Actor Lee Ji-ah visited the Institute for Korean Historical Studies about 3-4 years ago to inquire about her grandfather. “It is not desirable to place the burden of past pro-Japanese actions on descendants,” the head of the institute remarked. The official, who met Lee in 2021, provided advice on the past pro-Japanese activities of her grandfather, the late Kim Soon-heung. Amid recent legal disputes among Lee Ji-ah’s father and siblings over the inheritance left by Kim, criticisms of her ties to a pro-Japanese ancestor have resurfaced. The official expressed regret, noting the issue has been repeated multiple times and insisted that collective punishment should be abolished.
In an interview with Ilgan Sports on the 21st, the official stated, “Around 2021, Lee Ji-ah came to the institute with members of her agency. She wanted to know who Kim Soon-heung was, what exactly his actions were, and how serious they were, so we provided her with detailed information.”