Upcoming conference to spotlight Homer Hulbert’s legacy

Homer Hulbert / Courtesy of Hulbert Memorial Society

An academic conference in Seoul next week will shine new light on the legacy of Homer Hulbert (1863–1949), the American educator who devoted himself to Korea’s independence movement.

The Hulbert Memorial Society and the Seoul YMCA said Friday they will co-host the “140th Anniversary Academic Conference Commemorating Dr. Hulbert’s Arrival in Korea” next Tuesday in Seoul.

Under the theme “Hulbert’s Study of the Korean People and the Impact of His Independence Activities on Later Generations,” scholars and activists will examine how the missionary and educator’s work on Korean history and culture and his advocacy on the international stage shaped the modern Korean identity and inspired future independence figures.

Kim Dong-jin, chairman of the Hulbert Memorial Society, will deliver the keynote address, outlining Hulbert’s major contributions as a teacher, historian and advocate for Korea.

Subsequent presentations will be given by Bok Ki-dae, a professor at Inha University, linguist Choi Yong-gi, and Yonsei University's Professor Emeritus Seol Seong-gyeong.

Seol is set to present a session titled “Hulbert and the Young Generation through the Gwangtonghak,” exploring how Hulbert influenced independence activist Ahn Jung-geun and poet Yoon Dong-ju, whose literary and political engagement have become touchstones of Korean resistance.

Vice Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kang Yun-jin and Korea Liberation Association President Lee Jong-chan are scheduled to deliver congratulatory remarks, underscoring Hulbert’s role in Korea’s struggle against Japanese colonial rule.

Hulbert first arrived in July 1886 as a teacher at Royal College and went on to publish books, academic papers and essays on Korea’s history and culture.

He also worked to alert the international community of the injustice of Japan’s invasion and colonial policies, and in 1905 was dispatched as Emperor Gojong’s special envoy to the United States in a bid to deliver a personal letter to President Theodore Roosevelt just before the signing of the Eulsa Treaty between Japan and Korean Empire.