33 Facts About Soh Jaipil

Soh Jaipil or Seo Jae-pil, known as Philip Jaisohn, was a Korean American politician, physician, and Korean independence activist.

Soh Jaipil was the first Korean to become a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Soh Jaipil founded the Tongnip Sinmun, the first Korean newspaper written entirely in Hangul.

Soh Jaipil was thus convicted for treason and sought refuge in the United States where he became a citizen and earned a medical doctorate.

Soh Jaipil declined, choosing to focus on reform movements where he advocated for democracy, Korean independence and self reliance from foreign intervention, numerous civil rights and universal suffrage.

Soh Jaipil was forced to return to the United States in 1898, from where he participated in the First Korean Congress and advocated for the March 1st Movement and US Government support for Korean independence.

Soh Jaipil became a chief advisor to the United States Army Military Government in Korea after World War II and was elected as an interim representative in South Korea in the 1946 legislative election.

Soh Jaipil died in 1951 shortly after returning to the United States during the Korean War.

Soh Jaipil's remains were reinterred at the Seoul National Cemetery in 1994.

Soh Jaipil was reform-minded, and sought to revise Confucianist culture and institutions in Korea.

Soh Jaipil was the third son of Seo Gwang-hyo, who was a local magistrate, but was raised by his relatives in Seoul.

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

Soh Jaipil was the wife of King Yeongjo of Joseon, the 21st king of Joseon.

Soh Jaipil was distantly related to Seo Gwang-beom, a prominent Korean politician.

At eight years of age, Soh Jaipil was adopted by his father's second cousin, Seo Gwang-ha and his wife, Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan.

Soh Jaipil studied at Kim Seong-geun and Park Kyu-su's private school during his adolescence, where he was exposed to the reformist ideals of Kim Ok-gyun.

Soh Jaipil 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 in 1882.

Soh Jaipil was appointed to Joryeon-guk Sagwanjang shortly after.

In December 1884, Soh Jaipil, following Kim Ok-gyun, was involved in the Gapsin Coup, a radical attempt to overturn the old regime and establish equality among people.

Soh Jaipil's only remaining family was his older brother, older sister, younger brother, and younger sister, along with his eldest daughter and her husband.

Soh Jaipil saw Japan as essentially a conduit for Western knowledge and ideas, but preferred to deal with what he saw as the source itself.

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

In 1886, Soh Jaipil lived in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and attended the Harry Hillman Academy thanks to the help of John Welles Hollenback.

Soh Jaipil began to use the name "Philip Jaisohn" at that time.

Soh Jaipil studied medicine at Columbia Medical College, and became the first Asian-American Doctor when he received his medical degree in 1892.

Soh Jaipil was the first to print his newspaper entirely in Hangul to extend readership to lower classes and women.

Soh Jaipil was behind the construction of the Independence Gate, which was initially meant to symbolize Korea's independence from foreign interventionism.

Soh Jaipil promoted national independence as the principal political ideal and emphasized neutral diplomatic approaches to protect Korea from China, Russia and Japan.

Soh Jaipil underscored the importance of public education, modernized industry and public hygiene.

In November 1897, Soh Jaipil finished the construction of the Independence Gate.

Soh Jaipil decided to return to the United States in 1948.

Soh Jaipil's body was cremated, and his ashes were buried in Bib church in Philadelphia.

Soh Jaipil's ashes were buried in the Seoul National Cemetery.