Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Yang-woo (left) on May 6 gives the Dongbaek Medal of the Order of Civil Merit to Lim Youn-churl, author of the biography "The Story of Sa Aerisi," who accepts it on behalf of the late missionary Alice Hammond Sharp at the ministry's smart work center in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District. Sa Aerisi was the missionary's Korean name. (Heo Man-jin, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

By Lee Kyoung Mi and Lee Jihae

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on May 6 posthumously conferred the Dongbaek Medal of the Order of Civil Merit on Alice Hammond Sharp (1871-1972), an American missionary who helped establish modern educational institutions and taught youths on the Korean Peninsula during Japanese colonial rule in the early 20th century.

Born in Canada, Sharp, whose Korean name was Sa Aerisi, was sent to Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do Province, in 1900.

She greatly contributed to youth development and education on the peninsula by setting up about 20 educational institutions, including seven kindergartens and nine girls' schools such as Myeongseol School (now Gongju Yeongmyeong Middle School and Gongju Yeongmyeong High School).

But Sharp's biggest claim to fame was being the mentor of Yu Gwan-sun, Korea's leading female pro-independence activist and martyr. The American played a huge role in instilling within Yu a fervor for national independence when the latter received missionary education in her early years.

With a mandate that the award go to her great grandchild, the medal was accepted by Sharp's biographer Lim Youn-churl and a member of a commemorative society. The honor will eventually be delivered next month to Sharp's surviving family.

km137426@korea.kr