Soh Jaipil or Seo Jae-pil (January 7, 1864 – January 5, 1951), also known as Philip Jaisohn, was a

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

political activist and

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

who was a noted champion of the

Korean independence movement The Korean independence movement was a military and diplomatic campaign to achieve the independence of Korea from Japan. After the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, Korea's domestic resistance peaked in the March 1st Movement of 1919, whic ...

, the first Korean

naturalized citizen Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...

of the United States, and founded ''

Tongnip Sinmun ''The Independent'' or ''Tongnip Sinmun'' (독립신문; 1896–1899) was an early Korean newspaper. ''Tongnip Sinmun'' was the first privately managed modern daily newspaper in Korea. It was founded in July 1896 by a member of the enlightened Ko ...

'', the first Korean newspaper in

Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The l ...

. Soh was one of the organizers of the failed

Gapsin Coup The Gapsin Coup, also known as the Gapsin Revolution, was a failed three-day coup d'état that occurred in Korea during 1884. Korean reformers in the Enlightenment Party sought to initiate rapid changes within the country, including eliminatin ...

in 1884 and convicted for

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

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

medical doctorate Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degre ...

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

Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...

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

democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose g ...

, leaving the Chinese

sphere of influence In the field of international relations, a sphere of influence (SOI) is a spatial region or concept division over which a state or organization has a level of cultural, economic, military or political exclusivity. While there may be a formal a ...

, and numerous

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

and

universal suffrage Universal suffrage (also called universal franchise, general suffrage, and common suffrage of the common man) gives the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political sta ...

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

March 1st Movement The March 1st Movement, also known as the Sam-il (3-1) Movement (Hangul: 삼일 운동; Hanja: 三一運動), was a protest movement by Korean people and students calling for independence from Japan in 1919, and protesting forced assimilation ...

and U.S. Government support for Korean independence. Soh 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 Korean Peninsula from 8 September 1945 to 15 August 1948. The country during this period was plagued with political and eco ...

after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

and was elected as an interim representative in

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

in the 1946 legislative election. Soh died in 1951 shortly after returning to the United States during the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

, and in 1994 his remains were reburied at the

Seoul National Cemetery The Seoul National Cemetery () is located in Dongjak-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The cemetery is reserved for Korean veterans, including those who died in the Korean independence movement, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Four South K ...

. As a U.S. citizen, he actively contributed to the

, admired the ideals 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 and equality before the law."political rationalism, hostilit ...

and

republicanism Republicanism is a political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic. Historically, it emphasises the idea of self-rule and ranges from the rule of a representative minority or oligarchy to popular sovereignty. ...

, and contributed to efforts to break down

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...

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

and spread Western-style liberalism in the Korean Peninsula.

Life

Early years

Seo Jae-pil was born on 7 January 1864 in

Boseong County Boseong County (''Boseong-gun'') is a 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 birthplace of the Korean independence activ ...

in southern

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

Joseon Korea Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and r ...

, into a noble family: the Daegu Seo clan. Soh 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 judic ...

in Boseong County, but was raised by his relatives, in

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

. Soh was the eighth-generation descendant of Seo Jong-je, the father of

Queen Jeongseong Queen Jeongseong (정성왕후 서씨; 12 January 1693 – 3 April 1757), of the Daegu Seo clan, was the first wife of King Yeongjo of Joseon and the adoptive mother of Crown Prince Sado. Biography The future queen was born on 12 January 1693 i ...

. She was the wife of King

Yeongjo of Joseon Yeongjo of Joseon (31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum ( Korean: 이금, Hanja: 李昑), was the 21st monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Sukjong, by his concubine Royal Noble Consort Su ...

, the 21st king of Joseon. He was also distantly related to Seo Gwang-beom, a prominent Korean politician. At eight years of age, Soh was adopted by his father's

second cousin Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...

, Seo Gwang-ha and his wife, Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan. Soh studied at Kim Seong-geun and Park Kyu-su's

private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

during his adolescence, and was a teenager when he had already been exposed to the reformist ideals of

Kim Ok-gyun Kim Ok-gyun (김옥균; 金玉均; February 23, 1851 – March 28, 1894) was a reformist (''Gaehwapa'', 개화파) activist during the late Joseon dynasty of Korea. He served under the national civil service under King Gojong, and actively pa ...

Political activist

Soh passed the

civil service exam Civil service examinations are examinations implemented in various countries for recruitment and admission to the civil service. They are intended as a method to achieve an effective, rational public administration on a merit system for recruit ...

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. The ...

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 ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

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

Keio University , mottoeng = The pen is mightier than the sword , type = Private research coeducational higher education institution , established = 1858 , founder = Yukichi Fukuzawa , endowment ...

) 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, Soh 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. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

were useless and

obsolete Obsolescence is the state of being which occurs when an object, service, or practice is no longer maintained or required even though it may still be in good working order. It usually happens when something that is more efficient or less risky r ...

in the new world. These reports annoyed powerful

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

s, but it made Soh 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 the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...

, Japan, or

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

.(20) Seo Jae-pil: pioneering reformer, independence fighter
koreatimes 2011.12.28 He was appointed to Joryeon-guk Sagwanjang () shortly after. In December 1884, Soh, following

, was involved in the

, a radical attempt to overturn the old regime and establish equality among people. Soh and

Park Yeong-hyo Park Yung-hyo or Bak Young-hyo (; 1861 – 21 September 1939) was a Korean politician from the Joseon Dynasty, an enlightenment activist, diplomat and pro-Japanese collaborator. He was one of the organizers of the Gapsin Coup of 1884, in ...

Yun Chi-ho Yun Chi-ho ( Korean: 윤치호, hanja: 尹致昊, 1864 – 1945) or Tchi ho yun was an important political activist and thinker during the late 1800s and early 1900s in Joseon Korea. His penname was Jwa-ong (좌옹, 佐翁); his courtesy name w ...

, 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 5 September 1888. The majority of the 1884 revolutionaries fled to Japan. Unlike them, Soh 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

Philip Jaisohn's Graduation from Columbia Medical College 1892

Philip Jaisohn and Muriel Armstrong in 1930's

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

Norristown, Pennsylvania Norristown is a municipality with home rule status and the county seat of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Located along the Schuylkill River, approximately from the Philadelphia city li ...

, 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 or SMHS) is the professional medical school of the George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. SMHS is one of the most selective medi ...

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

James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...

, and daughter of George B. Armstrong, credited as the founder of the U.S.

Railway Mail Service The Railway Mail Service of the United States Post Office Department was a significant mail transportation service in the US from the mid-19th century until the mid-20th century. The RMS, or its successor the Postal Transportation Service (PTS), ...

. They had two daughters, Stephanie and Muriel.

The Independent

In 1894,

defeated China in the

First Sino-Japanese war The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between China and Japan primarily over influence in Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the p ...

, which had occurred on the

Korean Peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

. The Korean cabinet was filled with reformists. Along with these political changes, the treason of the

was pardoned, enabling Jaisohn's return in 1895. In December 1895, he went to Incheon. 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 a newspaper, ''The Independent'' (독립신문), 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, Soh'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 the end of Korea's ritual subordination to China. 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 The Independence Association (독립협회, 獨立協會) was founded through the initiative of Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil) on July 2, 1896. At its founding it was recognized by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Despite some remarkable ac ...

(), 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, Soh finished the construction of the

Independence Gate Dongnimmun () or Independence Gate is a memorial gate at Seoul, built by Soh Jaipil in late 19th century, as a symbol of Korea's commitment to independence around the world. It is designated as Historic Sites of South Korea in 1963, and reloc ...

(독립문;獨立門). At this time he also ended the policy of

Yeongeunmun The Yeongeunmun () or Yeongeunmun Gate is a historical structure once located in the Joseon Dynasty. Since it was a symbol of China's diplomatic influence on the Joseon, the Gaehwa Party of the Joseon government intentionally demolished it in Fe ...

(영은문;迎恩門). Yeongeunmun was the

n policy of welcoming the Chinese envoys ( Yeongeun roughly translates from Korean to English as "Welcome to beneficent Envoys of Suzerain's"). 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 Rhee Syngman.

Clerk and Company manage

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

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...

. In 1899 he found employment as clerk for the

University of Pennsylvania Hospital The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) is the flagship hospital of Penn Medicine and is located in the University City section of West Philadelphia. It is consistently ranked as one of the top hospitals in the United States. Histor ...

. 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 (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, Jaisohn conducted medical research at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

and later became a successful printer in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

. 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 14–16, 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 Church of the Holy Trinity is an Episcopal church on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. The first service in the church building, designed by Scottish architect John Notman, was held on March 27, 1859. The corner tower was added in 1867 an ...

on Rittenhouse Square and established the "Korean Information Bureau." He published a political journal called ''Korea Review'' to inform the

public of the situation in Korea, and to persuade the U.S. government to support the freedom of

Koreans Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply re ...

. In the 1920s, Soh, 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 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 an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

, 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 and activist who served as the eighth president of South Korea from 1998 to 2003. He was a 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for his work for democracy and human ...

, 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 Syngman Rhee. 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 blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

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 his ashes were buried in

Bib church Bib, bib, BIB or BiB may refer to: Bib Clothing * Bib (garment), a piece of fabric or plastic that covers the wearer's chest * Bib shorts, cycle clothing * A scrimmage vest, sportswear used to differentiate players from one-another by colour O ...

. In 1994 his remains were repatriated to

. His ashes were buried in the

Family

* Grandfather ** Seo Sang-gi (서상기, 徐相夔) *** Adoptive grandfather: Seo Sang-yo (서상요, 徐相堯) * Grandmother ** Lady Kim of the Ulsan Kim clan (울산 김씨) *** Adoptive grandmother: Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (안동 김씨, 安東金氏) (? - 1884) **** Adoptive great-grandfather: Kim On-sun (김온순, 金蘊淳) (1812 - ?) * Father ** Seo Gwang-hyo (서광효, 徐光孝) (22 August 1800 - 19 December 1884) *** Adoptive father: Seo Gwang-ha (서광하) * Mother ** Lady Yi of the Seongju Yi clan (성주 이씨, 星州李氏) (1830 - 19 December 1884) *** Adoptive mother: Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (안동 김씨, 安東金氏) **** Maternal Grandfather: Yi Gi-dae (이기대, 李箕大) (4 October 1792 - 18 March 1858) **** Maternal Grandmother: Lady Im of the Jangheung Im clan (장흥 임씨) * Sisters ** Older sister: Lady Seo of the Daegu Seo clan *** Brother-in-law: Jeong Hae-eun (정해은, 鄭海殷) of the Yeonil Jeong clan (연일 정씨, 延日鄭氏) ** Younger sister: Seo Gi-seok (서기석) *** Unnamed brother-in-law * Brothers ** Older half-brother: Seo Jae-hyeong (서재형, 徐載衡) (1851 - 13 December 1884) ** Older brother: Seo Jae-chun (서재춘, 徐載春) (4 March 1859 - 5 September 1888) *** Sister-in-law: Lady Song of the Eunjin Song clan (은진 송씨) (1860 - 14 February 1916) ** Younger brother: Seo Jae-chang (서재창, 徐載昌) (1866 - 13 December 1884) *** Sister-in-law: Lady Jo (조씨, 趙氏) ** Younger brother: Seo Jae-woo (서재우, 徐載雨) (5 September 1868 - 24 January 1929) *** Sister-in-law: Lady Kwon of the Andong Kwon clan (안동 권씨) * Wives ** Lady Yi of the Gyeongju Yi clan (경주 이씨, 慶州李氏) (1860 - 1880) ** Lady Kim of the Gwangsan Kim clan (광산 김씨, 光山金氏) (1862 - 12 January 1885) *** Father-in-law: Kim Yeong-seok (김영석, 金永奭) (1837 - 1902) *** Mother-in-law: Lady Park of the Bannam Park clan (반남 박씨, 潘南朴氏) **** Daughter: Lady Seo of the Daegu Seo clan ***** Son-in-law: Kim Du-jin (김두진, 金斗鎭) **** Unnamed son (1882 - 12 January 1885) ** Muriel Mary Armstrong (Muriel Josephine Armstrong) (1871 - August 1944) *** Father-in-law: George Buchanan Armstrong (27 October 1822 - 5 May 1871) *** Unnamed brother-in-law *** Brother-in-law: George Buchanan Armstrong (1848 - 1915) *** Brother-in-law: Guy Halifax Armstrong (1868 - 2 January 1915) **** Daughter: Stephanie Jaisohn Boyd (1896 - 5 April 1991) ***** Son-in-law: Paul C. Boyd ****** Unnamed grandson (1923 - ?) ***** Son-in-law: Mr. Hedican (? - 1982) ****** Grandson: Philip Hedican (? - March 1993) **** Daughter: Muriel Jaisohn (1898 - 16 June 1987); did not marry and lived as a painter while helping her father

Books

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

Awarded

Order of Merit for National Foundation The Order of Merit for National Foundation (Hangul: 건국훈장) is one of South Korea's orders of merit. It is awarded by the President of South Korea for "outstanding meritorious services in the interest of founding or laying a foundation for th ...

, Republic of Korea Medal (1970)

Timeline

1864–1895

*1864 (January 7): Born in Bosung, Korea as the second son of Soh Kwang-Hyo. *1871: Adopted to Soh Kwang-Ha, Soh 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

. The attempt was aborted in three days and Jaisohn had to emigrate to Japan. *1885: Arrived in San Francisco with Park Young-hyo and Soh 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 stationary 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 partially recognized Korean government-in-exile based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the period of Japanese co ...

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 in and the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It is located about west of Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in the nation with 1.6 million residents as 2020. It is part of the Delaware Valley metropolita ...

. *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. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester i ...

. *1937-1940: Contributed various columns such as "My Days in Korea" and "Random Thoughts" to ''

The New Korea ''Sinhan Minbo'' (; ) or ''The New Korea'' was a Korean-American newspaper founded on February 10, 1909, by the Korean National Association (KNA). It was based in San Francisco and published weekly. The newspaper became a vital part in promoting ...

''. *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 West Laurel Hill Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1869, is 200 acres in size and contains the burials of many notable people. It is affiliated with Laurel Hill Cemetery in neighboring P ...

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 Dr. Jaisohn's home from 1925 to 1951. This house was bought when Dr. 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 The president of the Republic of Korea (), also known as the president of South Korea (often abbreviated to POTROK or POSK; ), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Korea. The president leads the State Council, and is ...

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 historic heritage. The commission cares fo ...

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, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other ...

for Dr. 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

Arirang - Interactive History of Korean Americans

My Days in Korea & Other Essays by Philip Jaisohn, MD
edited by Sun-pyo Hong, published by Yonsei University Press, 1999.

KBS

koreatimes 2010.08.12

koreatimes 2011.12.28
Jaisohn Was Champion for Korean Independence

THE FIRST KOREAN-AMERICAN
Groove, February 19, 2013

koreatimes 2011.12.28

{{DEFAULTSORT:Soh, Jaipil 1864 births 1951 deaths People from Boseong County Korean independence activists Joseon politicians Korean journalists Korean revolutionaries South Korean civil rights activists Korean emigrants to the United States Liberalism in South Korea Liberalism in the United States Yun Chi-ho Kim Kyu-sik Korean anti-communists Free love advocates Korean politicians 19th-century Korean people American people of Korean descent Republicanism in Korea People with acquired American citizenship George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences alumni Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania alumni University of Pennsylvania faculty