Sorok National Hospital Hansen's Disease Museum, Hansen's Disease Museum, SNHM, SONAMU, Sorok National Hospital Hansen's Disease Museum

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PR Videos of Hansen’s Disease Museum

Hansen’s disease is a skin disease caused by mycobacterium leprae infection. It was feared dreadfully in the past. Nowadays, however, it is curable thanks to the multi-drug therapy (MDT) and the disease no longer has to be feared for being contagious. In Korea, records of Hansen’s disease remains in the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty. The history of overcoming Hansen’s disease began in earnest with the establishment of leprosariums across the nation by missionaries during the late period of the Joseon Dynasty and the opening of Jahye Hospital in Sorokdo in 1916. The disease began to be cured as treatment medicines became available after liberation from the Japanese Colonial Rule. There are only few patients as of today.

Countless cases of human rights abuse happened in Sorokdo. Starvation, forced labor, incarceration, abuse, forced sterilization and abortion, and slaughter all began during the Japanese Colonial Period and things did not turn better for a long time even after liberation. The history of human rights violation in Sorokdo is a tragic story we should not forget and silently points to the direction our society should be heading.

Pause for a moment to listen to the sound that tells the coming of dawn in Sorokdo. The uncaring roar of waves washes away the sand, as always, but it cannot wash away the Han of people in sorokdo. When the church bell rings at dawn, people go up the hill to pray.
The blind lean on their sticks. Listen to their hearts.


Sorokdo inhabitants had to go through a tough time due to illness, hunger, forced labor, and exclusion. Still, they carried on with their life, beautifully. Exhibits in the Museum reflect their passion toward learning, will for life, efforts to seek a living for themselves, and how they relieved their pain through religion and art. Meet the resilient life of Sorokdo inhabitants.

Sorokdo National Hospital first began as Sorokdo Jahye Hospital in 1916 and has been committed to treating Hansen’s disease patients, despite many difficulties. Although Sorokdo's history is riddled with pain and sorrow, Sorokdo National Hospital has been at the heart of efforts to overcome Hansen's disease. Follow the footprint of Sorokdo National Hospital, which celebreated its centennial in 2016.

Sorokdo inhabitants had many friends who devoted their life for them. There were Sister Marianne and Sister Margaret, who stayed in Sorokdo for about 40 years and sacrificed their lives to take care of Hansen’s disease patients. The letter they left on their departure is still kept in the small room they used to stay. The video shows the moments of joy brought to Sorokdo inhabitants through various performance and concerts. You can also become a friend of Hansen’s disease patients by signing in the electronic visitor’s book.

Sorokdo's agonizing history of 100 years

A video commemorating 100th anniversary of Sorokdo National Hospital
A Land of Tears, Retrospection of 100 Years of Sorokdo - Part I

1. A peaceful island, Sorokdo
#Helicam/A bird's-eye view of Nokdong Port and Sorok Grand Bridge

At the edge of the Goheung Peninsula, 10 minutes by a ferry, and less than a 5-minute drive through the Sorok Grand Bridge, there is Sorokdo, an island that should not be forgotten.

-Trees in Central Park S.K/Lapping waves/Visitors

Many tourists come to visit to appreciate towering trees and peaceful waves of Sorokdo, but

-An off-limits signboard
once, this island was a forbidden territory for the general public and keeps regretful history as it underwent many vicissitudes during modern days.

-A tour guide is explaining something to visitors
"The Japanese authority mobilized 60,000 Hansen's disease patients by force to create this park. It is imbued with blood and tears of patients."

-Trees and boulders
About 100 tree species from Asian countries and mass boulders make up a beautiful scenery. This park was built on the arduous work of Hansen's disease patients.

-Photographs of disfigured hands and faces
Hansen's disease patients were called 'Lazar' or Mundoongi in Korean due to their miserable appearances, including stumpy fingers and deformed nose. At the time when there was no proper treatment, Hansen's disease patients were treated unkindly and ostracized by the society. This troubled them more than the disease itself, which was dubbed as a divine punishment.

- Autopsy Lab in Sorokdo
Sorokdo keeps the agonizing history of Hansen's disease patients, who were not wanted in the society.

-The guide explains in the autopsy lab
"When Hansen's disease patients die, their corpses are dissected as a matter of course. So they say that Hansen's disease patients die three times. Once, when they get Hansen's disease. Twice, when their corpses are dissected. Lastly, when they are cremated."
"So, they had one wish: It was dying on Sunday because the autopsy lab was not open on Sundays."

- Looking at the empty dissection table
The patients, who suffered from impaired nose and limbs when alive, could not be freed from pain even after they died. Why did they have to suffer so much?

2. Jahye Hospital, the beginning of Sorokdo's sorrowful history
#Establishment of Jahye Hospital
Under the name of constructing 'A Paradise for Hansen’s Disease Patients,’ the Japanese Government-General of Korea established Sorokdo Jahye hospital by buying up houses and land lots in Sorokdo by force.

-Photographs of patients
Treatment was just a subterfuge for forceful deportation and segregation.

-Detention ward
There was no paradise for Hansen's disease patients who were brought to Sorokdo from all across the nation.

# Photograph of Director Suho / Photograph of forced labor
After Suho Masasue inaugurated as the 4th director in 1933, he changed the name of Sorokdo Jahye Hospital to Sorokdo Rehabilitation Center and boasted that it will accommodate 3,000 Hansen's disease patients.

-Photograph of brick factory
Director Suho constructed a brick factory with annual capacity of 1.4 million bricks to construct the new building and had patients with disfigured hands and feet do the labor.

-Road expansion/Construction of wards
The patients were mobilized for expanding Sorokdo Rehabilitation Center , building roads and moving materials and aggregates, and even for constructing new wards.

-Sino-Japanese War
The construction went on even amid the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, further devastating the lives of the patients, who had to endure starvation and forced labor.

- Japanese Governor-General of Korea Minami’s visit to Sorokdo Rehabilitation Center
Besides making and moving bricks, patients were also mobilized for war supplies production, including 300,000 gamani (straw bags) per year, 1,500 sheets of rabbit skin per year, and 30,000 bags of charcoal.

-Construction of landing dock
The expansion projects went on and on. Helpless male and female patients were forced to build an over 600-meter long coast road, move over 1-ton rocks, and construct landing docks in only 120 days.

-Whipping/Runaway (sand art)
Being overstretched, numerous patients tried to run away just to drown at sea or be caught and confined in the detention ward. Sorokdo became a hell for patients, not a paradise.

3. History of resistance
#Patients in hunger and pain (sand art)
Due to the lack of proper treatment and food, patients' health deteriorated to the point where there were almost no one capable.

-Order to shove pine trees out of the way
One day, a 25-year old patient named Lee Dong was ordered to move two pine trees that were in the way from the brick factory.

-Carrying another patient on his back and running
But he forgot it and instead brought an ill fellow inmate to the treatment room, and this left evils to spring up.

-Being kicked
Chief nurse Sato cursed Lee Dong saying that he was "more useless than the impeditive pine trees" while trampling and beating him and confined him in the detention ward.

#Detention ward/Operating table S.K
The detention ward was the place all patients would like to avoid. Being confined in a small detention room meant starvation and physical punishment, and above all, sterilization before being released, regardless of gender. Young Lee Dong was also subjected to sterilization.

The love I dreamt for in the days of my puberty is now shattered. Lying on the operating table of ruin, my youth is crying bitterly.
- Lee Dong, 25

- Operating room S.K
For Hansen's disease patients, who were sterilized against their will, even minimum level of freedom and dignity as human beings was not allowed.

# Photograph of park construction
To add to the oppression, in December 1939, Director Suho mobilized patients for creating a park in Sorokdo. Several tons of rocks were moved with bare hands and hundreds of trees were transported to Sorokdo.

-Present look of the park S.K
The Central Park, in where pine trees and junipers that came from abroad and mass boulders stand in harmony, was completed on the blood and tears of Hansen's disease patients.

-Distressed patients
As the completion of the park neared, conditions of the patients worsened and some of them even committed suicide, being unable to tolerate brutal beating.

-Bowing to the statue of Director Suho
Director Suho had his statue built and forced patients to bow to it. He was stabbed to death on the regular worship day of June 20, 1942 by a patient named Lee Chun-sang.

4. Oppression continued even after liberation
#Liberation-related material
Sufferings of Hansen's disease patients did not end even after the liberation in 1945.

 August 20, 1945: 84 patients' representatives were killed amid a conflict.
- September 1950: 11 staff members were killed by the North Korean People's Army.
- September 1949: 30 patients were shot to death by the police, who mistook them as prison breakers.
-July 1950: 28 Hansen's disease patients, who were begging their way near Gwandong-Gyo, were slaughtered by soldiers.
-August 1950: 40 Hansen's disease patients, who informed where the police was hiding to the North Korean People's Army, were slaughtered.

-Summer of 1950: Hansen's disease patients, who were in the town, were driven into a cave and slaughtered by a bomb.
- October 1950: 6 communist patients, who were suspected of being a spy, were killed by the North Korean People's Army.
-August 1957: 28 patients, who were trying to cultivate Bitori Island to get food, were killed by residents.

- Sutanjang S.K
Things did not turn better in Sorokdo after liberation. Korean administrators continued to despise and oppress the patients.

-Photograph of children
Sorokdo was strictly divided into areas for patients and non-patients. Patients were even separated from their children without exception.

- Photograph of Sutanjang
Children of Hansen’s disease patients were raised apart from their parents on fear of infection. The patients could see their children once a month at the opposite side of the border line in the pine grove, while standing into the wind to prevent infection.

-Photograph of children
Patients called this place Sutanjang, meaning the place of sadness, as their sigh echoed through the pine grove, being allowed to only look at their loving children at a distance.

5. Despair from Omado Reclamation Project
# Materials of April 19 Revolution and May 16 Coup
Major social transformation in the 1960s represented by the April 19 Revolution and the May 16 Coup brought a new hope to Hansen’s disease patients

-Sister Marianne arrived in sorokdo to serve patients p.152
Soccer team of Sorokdo National Hospital
At the time when Sisters Marianne and Margaret arrived on Sorokdo and took care of Children and the patients with sincere heart and a soccer team was formed to represent Goheung-gun, things seemed to be turning stable.

-Press news about Omado Reclamation Project
Then, the government promised a new land for Hansen’s disease patients in Sorokdo. The government pledged that the patient who work for the project to reclaim the Omado island and Odongdo island will be given land lots for free on completion of the project. “1,000 Hansen’s disease patients in Sorokdo will be working for the project of reclaiming the land off the shore of Omado Island located in Geumsan-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do and farm it. … Through the two-year project, about 1.09 million ㎡ of tideland will be reclaimed and 3,966㎡ of land will be parceled out per patient for free.” (July 10, 1962, Kyunghyang Shinmun)

-Patients working at the reclamation site
The land to be reclaimed from the sea was estimated to be double the size of Sorokdo and sufficient for 1,500 households of Hansen’s disease patients to grow 2,500 tons of crops.

-Photograph of breakwater
There were opposition from nearby residents but they were persuaded by the fact that only negative patients, who are not contagious, are participating in the project. So the project could go on somehow. For the patients, it was their first step to go out into the world.

Mundoongis /together
load the boat with stones / throw them into the sea
link the Poongyang cape with Omado / build a bank along the Doyang cape
clearing the sea / and the seawater
to turn 1.09 million ㎡ of sea surface / into 1.09 million ㎡  of land
and to turn tideland into fertile land to grow 9,000 tons of crops
…
While alive / we will clear our name /
and be treated as a human
in this land of glory / in this sunny land of Omado /
that refuses darkness and shines like a sun
‘Omado’ written by Han Hawoon

-Photograph of Omado reclamation project site
About 2,500 Hansen’s disease patients worked for the project with a hope of cultivating their living base. But accidents occurred frequently. One patient was pressed to death and six were injured by piles of earth that collapsed from breakwaters. A total of 40 patients were either seriously or slightly injured during the project period.

-Press news about discontinuance of the project
Their hopes for a new land stopped there. The project was discontinued in 1964 with only 200m left before completing the 1,500m breakwater due to objections from nearby residents and the lack of budget.

-Memorial park for Hansen’s disease patients in Omado S.K/Monument
At last, the government transferred the oversight of the project to the Jeollanam-do provincial government. The reclaimed land in Omado, which was built on the blood and sweat of Hansen’s disease patients in Sorokdo, was completed in 1988 but land lots were parceled out only to Omado residents. For the patients, who lost the hope of living an ordinary life, the reclaimed land ended up as just ‘their paradise, not ours’.

-Central Park S.K/Guratap ‘Hansen’s disease is curable.’
Over the century, Hansen’s disease became curable by taking pills and non-contagious.

Hansen’s disease is a skin disease that leaves its trace on the patients’ body, but it is virtually not infectious. For hundreds of years, Hansen’s disease patients had to endure prejudice and discrimination for having a disease dubbed as the divine punishment. Another century passed, but they still face social misunderstanding and stigma.

Now, we need to respond to their desperate hope for leading ordinary life.
It is time to respect Hansen’s disease patients who showed resilience instead of being thwarted by social exclusion and misunderstanding. It is time to reflect on the value of their history and significance of human rights.

Finding Hope in Sorokdo, a Home to Hansen’s Disease Patients


A video commemorating 100th anniversary of Sorokdo National Hospital
A Land of Tears, Retrospection of 100 Years of Sorokdo - Part II

1. 100-year history of Sorokdo National Hospital
# A bird’s-eye view of Sorokdo
It has been 100 years since Hansen’s disease patients settled down in Sorokdo. A  new wind is blowing in the island, once known as a land of suppression and  persecution, contempt and disdain, and exclusion.

-Sorok Grand Bridge / Visitors
With the opening of the Sorok Grand Bridge in 2009, Sorokdo has become a tourist attraction.

-Museum / Artifacts
Visitors sympathize with sorrowful history of Hansen’s disease patients hidden behind the beautiful nature of Sorokdo and cast away prejudice and misunderstanding about Hansen’s disease.

-An off-limits signboard
However, people with painful memory related to Hansen’s disease still live in the villages on the back of the island, which are not accessible by visitors.

-Doing routine works
Although their disease has been cured, 570 former patients chose to stay in the island.

2. The only hospital in Korea specializing in Hansen’s disease
#Hospital building / Helicam
They can lead a peaceful life, thanks to Sorokdo National Hospital, the only Hansen’s disease-specific hospital in Korea. The 100-year history of Sorokdo moved in line with the changes in Hansen's disease policies in Korea

-Hospital ward S.K
Sorokdo National Hospital opened in 1916. This year marked its centennial. It provides treatment, recuperation service, and daily support to Hansen’s disease patients.

-Introduction of departments
Aside from internal medicine department, surgery department, dermatology department, ear-nose-and-throat department, psychiatry department, dental department, and oriental medicine department, there are also ophthalmology department and rehabilitation medicine department to help Hansen’s disease patients who are prone to become disabled.

#Interview with a medical staff member
Q) What is the focus of treatment?
“Treatment for Hansen’ disease itself is already finished. So, we focus on treating and managing its aftereffect.”

-Performing medical examination
About 570 inhabitants do not have Hansen’s disease, but since the virus caused complications to their skin, joints, nose, and eyes, treating aftereffects is the focus of their treatment.

-Nurses are talking with patients
As patients are old, they usually suffer from geriatric illnesses like angina, diabetes, and hypertension. Medical staff become their family and take gentle care of them.

3. People looking after Sorokdo
#Dentist Oh Dongchan
Dr. Oh Dongchan gave up a stable life as a dentist in the mainland and have been serving as a dentist of Sorokdo National Hospital for 20 years.
-Interview with Dr. Oh
Q) When did you first come to Sorokdo?
I first came to Sorokdo as a public health doctor in 1995.

-Talking with a patient
The connection he felt with the patients made him stay in the island for more than 20 years.

-Interview with Dr. Oh
Q) Is there a special reason for you to work here?
I wanted to lead a life of selfless service. So, I moved in to Sorokdo with my family.

-Nurses also served for a long time
Besides Dr. Oh, there are a number of nurses who have been sacrificing their youth to work in Sorokdo for about 10-20 years, including Gang Insook, who is approaching retirement, Jang Giho, Cho Seohee, and Lee Gyeonghee

-Interview with a nurse
Q) How long have you been working in Sorokdo and why?
“25 years. I’ve grown attached to the patients while taking care of them. So I kept on saying ‘one more year’ and just ended up here.”

-Looking at past photographs
The landscape of Sorokdo National Hospital changed by the passing of years.

-Kim Jonggoon is making artificial finger
Kim Jonggoon has been designing and making artificial limbs for disabled patients for more than three decades. But he has regrets.
-Interview with Kim
“Many patients have passed away. Nowadays, I get a lot of request for repairing electric wheelchairs.”

-Supportive items like a spoon with a handle
Supportive items like spoons with a handle lost their owners, reminding medical staff of the passing of time.

-Past photographs
Medical technologies developed over the years and now Hansen’s disease can be cured by taking pills.

‘Hospital S.K
However, patients suffer from aftereffects and complications, and medical support is still much needed.

-Doing rounds
About 160 patients are hospitalized in four wards of the Sorokdo National hospital. Patients, who need inpatients treatment, receive intensive treatment in the wards.
-Emergency room S.K
Wards number 3 and 5 have an emergency room and an intensive care unit to respond to emergency situations.

-Medical staff offering medical consult
From October 1993, patients of Sorokdo National Hospital began to be covered by medical care. As such, patients could have access to a wider range of medical services. For example, medical treatment request can be made to public health centers and affiliated hospitals and self-supporting measures are taught to institutionalized patients to help their rehabilitation to society.

4. Companionship for another 100 years ahead
#Nurses on regular visits
About 400 former patients who are not ill are scattered around seven villages in Sorokdo. Nurses pay a regular visit to them.

-Interview with a nurse
Q) Which village are you going to?/What are the treatments?

-Moving in a car/An elderly comes to greet the nurse
-Checking blood pressure/Giving a shot
Residents have no particular illness and can live alone but as their peripheral nerves were attacked by the mycobacterium leprae virus, most of them have disfigured limbs and are blind and thus, require for daily checkup.
-Memo with hospital number is hung on the wall
So the residents have the name and contact number of the nurse hung on the wall.
-Interview with an inhabitant
Q) How are the nurses? Do they visit you often?
-Cars are passing by
Another person other than the nurses are visiting every corner of the villages.

-Greeting
Kim Jinho takes care of electricity for the hospital and about 400 inhabitants.
-Changing a lamp
He is indispensable in Sorokdo, which is home to many elderly. He visits about 20 houses per day and is dubbed the Macgyver of Sorokdo as he is able to repair anything from lamps to electronic rice cookers.

-Interview with Kim Jinho
Q) What do you usually repair?/Are they satisfied?

5. Sorokdo, An island of sharing
#Looking around the room/An inhabitant doing household chores
Former Hansen’s disease patients, who are cured and can live alone, are given a place to live in accordance with their family composition and conditions of health. They receive government support for food, clothing, and shelter.

-A resident is drawing a handcart
Q) Where are you headed?
Today is the Sorokdo market day.

-Food materials being handed out
Food materials are handed out to each village three times per week. Underwear and clothing are also provided.

-Post office and Nonghyup bank
There are post office, Nonghyup Bank, and a community service center in villages to make the life of residents more convenient.

-A resident is listening to radio
The most difficult thing is loneliness. Since most of the residents are old and live alone, they feel much lonely.

-Volunteers arrive
So volunteers visiting Sorokdo bring great comfort to the residents.

-Interview with a volunteer
Q) What made you to come to Sorokdo?
Q) Why do you visit here regularly?
The residents are so kind and friendly. We come here to give love but actually we get so much love from them.

-Eating and talking together with volunteers
40 years of isolation in the island for having a disease that was believed to be contagious. Even their own family shunned them. But in Sorokdo, they can receive warm care from others.

6. Going out into the world
# Central Park/Visitors
Unwavering efforts made by the patients and medical staff were behind Sorokdo’s transformation over the past 100 years from a land of suppression and persecution to a land of sharing and comfort.

#Hansen’s Disease Museum
Central Park was created around the main building of Sorok National Hospital as a rest area for patients. Also, Sorokdo Life Exhibition Hall opened in 1996 by collecting living supplies used by Hansen’s disease patients, tools relevant to Hansen’s disease, various records, photographs, and books for exhibition. It aims to provide authentic education about the history to improve public perception of Hansen’s disease and look back on the hardships and pain suffered by the patients.

#Medical staff taking care of patients/Volunteers helping with meals/Visiting for treatment and repairment S.K

Sorokdo National Hospital, whose mission is to relieve patients of both physical and mental pains, is preparing for another 100 years ahead.

-Smiling medical staff and patients
As a devoted friend to Hansen’s disease patients, Sorokdo National Hospital will take a lead in improving their human rights through sharing and consideration, their welfare through volunteer service and practices, their health through treatment and care.

-Provision of customized service
We will provide specialized medical services, create new values for further development, contribute to eradicating social discrimination against Hansen’s disease patients and enhancing social perception, and create new living space in harmony with the nature.

Text C.G
As a true companion, Sorokdo National Hospital will create a happy world for Hansen’s disease patients by practicing philanthropism and respecting their human rights.

#Forest of Central Park S.K
In the past, Hansen’s disease patients tilled the soil to plant trees with their disfigured hands and feet and created a beautiful forest. They thought that just as trees of different name and origin form a beautiful forest when put together, one day, they will be able to blend in and live in harmony with ordinary people. One hundred years later, some significant changes are already taking place and Sorokdo National Hospital will be in the lead.

Companionship will guide the 100 years ahead for Sorokdo.


[Narration]
A story that begins with painful history and social stigma,
should head to a happy ending.
A cradle of happiness for Hansen's disease patients.
Companionship will guide the 100 years ahead for Sorokdo.

[Subtitles]
Sorokdo, an island of tears.
No touching of loved ones during visits.
Indescribable despising, disdain, and contempt.
Now, they are going out into the world in 100 years.

Director of Sorokdo National Hospital Park Hyungcheol
We will be the companion of Hansen's disease patients on the road to health, welfare, and happiness.
A cradle of happiness for Hansen's disease patients.
Companionship will guide the 100 years ahead for Sorokdo.

May 17, 2016
100th anniversary of Sorokdo National Hospital

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Ministry of Health and Welfare Sorokdo National Hospital Hansen’s Disease Museum

About the Museum

PR Videos

PR Videos of Hansen’s Disease Museum

Sorokdo's agonizing history of 100 years

Finding Hope in Sorokdo, a Home to Hansen’s Disease Patients

Companionship will guide the 100 years ahead for Sorokdo.