In memory of Patriot Ahn Jung-geun: Winners of the Essay Contest on Patriot Ahn Jung-geun pose for a photo after an award ceremony at the Seoul Plaza Hotel, Tuesday. From left are Kim So-hyun on behalf of Silver Prize winner Patrick Vaillancour; Silver Prize winner Kim Chi-seul from Ewha Womans University; Bronze Prize winner Lee Yeon-woo from Daewon Foreign Language High School; Gold Prize winner Michael Gilbert from the United Kingdom; Ahn Eung-mo, chief director of the Association for Commemoration of Patriotic Martyr Ahn Jung-geun; Chung Jae-jeong, president of the Northeast Asian History Foundation; Park Moo-jong, president-publisher of The Korea Times; Gold Prize winner Lee Eun-sung from CheonCheon Middle School in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province; Silver Prize winner Oh Ju-yong from Kyung Hee University; Bronze Prize winner Hwang Young-youp, a freelance translator; Bronze Prize winner Jo Kyu-hyun from the Hanyoung Foreign Language High School; Silver Prize winner Geoffrey Fattig from the United States; and Bronze Prize winners Ahmad Nasikun from Indonesia, Patricia Wong from Canada and Brian Sullivan from Canada. / Korea Times Photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter

The Northeast Asian History Foundation and The Korea Times held an award ceremony for the Patriot Ahn Jung-geun Essay Contest to mark the 100th anniversary of his assassination of Hirobumi Ito, the first resident-general of Japan, on Oct. 26, 1909.

Dignitaries as well as winners in the contest attended the event held at the Seoul Plaza Hotel in Seoul, Tuesday. Among them were Chung Jae-jeong, president of the history foundation; Ahn Eung-mo, chief director of the Association for Commemoration of Patriotic Martyr Ahn Jung-geun, a sponsor of the contest; and Park Moo-jong, president-publisher of The Korea Times.

Ahn (1877-1910) was a Korean independence fighter who protested against the over-arching Japanese military influence over the Korean Peninsula.

Ahn is remembered most for his assassination of Ito in Harbin, northeastern China, 100 years ago. He was immediately arrested by the Japanese authorities, and later executed.

In his speech, Chung, president of the history foundation, said that Ahn's attempt to keep Korea independent was of perpetual value that had an impact on world peace.

"In addition, the essay contest gave us an opportunity to re-examine Ahn's attempt and vision for Korea and Asia," said Chung.

What was unique about the contest was a separate entry process for foreign nationals.

"It was a good opportunity to create awareness of Patriot Ahn among foreigners," said Korea Times President Park.

In fact, Michael Gilbert from the United Kingdom, the Gold Prize winner in the foreigners' division, said the contest has given him a chance to learn about a Korean activist he had not heard about before.

Age, nationality and the profession of the winners were proof of the wide-ranging interest among the public in Korea about the late patriot.

Foreign-national winners included three Canadians and one each from Indonesia, the United States and the United Kingdom. Three are English teachers.

The six Koreans included a freelance translator, a medical doctor and students.

The Gold Prize winner in the division of Koreans, Lee Eun-sung, 15, was the youngest among all the winners.

More than 1,100 essays were submitted from 12 different countries in August and September.

Kim Chi-seul from Ewha Womans University celebrated a double win after emerging victorious in this year's English Economic Essay Contest organized by The Korea Times.

The competition is part of a series of commemorative activities for patriot Ahn organized by the history foundation.

Earlier this year, it organized a railway trip that visited places in China and Russia where Ahn lived and carried out independence activities. As recently as last month, the organization also hosted an international forum on Ahn.

skim@koreatimes.co.kr