Severance Hospital International Health Care Center Director In Yo-han Gains Korean Citizenship A blond blue-eyed man holds up Korea's national flag with his arms as if he is hooraying smiling widely. His appearance is plainly that of a foreigner. However, he speaks Korean with a dialect from the Jeolla Province. “I am now a real Korean! I am really happy. Let's live happily together!" Laughter and applause break out. Over 117 years and four generations, this American family has shown love for Korea to finally see one of its own become a “Korean.” Severance Hospital International Health Care Center Director In Yo-han (American name: John Linton) was granted citizenship at a ceremony held at the Justice Ministry in Gwacheon on March 21st. He was granted citizenship after the government recognized his contributions to Korean society. These include efforts to introduce a small ambulance that can provide emergency aid by navigating through Seoul's narrow streets, as well as his devotion to helping North Koreans. Some individuals have been granted Korean citizenship in the past in consideration of the contributions made to the country by their ancestors. However, Linton is the first to receive the honor by virtue of his own achievements. Linton's family has a long track record of dedication and service to Korea, ranging from evangelism and education to medicine. His great grandfather and missionary, Eugene Bell (Korean name: Bae You-ji), was the first of his ancestors to set foot on Korean soil back in 1895. He became known as the “Father of missionary in Jeolla region” for his active missionary work. His son-in-law William Linton (Korean name: In Don) participated in the independence movement leading national liberation movement refusing shrine worshipping during Japanese colonization. He also went on to establish Hannam University. Linton's father, Hugh (Korean Name: In Hue), bled for this country and laid in its soil. He fought during the Korean War and took part in General MacArthur's famous landing at Incheon. He died in a car accident in 1984 while preaching in the countryside. He is buried in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province. The death of his father inspired him to develop small ambulances suitable for Korea’s narrow streets. Hugh Linton was not treated at the scene of the accident and died while being moved to a hospital in a taxi. Linton said, “My father would have survived if there was an ambulance that was able to get in the narrow streets in the farming area.” In 1993, he converted a minibus and made a small ambulance that can easily go down narrow roads. In 1996, In Yo-han's mother, Royce (Korean name: In Ae-ja), received the Hoam award for her 40 years of medical service in Korea. She gave him the KRW50 million she received as part of the award and told her son to use the money to donate an ambulance to North Korea. The following year, Linton visited North Korea with the aid of his brother, Steve (Korean name: In Se-ban), a missionary who runs the Eugene Bell Foundation. Since then, the brothers have been offering their medical services to the North by donating medicine for tuberculosis and medical equipment.