[Edaily Reporter Kim Min-jung ] As actress Ha Young acknowledges and apologizes for her great-grandfather Ahn Sang-ho’s pro-Japanese activities, the views on wealth expressed by her mother, Lee Mi-sook, former CEO of CoreMed, in a past interview are now receiving renewed attention.

Recently, on online communities and social media, the contents of an interview former CEO Lee gave to a media outlet in 2011 have been shared again. At the time, former CEO Lee discussed her journey as a businesswoman and her future plans, while also sharing her thoughts on money.

When asked about his future aspirations at the time, Lee replied, “As I’ve lived my life, I’ve realized that money isn’t everything,” explaining that while he had once been driven by a desire to earn a lot of money, his perspective had changed.

He particularly drew attention by mentioning his experience of keeping cash in a safe. “I once kept 100 million won in cash in a safe for a long time,” he said. “Having cash in the safe all the time made me feel unnecessarily full.” He explained his view on wealth, adding, “The next time, I put 200 million won in, but from then on, there wasn’t much of a difference. I don’t think you need that much money. It’s enough to live a moderately comfortable life.”

The former CEO’s background, which was revealed at the time, also drew attention. Having majored in nursing, he reportedly studied industrial design in Norway in the 1970s before returning to Korea, where he taught industrial design theory at a university for over 15 years. He later served as the editor-in-chief of a medical journal and the administrative director of a general hospital before leading CoreMed, a company specializing in the convergence of healthcare and IT.

The reason this interview with the former CEO from about 15 years ago has resurfaced is the recent controversy surrounding Ha Young’s family history.

On a variety show that aired on the 7th, Ha Young introduced her family as a “four-generation family of doctors” and revealed that her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, opened a Western-style clinic in Hanyang and treated Emperor Gojong.

Following the broadcast, controversy erupted, particularly online, as details of Ahn Sang-ho’s past came to light. This was prompted by the discovery of records showing that Ahn Sang-ho was listed as a council member of the Daejeong Friendship Society, a pro-Japanese organization, in 1916.

Ha Young’s representatives initially acknowledged that her great-grandfather was Ahn Sang-ho but stated that some of the allegations regarding his pro-Japanese activities were inaccurate. However, after reviewing additional relevant records, they revised their previous stance.

As the controversy grew, Ha Young posted a handwritten apology on her social media on the 12th, stating, “I do not believe that my lack of prior knowledge is a reason to ignore or take that history lightly,” and added, “I take this mistake very seriously and, as a descendant, offer my sincere apologies.” She also noted, “I am all the more sorry for causing an uproar due to my shortcomings ahead of Liberation Day.”