Commemorating 100th Anniversary of

Horace G. Underwood’s Death

 

-28 Descendants in Attendance

-16th Underwood Missionary Award Ceremony Held

 

 

On October 12, Yonsei University commemorated the 100th anniversary of Horace G. Underwood’s death with a ceremony in Centennial Hall on the Sinchon Campus. Approximately 800 guests were in attendance, including members of the Underwood family, previous winners of the Underwood Missionary Award, representatives of Saemoonan Presbyterian Church, which was founded by Horace Underwood, and officials from the National Council of YMCAs of Korea and the Christian Literature Society of Korea.

 

In all, twenty-eight of Horace Underwood’s descendants, both residents of South Korea and abroad, took part in the event. These family members included grandson Dr. Richard Underwood (Deuk-han Won), Dorothy Underwood, widow of grandson Dr. Il-han Won, and great-grandson Peter A. Underwood (Han-seok Won). To show their deep connection to Korea, several family members came to the event dressed in Hanbok, or traditional Korean costumes.

 

In his opening remarks, Yonsei President Yong-Hak Kim said: “On behalf of the Yonsei community, I am honored to host this year’s event and welcome the Underwood family and descendants, leaders of the church he helped to found, and leading Christian organizations in Korea to commemorate Missionary Horace G. Underwood’s death.” He added: “Yonsei University will, as it always has, remember and practice Horace G. Underwood’s call to be the epitome of a Christian institution of higher education.”

 

 

 

On behalf of the Underwood family, Peter Underwood, who serves as a Yonsei Director, delivered the keynote address. In it, he remarked: “From his arrival in Korea, my great-grandfather had a dream and an agenda to establish higher education institutions in Korea. Although there were many hardships and ordeals, his dedication and determination led to the successful launch of Yonhi College in 1915.” He continued: “I hope the Yonsei community will continue to carry Missionary Underwood’s lessons, which embody and reflect fundamental Christian values.”

 

 

16th Underwood Missionary Award Ceremony

 

As a part of the commemoration event, the sixteenth Underwood Missionary Award Ceremony was held. The purpose of the award is to honor Horace Underwood’s dedication to missionary work by recognizing missionaries who have served overseas for more than fifteen years sharing and promoting Christian values. This year’s awards, which included $26,000 (KRW 30,000,000) in prize money, went to Won Ro Youn, a missionary who has served in Cameroon for twenty-eight years, and Young Chun Jo, who has performed missionary

work in Malaysia for sixteen years.

 

Since 2000, when the Underwood Memorial Association was launched, Yonsei has organized a number of events to honor and remember Horace Underwood’s missionary legacy. In addition to financially supporting the Underwood Missionary Award, the association funds the Mission Work Support Program, which assists individuals and groups that have been providing missionary service overseas for more than five years. This year, Hoyoung Lee, a missionary in Uganda, was selected for the honor.

 

 

Opening of Commemoration Exhibit

Sword Gifted by King Gojong Displayed

 

 

Later in the day, a ceremony took place to mark the opening of the “Underwood of Korea” exhibit. The exhibit was on display until October 25, and it featured photographs, relics, pen drawings of the churches and buildings Horace Underwood established, and fourteen typewriters, which belonged to his brother and steadfast supporter John T. Underwood. The exhibit also included the sword that had been personally given to Horace Underwood by King Gojong.

 

A Yonsei official said of this unique relic: “Yonsei University is honored to have the sword bestowed by King Gojong and will work closely with experts from various fields to study the sword and express its value.”

 

A tree planting ceremony was held at the Yonsei Main Gate to further honor the spirit and work of Horace Underwood, who arrived in Korea with elm saplings. Elm trees were thus planted on Yonsei’s campuses in Sinchon, Songdo, and Wonju.