Born Seo Jae-pil in
Korea’s Bosung County in Jeolla province in 1864, his journey through political
turmoil of Korea to the United States and back left an indelible legacy of
dedication, service and activism. Supporting the ideals of independence and
democracy for Korea, his life became an extraordinary story of many ‘firsts.’
He became the first naturalized Korean
American, the first Korean American medical doctor and the first publisher to
use Han’gul, the native Korean script invented by King Sejong, for the
newspaper The Independence, the first
bilingual newspaper in Korea. The
Independence, first published in April 7, 1896, broke with then Korean
tradition of publishing in only Chinese letters and paved a way for the modern
Korean journalism. Printed in both Korean and English, the newspaper informed
ordinary Koreans and the world of the news and events from Korea. Furthermore,
He was the first person on record for an interracial matrimony between a Korean
and an American, having married in 1894 to Muriel Armstrong, a socialite and
niece of the 15th President of the United States James Buchanan, Jr. The couple
later had two daughters.
So, what drove this man beyond these
illustrious achievements? Dr. Jaisohn was a man deeply concerned with the cause
of humanity and freedom, especially with Korea’s independence from Japan and progress
toward modernization. Never losing his sight on this mission, he worked
tireless until his death at age 87 in 1951. At the Rose Tree Park in Media, PA,
a monument stands today as a tribute to his humanitarian spirit and dedication.
Dr. Jaisohn’s beloved Korea was a reclusive
Confucius society under the influence of China’s Qing Dynasty in the 1800s. In
this environment, precocious young Jae-pil stood out as an early adopter of
modern political principles who believed in equality among Koreans.
Excelled as a student, he was sent to Japan in
the early 1880s as part of the first group of Korean students to study at the
Youth Military Academy in Tokyo. Once returned to his homeland at age 21,
Jae-pil was full of hopes and eagerness to establish a modern foundation for
Korea. He joined Gapsin coup led by Kim Okgyun, a radical revolt against its
feudalistic government, which unfortunately failed in three days with China’s
intervention. Convicted of treason, Jae-pil lost his family and property and saw
the only way to save his life was to become an exile. He found his way to San
Francisco via Japan.
Around this time of the late 18th to 19th
centuries, Asia was engulfed in protectorate expansion fervor by competing
Western governments seeking political and economic gain in the region. Japan,
the first Asian nation to be modernized, was no exception to this expansion
effort as the sole military power emerged from the Far East. In spite of the
peace treaty signed with Korea in 1882, the United States made a secret deal
with Japan over Korea in favor of protecting the Philippines from Japan’s
further aggression. Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910.
During this time of drastic political upheaval
and changes in Korea and the Far East, Jae-pil arrived in the United States and
took his Americanized name Philip Jaisohn. Jaisohn continued his studies with
the support of various sponsors, including American industrialist John W.
Hollenback, and pursued a medical degree at George Washington University,
formerly known as Columbian Medical College, inspired by Dr. Walter Reed. He
became the first Korean American medical doctor in 1892, two years after he had
become a naturalized U.S. citizen.
At the time, Japan’s imperialistic Meiji
government was campaigning hard to annex Korea following its victories over the
Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War. Realizing Korea’s vulnerability to
colonizing efforts by the powers surrounding the peninsula, Dr. Jaisohn
returned to Korea in 1896 and initiated several reform movements in social,
political, economic and educational domains, including medical and health care
initiatives.
From establishing the Independence Gate in
Korea to the historic First Korean Congress in Philadelphia, Dr. Jaisohn
organized and supported numerous entities and political activities for Korea’s
political sovereignty and democracy, including the Korean Information Bureau,
the League of Friends of Korea, and the monthly journal Korean Review, until he
exhausted his own finances to bankruptcy in 1925.
Faithful and loyal to both his native and
adopted countries, Dr. Jaisohn not only spent his life defending the freedom of
those oppressed but also promoted equality among all people. From 1927 and on,
he focused his work as a medical doctor in the United States serving as a
pathologist and also as Chief Advisor for the U.S. Military government in South
Korea at the end of World War II. His lifetime of devotion as a diplomat and
medical officer in three U.S. Wars earned him high commendations from Presidents
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman, and the U.S. Congress in 1946.
Having witnessed the end of Japan’s occupation
in Korea in 1945, Dr. Jaisohn returned to the United States in 1948 and died in
1951 after suffering from a heart attack during the Korean War. His remains
were repatriated to South Korea and interred at the Korean National Cemetery in
1994.
Without a doubt, Dr. Philip Jaisohn was
America’s greatest gift to Korea in the first half of the 20th century – as a
founding father of Korea’s modernization and democracy, its future. For Korean
Americans, he set an example to follow for generations to be conscientious of
both Korean and American roots; embody the very best values they have
inherited; and contribute to the betterment of both societies and the world at
large by overcoming prejudice and striving to be of service for fellowmen. He
was a true pioneer and patriot whose love of his countries, near and far, and
dedication to humanitarian causes never waned.