Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Hall (생기념도산안창호선사업회), Seoul, South Korea

 

Ahn Chang-ho (안창호; 9 Nov 1878 – 10 Mar 1938), commonly known by his pen name Dosan (도산), was a prominent Korean independence activist and politician. Many consider Ahn Chang-ho to be one of the key moral and philosophical leaders of Korea during the 20th century. In the turmoil immediately before and during the Japanese occupation of Korea, he called for the moral and spiritual renewal of the Korean people through education as one of the important components in their struggle for independence and building a democratic society. Ahn also included economic and military components in his independence movement strategies. [1]

In Seoul, he is commemorated at a memorial hall in a park named after him, where he is interred with his wife. What is not so well known is his family's ties and connections to the United States. Please continue reading the rest of the article to find out more about my visit to his memorial hall and park on 26 Jan 2023, and to find out more about the Ahn family ties to the United States.

Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Hall Entrance, 2023

In October 1902, Ahn came to San Francisco with his wife Helen (Hye Ryeon Lee, 이혜련) to pursue a better education and were the first married couple to immigrate from Korea to the United States. Dosan became one of the early leaders of the Korean-American immigrant community in the United States. He founded the San Francisco Friendship Society (상항친목회) in 1903, the first group that was organized exclusively for Koreans in the United States. On 5 Apr 1905, he expanded the Friendship Society name to the Mutual Assistance Society (MAS, 공립협회), which was the first Korean political organization in the United States. Dosan set up the first Korean newspaper Konglip Sinbo (공립신보; The United Korean) on 20 Nov 1905. In reaction to the Durham White Stevens assassination on 23 Mar 1908, the MAS would eventually merge with the United Korean Society (합성협회) in Hawaii to become the Korean National Association (KNA, 대한인국민회) in 1909, the official agent of Koreans in the United States until the end of World War II. [2]

Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Hall Exhibitions, 2023

The couple had three sons and two daughters. Sons Philip Ahn and Ralph Ahn were actors. Philip is considered the first Korean-American actor in Hollywood and one of the most prolific Asian-American actors of his time, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. [1] Philip Ahn's most notable television role was as "Master Kan" on the television series Kung Fu. [3]

Susan Ahn Cuddy was a US Navy Lieutenant who worked for the Office of Naval Intelligence, the National Security Agency, the Library of Congress, and the US Department of Defense. [1] She was the first female Asian American naval officer and first female gunnery officer in the U.S. Navy. [4]

The Republic of Korea Navy Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarine was named in his honor and the lead ship entered service on 13 Aug 2021, 2023

In 1926, departing by ship, Dosan traveled back to China, never to return to the United States. During Ahn's anti-Japanese activism in Korea, he was arrested and imprisoned by the Japanese Imperialist government at least five times. He was first arrested in 1909 in connection with Ahn Jung-geun's assassination of Itō Hirobumi, the Japanese Resident General of Korea. Ahn was tortured and punished many times during the years of his activism. In 1932, he was arrested in Shanghai, China in connection with Yun Bong-gil's bombing at Hongkew Park (29 Apr 1932). He was a naturalized Chinese citizen at this time and illegally extradited back to Korea, where he was convicted of violating Japan's "Preservation of Peace Laws" and sentenced to five years in Taejon prison. [1]

In 1937, Japanese authorities arrested Ahn, but due to complications from severe internal illness, he was released on bail and transferred to the Keijō Imperial University (now Seoul National University Hospital) where he died on 10 Mar 1938. Judging that Ahn Chang-ho's death might lead to a popular demonstration, the Japanese military limited the number of people attending the funeral, allowing only a small number of relatives to attend. [1]

The calligraphy of Ahn Chang-ho, "Love Yourself As You Love Others", 2023

Philip Ahn worked to have his father and mother buried together in Seoul. His father had been buried far from the city because the Japanese hoped to downplay his independence work. His mother had died in California on 21 Apr 1969. They had not seen each other from the time Dosan returned to Korea in 1926, before the birth of his youngest son. Ahn worked with the Korean government to establish Dosan Park in 1973 to honor his father and was able to have his parents buried there. [4]

Ahn Chang-ho and Helen Ahn Burial Site, Dosan Park, Seoul, 2023

Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Hall (도산안창호선생기념사업회)

Name:

• Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Hall

• 도산안창호선생기념사업회

Address:

• 20 Dosan-daero 45-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

• 서울특별시 강남구 도산대로45길 20

Phone:

• +82 2-541-1800

Access:

• Plan your subway trip using Google maps (see Websites below).

• Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Hall is accessible from Apgujeoung Rodeo Station on the Suin/Bundang Subway Line after a 13 min (817m) walk from Exit 5 to Dosan Park.

• Use an Electronic IC Cash Card (e.g. T-Card) to pay the subway fare.

• Information is accurate as of the published date of this article and is subject to change.

Hours:

• Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Hall is open everyday:

• 10:00-18:00

• Admission: Free

• Last admission 30 minutes before closing.

• Information is accurate as of the published date of this article and is subject to change.

Websites:

• Google Maps:

• Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Hall

• Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Foundation:
  
• http://www.ahnchangho.or.kr/ (Korean)

Map:

 

References

[1] Wikipedia. "Ahn Changho". Last modified: 9 May 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahn_Changho.

[2] Korean Culture Center New York City. "Dosan Ahn Chang Ho". Last accessed: 21 May 2023. https://www.koreancc.org/dosan-institute.

[3] Wikipedia. "Philip Ahn". Last modified: 22 Apr 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Ahn.

[4] DOD News. "Navy Lt. Susan Ahn Cuddy Carved the Path for Asian American Women". Last modified: 30 Apr 2021. https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2586537/navy-lt-susan-ahn-cuddy-carved-the-path-for-asian-american-women/.

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