September 22, 2021 South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited the Center for Korean Studies
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, First Lady Kim Jung-sook, and his governmental delegation came to the Center for Korean Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa on September 22, 2021. President David Lassner, Provost Michael Bruno, CALL Dean Peter Arnade, and CKS Director Tae-Ung Baik greeted the Delegation in front of the Center building. CKS Member Professor Hye-Ryeon Lee served as anchorwoman of the awarding ceremony.
President Moon was visiting New York for the UN events and then to Honolulu for the repatriation of the soldiers’ remains killed during the Korean War at the Hickam Airbase in the Indo-Pacific Command, and came to the University of Hawaii to convey the order of merits (건국훈장 추서) for the patriots, Kim Nodie (김노디) and Ahn Chung Song (안정송), to the descendants in Honolulu at the Center for Korean Studies.
The Award of Order of Merits Medals to two hidden women patriots was happening as the Center have been leading a research project for many years concerning Korean Immigration History and Diaspora Studies. As part of the project, the Center has organized events about the history of early Korean immigrants and published stories of “women patriots” in Hawaii who had engaged in the independence movement efforts after coming to Hawaii as early immigrant as far back as 1903 (Historical Context: Korea had been annexed by Japan in 1910 which lasted until 1945).
Following a request by a representative at the Korean National Assembly, Duk Hee Lee Murabayashi provided names of women patriots in Hawaii based on extensive research. This research resulted in multiple awards of the Order of Merits to women patriots in Hawaii in the recent years.
This year, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affair of the Republic of Korea has elected to award the Order of Merits to the two women patriots whose brief biographies are below. When President Moon’s visit was under consideration, the Center discussed possible events with the ROK Consulate Office in Honolulu, and agreed to host this award ceremony in front of the Center for Korean Studies building.
Awardees
(1) Sohn, Nodie Kimhaekim (1898-1972) :건국훈장 애국장
Sohn came to Hawaii in 1905 with her parents. As she grew up in Hawaii, she came under the influence of Dr. Syngman Rhee and became a loyal supporter of his cause throughout her life. After graduating from Oberlin College, Ohio, in 1918, she became the principal of the Korean Christian Institute, to which she devoted much of her energy and time until 1945. She was active in both church and community works, serving as the president of the Korean Ladies Relief Society, manager and liaison officer of the Dongji Hoi, trustee, and treasurer of Korean Missions in Honolulu, trustee of the Korean Christian Church, and the director of the Korean Old Men's Home. In 1952, Sohn went to Korea to receive an appointment as the director of the Republic of Korea Office of Procurement and also became the vice-preside of the Korean Red Cross. An influential educator, she was an important leader in church, women's and community activities.
(2) Ahn, Chung Song Lee (1895-1989): 건국훈장 애족장
Born in Pyongyang, Ahn graduated from Ewha Hakdang in 1913. In 1918, immediately after graduating from the Japan Women's Seminary in Yokohama, she taught at Pyongyang Women's Seminary. She came to Honolulu in January 1919 and married Won Kiu Ahn. Beginning as a representative to the United Welfare Fund Drive in Honolulu, Mrs. Ahn was active in most Korean organizations. She was chairman of the Korean YWCA, president of the Korean Women's Relief Society, president of Women Kuk Min Hur (Korean National Association), and president of the Ewha Women’s University Alumnae Association of Hawaii. Mrs. Ahn was also member of the Korean Chamber of Commerce, Women's Service Group of the Methodist Church, Hawaii Chapter of the Korean Independence Party of Patriotic Women's Society, Pan Pacific and Southeast Asian Women's Association, Post-war Women's Relief Organization. In addition, Mrs. Ahn was in charge of the Korean broadcasting program at KHON under the auspices of Kuk Min Hur and a reporter for the weekly news of the Kuk Min Hur.
It is a great honor for the University and the Center to host this visit. In UHM history, this marks the second visit of a South Korean President to our University since 1981.
