Philip Jaisohn

Philip Jaisohn is the anglicized name taken up by inversing his Korean name Seo Jae Pil (서재필; 徐載弼). Philip Jaisohn was born in 1864 as the second son of a county magistrate in Bosung (보성; 寶城) in southwestern Korea. He passed the civil service exam and became a junior official in 1882. In the following year, he was sent to Japan where he studied at both the Keio Gijuku (the forerunner of the Keio University) and at the Toyama Army Academy for two years. After returning to Korea in 1884, he was involved, along with Kim Ok Kyun and others, in the Kapsin coup d'état to overturn the old regime and was appointed as the Minister of Defence by the revolutionaries. The revolution, however, was toppled within three days, as China intervened with military forces, and Seo/Jaisohn was forced to an exile in Japan, and later, in the United States.

In the United States, he began to use the anglicized name "Philip Jaisohn" whilde attending the Harry Hillman Academy. Later he studied medicine at the Columbian Medical College (later George Washington University Medical School), receiving the medical degree in 1892 (the first Korean to receive a degree from a medical institution). In 1894, he married Muriel Armstrong, a niece of the former president of the United States, James Buchanan.

In 1896, the plotters of 1884 were pardoned and Seo/Jaisohn returned to Korea at the invitation of Park Young Hyo, another former conspirator of Kapsin Coup, who had just been appointed Prime Minister to serve as an advisor to the Korean government. In Seoul, he founded the Independence Club (독립협회) and published a newspaper, The Independence (독립신문), to promote national independence and the diffusion of liberal democracy. His newspaper, in particular, was the first civilian newspaper in Korean--other Korean newspapers continued to use significant numbers of Chinese characters for decades.

The Independence Club was particularly critical of corruption or misconduct of members of governmental officials, a fact that earned the organization much displeasure from the official quarters. The government in 1898 accused the Club of seeking to overthrow the monarchy and establish a Republic. Following the arrest of seventeen of its leaders in late 1898, the organization was formally ordered disbanded on December 25, 1899. Seo/Jaisohn was forced to return to the United States once again.

Back in the United States, Seo/Jaisohn both practiced medicine and became a successful businessman in Philadelphia. Following the formal annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910, Jaisohn collaborated with various Korean exiles in United States to help advance the cause of Korean independence, organizing, among others, the organization called the League of Friends of Korea in 1920.

He would return to Korea once again after Japan's defeat in World War II, as the American military government in control of what would become South Korea invited him as an advisor in 1947. As the chaotic conditions in Korea combined with his advanced age, made it difficult for him to achieve much, he shortly returned to the United States where he died in 1951.

Philip Jaisohn's Biography

• 1864.1.7: Born in Bosung, Korea as the second son of Seo Kwang-Un
• 1871 (age 7): Adopted by his uncle, Seo Kwang-Ha
• 1882 (18) : Passed the Civil Service Examination
• 1883, 5 ~ 1884, 7: Attended the Toyama Army Academy in Japan
• 1884, 12, 04 (Age 20): Staged the Kapsin coup with Kim Ok Kyun. The attempt was aborted within three days and Jaisohn emigrated to Japan.
• 1885, 4: Arrived in the US with Park Young Hyo and Soh Kwang Bum. Jaisohn learned English while working at a furniture store.
• 1886, 9~ 1889, 6: Attended the Harry Hillman Academy (Wilkes Barre, PA). Mr. Hollenback supported Jaisohn’s living in entirety. Changed his name from ‘Seo Jae-Pil’ to ‘Philip Jaisohn.’
• 1889 Fall(Age 25): Worked at the Army Surgeon General’s Library in Washington D.C. Jaisohn entered the Medical School at the Columbian University (now known as the George Washington University).
• 1890, 1, 19: Obtained the US citizenship.
• 1892, 3 (Age 28): Earned a medical degree and became the first doctor as Korean.
• 1894 (Age 30) Opened a private medical office/ 6, 20: Married to Muriel Armstrong. Jaisohn later had two daughters (Stephanie and Muriel).
• 1895 (Age 31): Left Washington D.C. at request from the Chosun government/12, 26: The first return to Korea after the eleven-year-life in the U.S.
• 1896 (Age 32) 01: Appointed as an advisor to the Privy Council. Jaisohn established a plan to publish a newspaper with Yu Kil-Jun/ 1, 19: Held the first public meeting/ 2: Helped the building of the Gunyang Consultative Association, 3: Appointed as an advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce/ 4, 7: Started publication of a newspaper The Independent/ 5, 21: Opened Thursday Seminar at the Bae Jae Academy/ 6, 2: Founded the Independence Club/ 11,19: Groundbreaking of the Independence Gate/ 11, 30: Organized the student association, Hyup Sung Hoe, at Bae Jae Academy.
• 1897 (Age 33)05 23: Built the Independence Hall/ 08, 08: Began to hold public meetings at the Independence Club/ Erected the Independence Gate
• 1898 (Age 34) March: Proposed the constitution of Congress/ March 10: Held the first large-scale rally, All People’s Congress/ April: Russia and Japan conspired to expel Jaisohn from Korea/ May: Handed over The Independent to Yoon Chi-Ho/ May 14: Left for the U.S.
• 1899~1903: Worked at the Wistar Institute, University of Pennsylvania
• 1904~1913: Operated a printing and stationary business in Philadelphia with Harold Deemer
• 1914~1924: Operated the Philip Jaisohn & Co. in Philadelphia
• 1918: Proposed Ahn Chang Ho to publish a periodical in English
• 1919 (Age 55) April 14~16: Convened the First Korean Congress in Philadelphia/ April 22: Established the Korea Information Bureau/ May 16: Founded the League of Friends of Korea in Philadelphia. The League thereafter was established in 23 cities in U.S., the United Kingdom and France.
• 1921 (Age 57)April 18: Became the chairperson of the Korean Commission/July: Raised funds in preparation for the Washington Conference/ September 29: Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai appointed Jaisohn as the vice-representative to the Disarmament Conference.
• 1922, 07: The Korean Information Bureau discontinued its activity
• 1922 ~ 1935: Contributed a number of articles to Dong-A Ilbo, Chosun Ilbo, Shin Min, New Korea (Shin Han Min Bo), Peace & Liberty.
• 1924 (Age 60): Philip Jaisohn & Co. went bankrupt
• 1925 (Age 61) April: With Yu Ilhan Jaisohn founded the Ilhan-New & Co. but the business was not sucessful/ July: Attended the Pan-Pacific Conference in Hawaii as a Korean delegate
• 1926, 09 (Age 62): Entered the Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania as a special student
• 1927~ 1936: Worked at the Jeans Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital, Charleston General Hospital and Chester Hospital
• 1929 (Age 65): Obtained pathologist’s license
• 1929~1934: Published five research articles in pathology journals
• 1936 (Age 72): Opened a private medical office in Chester PA
• 1937~1940: 1937~1940: Contributed various columns such as ‘My Days in Korea’ and ‘Random Thoughts’ to the New Korea
• 1941, 04 (Age 77): Muriel Armstrong passed away.
• 1942,01 ~ 1945, 04: Volunteered as a physical examination officer for the US Army
• 1945, 01: Awarded a medal from the US Congress in honor of contribution to the US Army
• 1947, 07,01 (Age 83): Returned to Korea as the Chief Advisor to the US Military Government and as a member of the Korean Interim Legislative Assembly. Jaisohn paid strenuous efforts for democracy and unification of Korea.
• 1948 (Age 84)May~June: Urged to run for presidency by several thousand people including Choi Neung-Jin and Paik In-Je/ September 11: Returned to the U.S.
• 1951, 01, 05 (Age 87): Passed away at Montgomery Hospital in Norristown, PA
• 1975, 01, 15: The Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation (http://www.jaisohn.org) was established in Philadelphia PA.
• 1977 : The National Foundation Medal was awarded to Jaisohn by the Korean government :A memorial monument was erected at Rose Tree Park, Media PA.
• 1994: His remains were transferred from West Laurel Cemetery to Korea and buried at the National Cemetery in Seoul

Philip Jaisohn Memorial House

The Philip Jaisohn Memorial House (Jaisohn House), was the home of Dr. Philip Jaisohn from 1925 to 1951 while he was devoting his life to the independence and modernization for Korea. This house was acquired by the Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation in 1987 and opened as a museum to the public in 1990. Since then, the Jaisohn House was visited by many students, guests from Korea and community residents. In 1999, President and Nobel peace laureat Kim Dae Jung visited and paid his respects to Dr. Jaisohn.

For the past 15 years, the Jaisohn Foundation paid relentless efforts to renovate and expand the interior to accommodate improved exhibitions and educational programs. To that end, the Foundation held a fundraising gala on November 1, 2003, collecting in total along with an earlier contribution from the Korean government, around $250,000. The foundation is launching an wide fundraising campaign to support the renovation and expansion museum and its work.

On May 21, 1994 the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation dedicated a historical marker for Dr. Jaisohn.

It reads: "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."

The Jaisohn Memorial House reopened in September, 2004 with expended and more historical archives of Independent movement and Dr. Jaisohn life works. The Jaisohn House reopened in the fall of 2004 with an Open House and evening reception. The Memorial House continues to be an educational and cultural facility to spread Dr. Philip Jaisohn's legacy to future generations who may for the first time meet Dr. Philip Jaisohn, a revolutionary and a pioneer.

The Jaison House is located in Media, Pennsylvania.