeom’s Year” by UNESCO. Assemblyman Kim remarked on Kim Gu’s emphasis on the “power of culture,” stating, “We are moving in the direction that Baekbeom envisioned, and we have come a long way.”

When asked if Kim Gu’s vision of true liberation has been realized, he responded, “I believe it’s still a work in progress,” adding, “The current, divided Korean Peninsula is a situation the independence activists could never have imagined. I believe the unification of Korea would signify complete liberation.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.