"Did You Think It Was an Exoneration?"... Historical Records Revealed by Research Center Amid Ha Young's Great-Grandfather Pro-Japanese Controversy

Center for Historical Truth and Justice

"Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators is an Ongoing Academic Endeavor"

Amid mounting controversy over actor Ha Young (Ahn Ha-young, 33) and her great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho (1872–1927) regarding allegations of pro-Japanese collaboration, the Center for Historical Truth and Justice has asserted that “his pro-Japanese conduct is indisputable.”

Yonhap News Agency

On August 14, the Center for Historical Truth and Justice released its official position statement on the “Controversy Regarding Ahn Sang-ho,” stressing that “the essence of the controversy lies in the 'lack of historical awareness and reflection'—acting and speaking in public about an ancestor's history of colonial collaboration without even minimal historical introspection, which has caused pain to the public.”

Addressing the argument that Ahn Sang-ho cannot be considered a pro-Japanese collaborator simply because he is not listed in the Center's “Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators,” the Center countered, “At the time the dictionary was published, he did not meet the criteria for inclusion, and so his listing was postponed.” The statement continued, “Not being included in the list cannot serve as exoneration.” The Center emphasized, “The project of chronicling past wrongdoings is not a finished product, but an ongoing academic endeavor that continues through the discovery and verification of historical sources.” It stated that “scholarly review must continue as new primary sources are uncovered and verified.”

According to materials released by the Center, Ahn Sang-ho participated as a member of the organizing committee for the “National Memorial Service Committee”—a civilian group formed in 1909 to mourn Itō Hirobumi, who was assassinated by independence activist Ahn Jung-geun. Ahn Sang-ho was also appointed by the Japanese occupation authorities to the Gyeongseong City Council three times: in 1914, 1918, and 1920. From 1922 to 1927, he served as the head of the Jongno Credit Association in Gyeongseong. He was also active as a member and councilor of Dongminhoe, an organization that opposed anti-Japanese movements.

Actor Ha Young is talking about her family background on KBS 2TV's entertainment program 'Problematic Men in the Rooftop Room' aired on the 7th. KBS

The Center categorized the Daejeong Friendly Society—of which Ahn Sang-ho was listed as a council member—as an unequivocally pro-Japanese organization, established under the banner of “Japan-Korea Harmony,” with leading collaborators such as Lee Wan-yong and Min Young-hwi at its core. In 1918, Maeil Shinbo, the official newspaper of the Government-General of Korea, introduced Ahn Sang-ho as a “successful example of a Japanese-Korean household,” having adopted Japanese lifestyle practices. At the time, records show that Ahn Sang-ho stated, “I do not have Korean clothes and have little to no interaction with Korean people.”

The Center then urged Ha Young to first display “humble reflection on the attitude of embellishing or uncritically consuming the wrongdoings of one’s ancestors without reflection.” While the legal and political responsibility for historical wrongdoings rests with the individuals involved, the Center stressed that what matters is the lack of historical awareness exhibited when discussing an ancestor’s record of colonial collaboration in the public sphere without proper historical reflection.

Earlier, on August 7, Ha Young revealed on the KBS 2TV variety show “Problem Children of the Rooftop Room” that she comes from a family of doctors spanning four generations. It was subsequently revealed that her great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho, who worked as a doctor during the Japanese occupation, leading to suspicions about his past conduct. As the controversy intensified, on August 12 Ha Young issued a handwritten letter of apology, saying, “As a descendant, I sincerely apologize,” and bowed her head. She admitted, “My understanding of my great-grandfather’s life was fragmented, based only on stories passed down through my family,” and apologized, stating, “I spoke about my great-grandfather as a source of family pride, despite my ignorance.”

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