An Sang-ho, the first Korean to obtain a Japanese medical license, ignored repeated orders from the Korean Empire to return home [1].
The discovery of these historical records highlights a conflict between early 20th-century professional ambition and national duty during a period of intense political instability.
An graduated from Tokyo Jiyu Medical School in 1902 [1]. The Korean Empire government provided him with a scholarship to acquire modern medical expertise, and he later received a grade-three salary [1]. By 1904, he was appointed as a medical-school instructor [1].
Despite the government's financial support and the strategic need for medical professionals in Seoul, An chose to remain in Tokyo. The government issued multiple requests for his return, but An did not comply. Consequently, the government fired him from his post as an instructor on Jan. 21, 1905 [1].
Historical records further indicate that An's ties to Japan continued long after his dismissal. In 1909, he attended a preparation committee for a memorial for Ito Hirobumi [2]. Ito was a central figure in Japanese diplomacy and the administration of Korea during the transition toward colonization.
An is the great-grandfather of the actress Ha-young [1]. The details of his residence and professional choices in Japan have resurfaced through recent reviews of historical documentation [1].
“An Sang-ho, the first Korean to obtain a Japanese medical license, ignored repeated orders from the Korean Empire to return home.”
This case illustrates the complex loyalties of the Korean intelligentsia during the twilight of the Korean Empire. By prioritizing a Japanese medical career over a government-funded obligation to return, An Sang-ho's actions reflect a broader historical pattern of professional migration and the political tensions inherent in the early 20th-century relationship between Korea and Japan.
