Severance Founder's Philanthropic Mindset Touches Korean People

By Lee Min-hyung

, the late founder of Yonsei Severance Hospital, is best known for his commitment to the country's medical development in the early to mid-20th century. But his descendants remember him not just for his accomplishments here, but his philanthropic mindset for the Korean people.

Dr Avison stood at the forefront to promote Western medicine in Seoul by opening the hospital and its education facility, the Severance Union Medical College, in 1904.

Avison arrived in Korean in 1893 and soon felt the need to improve Western-style medical education in Korea

He thought the nation's first Western medical school, Jejoongwon which opened in 1886, had not served a proper role.

'It was felt that the school did not produce real doctors,' said Katie Black, a great granddaughter of Dr Avison. She is based in Calgary, Canada, where she is a social worker Black shared his story gleaned from conversations with her extended family.

Upon arriving in Korea with his wife and children, Avison started negotiations with the royal family, and received permission to reorganize Jejoongwon in 1894, she said.

'It was rebuilt as the Severance Union Medical College in 1904, named after benefactor Louis H Severance, and its first seven medical school graduates became Korea's first medical doctors in 1908,' she said.

Two years later, however, Japan began its 1910-45 colonial rule on Korea

At that time, it was not easy for him to run the institution, but Avison did not falter in his goal of promoting the Western medical system across Korea

The Japanese colonial government prevented him from establishing a Korean university from the time of the March 1 Independence Movement in 1919.

'Dr Avison was busy trying to establish a Korean university, but the Japanese government objected to the plan,' she said.

'It was not until after liberation in 1945 and the reconstruction period following the 1950-53 Korean War that the Severance Union Medical College and Yonhi College were able to be merged as Yonsei University in 1956.'

She also shared another story about the doctor's response to Korean independence activists.

'I have also heard from my family that some independence-minded young people in the time of the struggle for Korea's independence from Japan's colonial activities told Dr Avison that they want to die for their...