{
  "id": 643024,
  "title": "Ha Young says 'sincerely sorry' over great-grandfather's pro-Japanese past",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/ha-young-says-sincerely-sorry-over-great-grandfathers-pro-japanese-643024",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-12T07:47:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/shows-dramas/20260812/ha-young-says-sincerely-sorry-over-great-grandfathers-pro-japanese-past"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Actress Ha Young issued an apology on Wednesday for comments regarding her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities during Korea's 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule. She expressed sincere regret as his descendant. Her agency confirmed Ahn Sang-ho (1872-1927) participated in an organization engaged in pro-Japanese actions. Ha Young acknowledged limited prior knowledge of her great-grandfather's life, primarily through familial stories. She expressed shame for previously describing him as a source of family pride. Ha Young asserted that ignorance should not excuse disregarding or minimizing history. She took the mistake seriously and apologized deeply as a descendant. During a recent KBS talk show, Ha Young commented on her great-grandfather studying Western medicine in Japan, explaining medical practices.",
  "summary": "Actor Ha Young apologized Wednesday over allegations surrounding her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea, saying she was \"sincerely sorry\" as his descendant. The actor issued the apology in a handwritten letter posted on her social media account, a day after her agency acknowledged that her great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho (1872-1927) was a…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Ha Young says 'sincerely sorry' over great-grandfather's pro-Japanese past",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/ha-young-says-sincerely-sorry-over-great-grandfathers-pro-japanese",
        "published": "2026-08-12T07:37:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}