Sangho Choi Inaugurated as 12th President of Gyeongju Choi Clan Gyeongsan Association: "Carrying On Family Spirit Through Regional Unity"

Outgoing President Deoksu Choi Recognized for His Service
New President Sangho Choi Donates 10 Million Won to the Association’s Development Fund

The Gyeongju Choi Clan Gyeongsan City Relatives Association held the inauguration ceremony for the 11th and 12th presidents at Daebo Restaurant in Gyeongsan on December 26, reaffirming their commitment to carrying on the spirit of the great Silla scholar Go-un Choi Chi-won and strengthening the bonds among relatives.

Approximately 90 clan members attended the event, including Choi Jae-rim, President of the Gyeongsan Senior Citizens Association, former Deputy Prime Minister Choi Kyunghwan, and former Gyeongsan Mayor Choi Byungguk.

The 12th President Sangho Choi (right) is presenting a plaque of appreciation to the 11th President Deoksu Choi. Provided by the Gyeongju Choi Clan Gyeongsan City Relatives Association

◆Roots of the Sasunggong Faction: From the Main House in Gyeongju to Gyeongsan, Cheongdo, and Yeongcheon

The Sasunggong faction (founded by Choi Ye), which played a central role in this inauguration, has maintained its core status by forming clan villages centered around the main house of the Gyeongju Choi family and extending into the neighboring regions of Gyeongsan, Cheongdo, and Yeongcheon.

Notably, both the 11th President Deoksu Choi (former Chairman of the Gyeongsan City Council) and the 12th President Sangho Choi (CEO of Hoseong Industry Co., Ltd.) are descendants of the Sasunggong faction, with Deoksu Choi being the 32nd-generation descendant and Sangho Choi the 31st, each taking on the leadership of the association in turn.

Upon taking office, the new president Sangho Choi generously donated 10 million won to the association’s development fund, expressing his strong determination: "Building on the dedicated efforts of previous presidents, I will create a unified association where all founding lineages, including the Sasunggong faction and the Gwangajeonggong faction (founded by Choi Cheong), come together as one."

◆History of Loyalty and Donghak... "Cheongdo and Gyeongsan as the Main Stage for the Sasunggong Faction"

Historically, the Gyeongsan and Cheongdo regions have been imbued with the spirit and values of the Sasunggong faction.

During the Japanese invasions of Korea, the loyalty of General Choi Jin-lip, a national hero, laid the foundation for the family, and this spirit was later inherited by Su-un Choi Je-u, the founder of Donghak.

In particular, Su-un Choi Je-u and the second leader Haewol Choi Si-hyeong, fleeing persecution, left Gyeongju and made the rugged mountains of Unmun in Cheongdo and Gyeongsan their base, spreading Donghak teachings.

The historical fact that they shared hardships and missionary activities with the local people of this region remains an unforgettable source of pride for the clan members in Gyeongsan.

This tradition of 'noblesse oblige' has been passed down from Baeksan Choi Jun, the last independence activist of the Choi family, to Choi Yeom, the current president of the Central Gyeongju Choi Clan Association and grandson of Choi Jun.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Choi Kyunghwan and former Gyeongsan Mayor Choi Byungguk, along with key figures of the Sasunggong faction, are celebrating the launch of the new chairman system. Gyeongju Choi Clan Gyeongsan City Relatives Association

◆Over 20 Years of Local Governance Led by the Choi Clan

Since the introduction of local autonomy, Gyeongsan City has a unique history of Choi clan members leading the city administration and driving regional development for over 20 years.

From the first and second popularly elected Mayor Choi Hee-uk, to Mayor Choi Byungguk, and even to Mayor Choi Youngjo of the Yangcheon Choi clan-who, though of a different branch, shares the same roots and unity with the Gyeongju Choi family-the achievements of Choi clan mayors have demonstrated the family’s prominence in the region.

Advisor Choi Jeonghwan, who delivered a congratulatory address, emphasized, "Just as German scholars in the 1980s stressed that preserving Korean genealogies is essential to safeguarding our unique culture, our association must serve as the guardian of our family’s roots."

Key figures of the Sasunggong faction, including former Deputy Prime Minister Choi Kyunghwan and former Mayor Choi Byungguk, also celebrated the launch of the new leadership, pledging to contribute to the development of the local community based on the spiritual heritage of the family.

Through this inauguration ceremony, the Gyeongju Choi Clan Gyeongsan City Relatives Association declared a new leap forward, further solidifying the unity of more than 40 founding lineages.