{
  "id": 1444940,
  "title": "Website for identifying pro-Japanese ancestors emerges after Ha Young controversy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/website-for-identifying-pro-japanese-ancestors-emerges-after-ha-young",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-17T07:47:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20260817/website-for-identifying-pro-japanese-ancestors-emerges-after-ha-young-controversy"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Following the controversy surrounding actress Ha Young's great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho, a new website has emerged. This website, dubbed \"Pro-Japanese Collaborator Scanner,\" enables individuals to check if their ancestry includes pro-Japanese collaborators. It quickly gained popularity on social media platforms since its launch on Monday. The website operates by allowing users to input their surname and ancestral clan, known as \"bongwan,\" and then displays whether their family lineage includes individuals classified as pro-Japanese collaborators. The creation of this website utilized information from two sources: the Digital Archives of Meritorious Persons maintained by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, and the list of 1,006 individuals identified as pro-Japanese collaborators by the Presidential Committee for the Inspection of Collaborations for Japanese Imperialism. When searched for the Ahn clan from Sunheung, where Ha Young's family originates, the website returned 25 names of independence activists, including Dosan Ahn Chang-ho and Korean independence leader Ahn Jung-geun. Additionally, the search revealed three individuals classified as pro-Japanese collaborators.",
  "summary": "Amid growing criticism over the pro-Japanese activities of actress Ha Young’s great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho (1872–1927), a website has emerged that allows people to check whether they have ancestors who were identified as pro-Japanese collaborators. The website, called “Pro-Japanese Collaborator Scanner,” has been trending on social media since Monday. Users can enter their surname and ancestral…",
  "key_points": [
    "\"Pro-Japanese Collaborator Scanner\" website launched to identify pro-Japanese ancestors",
    "Users input surname and ancestral clan to check for pro-Japanese collaborators",
    "Ahn clan search reveals 25 independence activists and 3 pro-Japanese collaborators"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The emergence of the Pro-Japanese Collaborator Scanner website shifts public scrutiny of family histories from celebrities to ordinary people, enabling widespread investigation of ancestral ties to Japan-era collaboration.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Website for identifying pro-Japanese ancestors emerges after Ha Young controversy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/website-for-identifying-pro-japanese-ancestors-emerges-after-ha-young-1446684",
        "published": "2026-08-17T07:57:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}