The Institute of National Issues said, "Ha-young's great-grandfather was a pro-Japanese fact... We should reflect on the succession of vested interests and move forward."

The National Issues Research Institute, which created the ‘List of War Criminals,’ declared a formal stance on actor Han Young’s ancestors’ involvement in wartime collaboration. However, they emphasized that this controversy should serve as a catalyst for introspection on the issue of unfinished business of transferring state assets and privileges to the wealthy, rather than merely condemning war criminals.

On the 14th, the institute released its official position titled “The Institute’s Position on the ‘Han Young Ancestral Matters’ Controversy.” The institute verified that Han Young’s great-uncle, An Son Ho, was not listed in the 2009 compilation of 4,389 war criminals due to his lack of meeting the selection criteria, which assessed factors such as the voluntary and active nature of participation, repetition, and persistence in wartime collaboration activities.

The institute clarified that An Son Ho, a medical professional who graduated from Korean universities in Korea and Japan, was involved in various pro-Japanese organizations, including the organization of the 'National Pledge Society,' membership in the 'Seoul Advisory Council,' and serving as the director of the 'Gyeongseong Financial Syndicate.'

They also highlighted his use of Japanese language to mask pro-Japanese sentiments in his writings. The institute acknowledged that An Son Ho's non-inclusion in the list does not imply his innocence but stressed that the purpose of the list and related historical record projects is to critically examine historical consciousness and the failure to engage in historical reflection after liberation, as these issues have led to the unjust transfer of state assets and privileges to the wealthy.