[News Spot] Government-Purchased 'LA Heungsadan' Building

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Heungsadan (興士團) is a nationalist movement organization founded by Dosan Ahn Chang-ho on May 13, 1913, in San Francisco, USA. It was based on the core principles of integrity, resistance, loyalty, and courage, supporting independence activists under Japanese colonial rule and conducting legitimate nationalist movements. The organization still exists today and actively engages in social activities such as providing scholarships to descendants of independence activists.

In 1915, it moved from San Francisco to LA, renting a two-story wooden building at 106 North Figueroa Street, LA, which was used for 14 years. In 1929, it relocated to a wooden building on Catalina Street in LA, which was called the headquarters or "Danso (團所)." This building is the "LA Heungsadan" building recently purchased by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

Appearance of Danso at LA Heungsadan.
[Photo by National Veterans Affairs]

In 1932, members raised funds to purchase this building, and it was used as the Heungsadan headquarters until 1948. After Korea's liberation, when the main base of Heungsadan moved to Seoul, the building was used until 1979 as a place supporting Korean education and rights protection in the United States.

In 1979, due to financial difficulties in maintaining the Danso, it was sold. When it was put on the market in 2019, there was an attempt to repurchase it, but due to lack of funds, it was not acquired. In 2020, a Chinese-American real estate development company purchased it. In 2021, this company submitted a plan to the LA city government to demolish the building and construct an apartment complex. In response, the Heungsadan America Committee and the LA Korean Association submitted an application to the LA city government to recognize the building as a historical and cultural monument, which was officially accepted in June of that year, thus preventing demolition.

After the development plan was canceled, the building owner proposed transferring the building to the LA Heungsadan branch in May last year. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs negotiated with the company and finalized the purchase contract on the 31st of last month (local time).

The Ministry plans to stabilize the building and conduct measurements and utilization plans within this year, complete renovation work by the first half of 2025, and open it on Liberation Day of that year. The Ministry also announced plans to designate the site as a historic landmark in LA and pursue registration as a cultural heritage at the federal level in the United States to ensure that the independence movement asset is preserved as part of American cultural heritage.