Horace Newton Allen

Born in Delaware, Ohio, in 1858, Horace Newton Allen trained as a physician before heading to Korea in the 1880s as a missionary doctor. He is widely remembered as one of the first Protestant missionaries in Korea and for helping introduce Western medical practice there.

Allen gained attention after treating a badly injured Korean prince following the Gapsin Coup, which led to his service at the royal court. He later helped establish Chejungwon, an early Western-style hospital in Korea that became an important part of the country’s medical history.

His career eventually shifted toward diplomacy. Allen served as a U.S. diplomat in Korea during a turbulent period and remained closely connected to Korean-American relations until the end of his public life. He died in 1932.