Righteous-army leader in Honam; awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Independence Medal, in 1963; named Independence Activist of the Month in May 2001
| Life | 1879 ~ 1910 |
| Era | 대한제국~일제강점기 |
| Clan | 죽산 안씨 |
An Gyu-hong (安圭洪, 1879-1910) was a righteous-army leader active in Honam and a member of the Juksan An clan. Wikipedia says he was born on 10 April 1879 in Boseong, South Jeolla. He is said to have worked as a farmhand in his youth, and rising from such origins to army leader is part of why his story is widely remembered. His death year is given as 1910 in the text and 1911 in the categories; this page uses 1910.
After joining the righteous armies he first entered Gang Yong-eon's unit. When Gang acted tyrannically, his own men could not bear it and killed him, and in April 1908 An Gyu-hong was chosen as commander. He took in disbanded soldiers and built up the unit, and is said to have defeated the Japanese army in 26 battles. His unit is also noted for seizing the property of Japanese, corrupt officials and wicked wealthy men and distributing it to farmers.
The unit was dispersed in the so-called Great Punitive Operation against the southern rebels, launched to wipe out the Honam armies. On the way home after the dispersal he was arrested by the Japanese army and is said to have died a martyr in 1910. The exact place and circumstances of his arrest and death, and the dates and places of the 26 battles, were not confirmed. The government awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Independence Medal, in 1963 and named him Independence Activist of the Month in May 2001. Compared with An Bang-jun of the same Juksan An clan, who raised armies in the wars of 1592, 1627 and 1636, An Gyu-hong is remembered as a representative of the modern anti-Japanese righteous-army tradition.
While serving in Gang Yong-eon's unit, after Gang was killed by his own men for tyranny, An Gyu-hong was chosen as the new commander in April 1908.
He was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Independence Medal, in 1963 and selected as Independence Activist of the Month in May 2001.
His tomb was not confirmed.
No information on descendants was confirmed.