Seo Jae-pil (; January 7, 1864 – January 5, 1951), better known by his English name Philip Jaisohn, was a

Korean American Korean Americans () are Americans of full or partial Korean ethnic descent. While the broader term Overseas Korean in America () may refer to all ethnic Koreans residing in the United States, the specific designation of Korean American impli ...

politician,

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

, and Korean independence activist. He was the first Korean to become a

naturalized citizen Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...

of the United States. He also founded the '' Tongnip sinmun'', the first Korean newspaper written entirely in

Hangul The Korean alphabet is the modern writing system for the Korean language. In North Korea, the alphabet is known as (), and in South Korea, it is known as (). The letters for the five basic consonants reflect the shape of the speech organs ...

. Jaisohn was one of the organizers of the failed Kapsin Coup in 1884. He was thus convicted for

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...

and sought refuge in the United States where he became a citizen and earned a

medical doctorate A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...

. Upon returning to Korea in 1895, Jaisohn was offered a position as a chief advisor of the

Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

government. He declined, choosing to focus on reform movements where he advocated for

democracy Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...

, Korean independence and self reliance from foreign intervention, numerous

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...

and

universal suffrage Universal suffrage or universal franchise ensures the right to vote for as many people bound by a government's laws as possible, as supported by the " one person, one vote" principle. For many, the term universal suffrage assumes the exclusion ...

. Jaisohn was forced to return to the United States in 1898, from where he participated in the First Korean Congress and advocated for the

March First Movement The March First Movement was a series of protests against Korea under Japanese rule, Japanese colonial rule that was held throughout Korea and internationally by the Korean diaspora beginning on March 1, 1919. Protests were largely concentrated in ...

and

U.S. Government The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches: legislative, executi ...

support for Korean independence. Jaisohn became a chief advisor to the

United States Army Military Government in Korea The United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK) was the official ruling body of the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula from 9 September 1945 to 15 August 1948. The country during this period was plagued with political a ...

after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and was elected as an interim representative in South Korea in the 1946 legislative election. He died in 1951 shortly after returning to the United States during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

. His remains were reinterred at the

Seoul National Cemetery Seoul National Cemetery () is a cemetery in Dongjak-dong, Dongjak District, Seoul, South Korea. It is reserved for Korean veterans, including those who died in the Korean independence movement, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Four South Korean pr ...

in 1994. Jaisohn was an admirer of American-style

liberalism Liberalism is a Political philosophy, political and moral philosophy based on the Individual rights, rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, the right to private property, and equality before the law. ...

and

republicanism Republicanism is a political ideology that encompasses a range of ideas from civic virtue, political participation, harms of corruption, positives of mixed constitution, rule of law, and others. Historically, it emphasizes the idea of self ...

. He was also reform-minded, and sought to revise Confucianist culture and institutions in Korea.

Biography

Early years

Jaisohn was born on January 7, 1864, in

Boseong County Boseong County (''Boseong-gun'') is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, county in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Boseong is famous for its green tea leaves, with 26.71 hectares of land dedicated to its production. It is also the bi ...

Jeolla Province Jeolla Province (, ) was one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Kingdom of Joseon in southwestern Korea. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and Gwangju Metropolitan City as well as J ...

. He was born into the . Jaisohn was the third son of Seo Gwang-hyo, who was a local

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...

, but was raised by his relatives in

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

. At a young age, Jaisohn was adopted by his father's

second cousin A cousin is a relative who is the child of a parent's sibling; this is more specifically referred to as a first cousin. A parent of a first cousin is an aunt or uncle. More generally, in the kinship system used in the English-speaking world, ...

, Seo Gwang-ha, and his wife. Jaisohn studied at Kim Seong-geun and Park Kyu-su's

private school A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a State school, public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their fina ...

during his adolescence, where he was exposed to the reformist ideals of Kim Okkyun.

Political activist

Jaisohn passed the civil service exam at the age of 18, becoming one of the youngest people to ever pass this exam, and as a result became a

junior officer Junior officer, company officer or company grade officer refers to the lowest operational commissioned officer category of ranks in a military or paramilitary organization, ranking above non-commissioned officers and below senior officers. D ...

in 1882. Thereafter he was appointed to Gyoseokwan Bujeongja () and Seungmunwon Gajuseo (). In 1883 he was appointed to Seungmunwon Bujeongja () and Hunryunwon Bubongsa (). In the following year, he was sent to

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

where he studied both at the Keio Gijuku (the forerunner of the

Keio University , abbreviated as or , is a private university, private research university located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally established as a school for Rangaku, Western studies in 1858 in Edo. It was granted university status in 1920, becomi ...

) and the Toyama Army Academy. In July 1884, his adoptive mother died, but he quickly returned to public service under special orders. In his reports to the king, Jaisohn explained that Korea's

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...

were useless and

obsolete Obsolescence is the process of becoming antiquated, out of date, old-fashioned, no longer in general use, or no longer useful, or the condition of being in such a state. When used in a biological sense, it means imperfect or rudimentary when comp ...

in the new world. These reports annoyed powerful

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

s, but it made Jaisohn widely known and respected among like-minded young intellectuals. By that time, a small but growing number of young intellectuals believed that fundamental reform had to occur or Korea would fall victim to the neighboring imperialist powers of

Qing China The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the Ming dynasty ...

, Japan, or

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

.(20) Seo Jae-pil: pioneering reformer, independence fighter
koreatimes 2011.12.28 He was appointed to Joryeon-guk Sagwanjang () shortly after. In December 1884, Jaisohn, following Kim Okkyun, was involved in the Kapsin Coup, a radical attempt to overturn the old regime and establish equality among people. Jaisohn and Kim Okkyun, Pak Yŏnghyo, Yun Chi-ho, Hong Yeong-shik, and others had planned a coup for seven months, from July to December 1884. He was appointed the Vice-Minister of Defense. The coup was defeated in three days, as China intervened by sending military troops. As a result, his older half-brother, Seo Jae-hyeong, and younger brother, Seo Jae-chang, were killed. His biological father, Seo Gwang-hyo, and biological mother, Lady Yi of the Seongju Yi clan, were executed under a guilt-by-association system. His second wife, Lady Kim of the Gwangsan Kim clan, was sold into slavery, but committed suicide. His 3-year-old son had also died in 1885. Convicted of treason, Soh Jaipil lost half of his family and had to flee Korea to save his life. His only remaining family was his older brother, older sister, younger brother, and younger sister, along with his eldest daughter and her husband. However, his older brother soon committed suicide by poisoning on September 5, 1888. The majority of the 1884 revolutionaries fled to Japan. Unlike them, Jaisohn moved to the United States. He saw Japan as essentially a conduit for Western knowledge and ideas, but preferred to deal with what he saw as the source itself.

Exile in the United States

In 1885, early in his stay in America, Jaisohn worked part-time jobs. In 1886, Jaisohn lived in

Norristown, Pennsylvania Norristown is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough with Home Rule Municipality (Pennsylvania), home rule status and the county seat of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, in the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia metropolitan area. Located ...

, and attended the Harry Hillman Academy (Wilkes-Barre, PA) thanks to the help of John Welles Hollenback. He began to use the name "Philip Jaisohn" at that time. In 1890, he became the first Korean immigrant to acquire United States citizenship. He studied medicine at Columbia Medical College (now

George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (abbreviated as GW Medical School, GW Medicine, or SMHS) is the professional medical school of the George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. SMHS is one of the most ...

), and became the first Asian-American Doctor when he received his medical degree in 1892. In 1894, he married Muriel Mary Armstrong, a distant relative of the former president of the United States,

James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861. He also served as the United States Secretary of State, secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and represented Pennsylvan ...

, and the eldest daughter of George B. Armstrong, credited as the founder of the U.S. Railway Mail Service. They had two daughters, Stephanie and Muriel.

''Tongnip sinmun''

In 1894,

defeated China in the

First Sino-Japanese war The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 189417 April 1895), or the First China–Japan War, was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over influence in Joseon, Korea. In Chinese it is commonly known as th ...

, which had occurred on the

Korean Peninsula Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically divided at or near the 38th parallel between North Korea (Dem ...

. The Korean cabinet was filled with reformists. Along with these political changes, the treason of the Kapsin Coup was pardoned, enabling Jaisohn's return in 1895. In December 1895, he went to

Incheon Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...

. The Joseon government wanted to appoint him as the Foreign Secretary, but he refused to take the position. In Korea, he endeavored to politically educate people. Jaisohn published the ''Tongnip sinmun'' (also called ''The Independent'') to transform the Korean population into an informed citizenry. He was the first to print his newspaper entirely in Hangul to extend readership to lower classes and women.

Sowing the ideals of independence and democracy

In the 1896 to 1898 civil rights movement and suffrage movements, Jaisohn's goal was to ensure that Korea could drift away from the Chinese sphere of influence without falling too heavily under the influence of Russia or Japan. He was also behind the construction of the Independence Gate, which was initially meant to symbolize Korea's independence from foreign interventionism. Apart from his journalistic and political activities, he delivered regular lectures on modern politics and the principles of

. He promoted national independence as the principal political ideal and emphasized neutral diplomatic approaches to protect Korea from China, Russia and Japan. He also underscored the importance of public education, modernized industry and public hygiene. The Independence was particularly critical of misconduct by government officials, which caused strong reactions by the conservatives. Under the aegis of the Independence Club (), Jaisohn organized the All People's Congress, an open public forum to debate over political issues. The Congress was hailed by young reformers and began to establish nationwide chapters. In November 1897, Jaisohn finished the construction of the Independence Gate (독립문;獨立門). At this time he also ended the policy of Yeongeunmun (영은문;迎恩門). Yeongeunmun was the

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

n policy of welcoming the Qing Manchu envoys (Yeongeunmun roughly translates from Korean to English as "Welcome with kindness gate"). In 1898, conservatives accused Jaisohn and the Club of seeking to replace the monarchy with a republic, and the Korean government requested Jaisohn to return to the US. After his return, the Korean government ordered the club to disband and arrested 17 leaders, including

Syngman Rhee Syngman Rhee (; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965), also known by his art name Unam (), was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960. Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisiona ...

Clerk and Company manage

In April to August 1898, he accompanied an army to the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

. In 1899 he found employment as clerk for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. In 1904, worked with Harold Deemer, who was a year younger, to create the "Deemer and Jaisohn shop". It was a stationery and printing industry store. In 1915, the shop became called the Philip Jaisohn Company, and specialized in the printing industry.

Independence movements

In the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, Jaisohn conducted medical research at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

and later became a successful printer in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. When he heard the news of the

(1919), a nationwide protest against Japanese rule in Korea, Jaisohn convened the First Korean Congress, which was held in Philadelphia for three days on April 14 to 16, 1919.First Korean Congress held in the Little Theatre, Philadelphia 1919
/ref> After the Congress, Jaisohn devoted his energies and private property to the freedom of Korea. He organized the League of Friends of Korea in 21 cities with the help of Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins, rector of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia on Rittenhouse Square and established the "Korean Information Bureau." He published a political journal called '' Korea Review'' to inform the American public of the situation in Korea, and to persuade the

U.S. government The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches: legislative, executi ...

to support the freedom of

Koreans Koreans are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. The majority of Koreans live in the two Korean sovereign states of North and South Korea, which are collectively referred to as Korea. As of 2021, an estimated 7.3 m ...

. In the 1920s, Jaisohn, who had just turned 60, returned to research and spent his 60s and 70s working as a specialist doctor and micro-biologist, as well as occasionally publishing in peer-review academic journals. Five years later in 1924, Jaisohn went legally bankrupt due to his political engagement and had to resume practicing medicine to make a living. At age 62, he became a student again at the

to renew his medical knowledge. After this, he published five research articles in the medical journals specializing in pathology. During World War II, he volunteered as a physical examination officer with the belief that the victory of the U.S. would bring freedom to Korea.

Last days in Korea

Jaisohn returned to Korea once again after Japan's defeat in

. The U.S. Army Military Government in control of the southern part of Korea invited him to serve as chief adviser. In December 1946, he was elected to the Interim Legislative Assembly (). In May 1945, liberal and moderate

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

intellectuals selected him as candidate for presidency, but he declined. When the date of the first presidential election was confirmed by the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

, Jaisohn was petitioned to run for presidency by 3,000 people, including a young

Kim Dae-jung Kim Dae-jung (, ; 6 January 192418 August 2009) was a South Korean politician, activist and statesman who served as the eighth president of South Korea from 1998 to 2003. Kim entered politics as a member of the new wing of the Democratic Pa ...

, but he refused in the end. Jaisohn felt that political unity was needed for a new nation, despite his uneasy relationship with the president elect

. He decided to return to the United States in 1948. Suffering a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

a week earlier on December 29, Jaisohn died on January 5, 1951, during the Korean War, just two days before his 87th birthday. His body was cremated, and buried in Pennsylvania. In 1994 his remains were repatriated to South Korea. His ashes are buried in the

Family

* Father ** Seo Gwang-hyo (; August 22, 1800 – December 19, 1884) *** Adoptive father: Seo Gwang-ha (; 1824–?) * Mother ** Yi Jo-yi (), Lady Yi of the Seongju Yi clan (; 1830 – December 19, 1884) *** Adoptive mother: Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (; 1828–?) * Sibling(s) ** Older half-brother: Seo Jae-hyeong (; 1851 – December 13, 1884) ** Older sister: Lady Seo of the Daegu Seo clan (서씨; 1857–?) ** Older brother: Seo Jae-chun (; March 4, 1859 – September 5, 1888) ** Younger brother: Seo Jae-chang (; 1866 – December 13, 1884) ** Younger brother: Seo Jae-woo (; September 5, 1868 – January 24, 1929) ** Younger sister: Seo Gi-seok () * Wives ** Lady Yi of the Gyeongju Yi clan (; 1860–1880) ** Lady Kim of the

Gwangsan Kim clan The Gwangsan Kim clan () is a Korean clan with its bon-gwan located in Gwangsan, present-day Gwangju. The members of the Gwangsan Kim clan are the descendants of Kim Hŭng-gwang (), the third son of Sinmu of Silla, King Sinmu of Silla, the 45th ...

(; 1862 – January 12, 1885) *** Unnamed daughter *** Unnamed son (1883 – January 12, 1885) ** Muriel Mary Armstrong (or Muriel Josephine Armstrong; 1871 – August 1944) *** Father-in-law: George Buchanan Armstrong (May 18, 1852 – July 13, 1937) *** Mother-in-law: Margaret Elizabeth Roben (June 27, 1852 – September 2, 1911) **** Daughter: Stephanie Jaisohn Boyd (1896 – April 5, 1991) ***** Son-in-law: Waren Ross Hardican (April 1896 – May 2, 1958); divorced ****** Grandson: Philip Jaisohn Hardican (June 10, 1916 – June 14, 1993) ***** Son-in-law: Paul Cameron Boyd (December 7, 1899 – November 12, 1964) ****** Step-Grandson: Paul Cameron Boyd Jr. (May 16, 1920 – February 24, 1936) ****** Step-Grandson: Robert Martin Boyd (December 21, 1921 – June 24, 1992) ****** Step-Grandson: Rawie Carson Boyd (August 10, 1927 – April 2002) ****** Unnamed Grandson (1923) **** Daughter: Muriel Jaisohn (1898 – June 16, 1987)

Books

* ''Hansu's Journey'' * ''My Days in Korea and Other Essays'' * ''My Compatriots in the Homeland'' ()

Awarded

* Order of Merit for National Foundation, Republic of Korea Medal (1970)

Timeline

1864–1895

*1864 (January 7): Born in Bosung, Korea as the second son of Jaisohn Kwang-Hyo. *1871: Adopted to Jaisohn Kwang-Ha, Jaisohn Kwang-Hyo's second cousin. *1882: Passed the Civil Service Examination. *1883–1884: Attended the Toyama Army Academy in Japan. *1884 (December 4): Staged the Kapsin coup with Kim Okkyun. The attempt was aborted in three days and Jaisohn had to emigrate to Japan. *1885: Arrived in San Francisco with Park Young-hyo and Jaisohn Kwang Bum and worked at a furniture store. *1886–1889: Attended the Harry Hillman Academy (Wilkes Barre, PA). John W. Hollenback supported Jaisohn's living and tuition in entirety. Anglicized his name from 'Soh Jaipil' to 'Philip Jaisohn'. *1889: Worked at the Army Surgeon General's Library in Washington D.C translating Chinese and Japanese medical books into English. Entered the Medical School at Columbian University (now George Washington University). *1890 (January 19): Obtained American citizenship. *1892: Earned a medical degree and opened a private medical office in 1894. *1894 (June 20): Married Muriel Armstrong, daughter of George Buchanan Armstrong. Jaisohn later had two daughters (Stephanie and Muriel). *1895: Left Washington D.C. at the request of the Korean government.

1896–1924

*1896 (April 7): Started to publish ''The Independent''. *1896 (June 2): Founded the Independence Club. *1897 (May 23): Built the Independence Hall. *1897 (August 8): Began a public forum called 'All People's Congress'. *1897: Erected the Independence Gate. *1898: Proposed the constitution of Congress. Russia and Japan pressed the Korean government to dispel Jaisohn. *1899–1903: Worked at the Wistar Institute,

. *1904–1913: Operated a publishing and stationery business in Philadelphia with his friend, Harold Deemer. *1914–1924: Operated the Philip Jaisohn & Co. in Philadelphia. *1919 (April 14–16): Convened the First Korean Congress in Philadelphia after receiving the news of nationwide resistance in Korea. *1919 (April 22): Established the Korea Information Bureau. *1919 (May 16): Founded the League of Friends of Korea in Philadelphia with Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins. The League thereafter established 24 chapters in U.S., and one each in London and Paris. *1921 (September 29):

Korean Provisional Government The Korean Provisional Government (KPG), formally the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (), was a Korean government-in-exile based in Republic of China (1912–1949), China during Korea under Japanese rule, Japanese rule over K ...

in Shanghai appointed Jaisohn as the vice-representative to the Washington Naval Conference. *1922–1935: Contributed a number of articles to ''Dong-A Ilbo'', ''Chosun Ilbo'', ''Shin Min'', ''New Korea'' (Shin Han Min Bo), ''Peace & Liberty''. *1924: Philip Jaisohn & Co. went bankrupt.

1925–1951

*1925: With Yu Ilhan, Jaisohn founded the New-Ilhan & Co., but the business was not successful. *1925: Attended the Pan-Pacific Conference in Hawaii as a Korean delegate. *1925: Established residence in

Media, Pennsylvania Media is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located about west of Philadelphia. It is part of the Delaware Valley, also known as the Philadelphia metropolitan area. ...

. *1926: Entered the Medical School of the

. *1927–1936: Worked at the Jeans Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital, Charleston General Hospital and Chester Hospital. *1929–1934: Published five research articles in pathology journals. *1936: Opened a private medical office in

Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area (also known as the Delaware Valley) on the western bank of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. ...

. *1937–1940: Contributed various columns such as "My Days in Korea" and "Random Thoughts" to '' The New Korea''. *1941: His wife, Muriel Armstrong died. *1942–1945: Volunteered as a physical examination officer for the US Army during World War II. *1945: Awarded a medal from the US Congress in honor of contribution to the US Army. *1947 (July 1): Returned to Korea as the Chief Advisor to the US Military Government and as a member of the Korean Interim Legislative Assembly. Jaisohn made strenuous efforts toward democracy and the unification of Korea. *1948: Petitioned to run for presidency. *1948 (September 11): Returned to the U.S. *1951 (January 5): Died at the Montgomery Hospital, PA during the Korean War (1950–1953).

After 1951

*1975 (January 15): Th
Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation
was established in Philadelphia, PA. *1977: The National Foundation Medal was awarded posthumously to Jaisohn by the Korean government. A memorial monument was erected at Rose Tree Park, Media, PA. *1994: His remains were exhumed from West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia and moved to the National Cemetery in

, Korea. *1994: The Philip Jaisohn Memorial House was added to the Pennsylvania Registry of Historic Places.

Philip Jaisohn Memorial House

The Philip Jaisohn Memorial House in

was Jaisohn's home from 1925 to 1951. This house was bought when Jaisohn was in great financial difficulties, while his house in Philadelphia was pledged due to his devotion to the Korean independence. His Media home was acquired by the Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation in 1987 and opened to the public in 1990. Since then, the Jaisohn House has been visited by many students and politicians from Korea such as former South Korean president and Nobel peace laureate

as well as Korean American immigrants and community neighbors. On May 21, 1994, the

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is the governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, responsible for the collection, conservation, and interpretation of Pennsylvania's heritage. The commission cares for hist ...

and the Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation dedicated a

historical marker A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, bearing text or an image in relief, or both, ...

for Jaisohn, stating:

American-educated medical doctor who sowed seeds of democracy in Korea, published its first modern newspaper (1896-98), and popularized its written language. The first Korean to earn a Western medical degree and become a U.S. citizen. He worked for Korean independence during the Japanese occupation, 1910-45. Chief Advisor to the U.S. Military Government in Korea, 1947-1948. This was his home for 25 years.

References

External links

*
Soh Jaipil Memorial Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jaisohn, Philip 1864 births 1951 deaths People from Boseong County Politicians from South Jeolla Province 19th-century Korean politicians Korean journalists South Korean anti-communists South Korean civil rights activists Korean emigrants to the United States Korean anti-communists 19th-century Korean physicians American people of Korean descent Republicanism in Korea Naturalized citizens of the United States George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences alumni Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania alumni University of Pennsylvania faculty Burials at Seoul National Cemetery Members of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea 19th-century journalists 19th-century Korean writers Keio University alumni