Dosan Media
도산 안창호 기록관
No. 3 of 4
Los Angeles and Seoul
1949, and 1990–2021
Selling Dosan
The Dosan Memorial Foundation of Americas under Erica Kim and Myung Ki Hong, both appointed by Suh Young Hoon, and the 1949 essay that described them before they were born.
The leader
Politicians, schools and organizations using Dosan Ahn Chang Ho's name for personal gain and greed rarely uphold his teachings and ideals.
Erica Kim used Dosan as a stepping stone to gain fame and to access money for her schemes; she was later disbarred for her role in the 70 million dollar BBK scam. Myung Ki "Mike" Hong used his bank account to make an image hiding the history of his extremely wealthy pro-Japanese family, and financed the UC Riverside revision of the Pachappa migrant labor camp history. Both were appointed president of the Dosan Memorial Foundation of Americas by Suh Young Hoon, for the same self-serving reasons.
There are some people who revel in saying, "I knew Dosan very well." When I ask them what they know about Dosan and how they are putting his principles into action, they immediately run out of words. Sadly, there are even deceivers who use Dosan's name to mask their past sins.
When I encounter those who sell Dosan's name for their own gain, to raise their own stature or hide their past sins, I see that Dosan's champion cause, "Never tell lies," is being distorted by these people. I must say I hate them just as much as Dosan hated lies.
Philip Ahn Cuddy; Oh Ki-young (1949), translated by John Cha
Look at these two
Document · April 1949 · Seoul
「島山을 파는 사람들」 — “Selling Dosan's Name”, Danbo, April 1949
The original printed page of Oh Ki-young's essay “Selling Dosan's Name” (동전생, 오기영) in Danbo, the Hungsadan magazine, April 1949. Everything on this paper was already true in 1949.
Translated by John Cha, December 2011. The Korean original and the translation are both below.
Philip Ahn Cuddy · Verified primary record
Document · June 2008 · Los Angeles
Dosan Fro-Yo, Chang Ho Cleaners, the Dosan Memorial Interchange
An editorial cartoon, June 2008: a statue of Dosan in front of a freeway sign for the “Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Memorial Interchange” and a strip mall of Ahn's Market, Dosan Fro-Yo and Chang Ho Cleaners.
Politicians, community leaders, religious leaders, universities, musical groups and many non-Korean people use Dosan for personal gain with no regard for his legacy, the truth or civic responsibility.
Philip Ahn Cuddy · Reproduced on dosan.org/selling-dosan-1 for comment · Held, not yet sourced
The lead record
Document · 23 February 2023 · Los Angeles
“실종된 도산 정신, 주도권 갈등 심화”: the Korean press on the DMFA
A Korean-American newspaper's special report graphic: “특집 2 — 미주도산기념사업회 허구성 고발. '도산의 이름으로 팔아 개인 명예 추구'. 실종된 도산 정신, 주도권 갈등 심화.” An exposé of the Dosan Memorial Foundation of America: selling Dosan's name for personal honor, Dosan's spirit missing, a power struggle deepening.
Sunday Journal USA, special report [특집 2], 23 February 2023.
Philip Ahn Cuddy · Reproduced on dosan.org/selling-dosan-1 for comment · Held, not yet sourced
The rest of the file
Document · 1990s; date of the clipping to be read from the page · Los Angeles
The Korean press on the family and the foundation
A Korean-language clipping: “미주 도산기념사업회 싸고 가족-재단 불협화음” — discord between the family and the foundation over the Dosan Memorial Foundation of America. The dispute was in the papers thirty years ago.
Philip Ahn Cuddy · Slide 2 of Press-Conference-Pachappa.pptx (Philip Ahn Cuddy) · Held, not yet sourced
Document · Undated cutting; the letter refers to February 1994 and to two years having passed
“Dosan relative withdraws support for memorial foundation”, 1994
A letter from Philip Ahn Cuddy printed in the Korea Times, withdrawing the family's approval from the Dosan Memorial Foundation, USA. The paper's editors invited the foundation to reply.
My letter, printed in the Korea Times. It states that the foundation's officers “have no present or future approval or support from myself or the Dosan Ahn Chang Ho family”, and that I had objected to their forming it directly, before the Dosan Korean American Seminar of 3 February 1994. The paper gave the foundation a right of reply beneath it.
It closes: “I know that Dosan is a person for all people bound to Korean heritage in whatever way it exists. I hope you understand that his blood is part of the blood that runs through my heart and I cannot let current circumstances continue to exist.”
The argument over who may trade on Dosan's name is thirty years old. I made my objection in public, in a newspaper, with their reply printed under it. The cutting is undated; the letter refers to February 1994 and to two years having passed.
Philip Ahn Cuddy · Held, not yet sourced