1920년대 초반 최동오의 천도교 활동과 민족운동

Abstract

It was reported so far that the Cheondo religion changed its direction of the racial movement without delay after the Korean Independence Movement in 1919 and pushed a compromising and moderate cultural campaign. But when I examined the activities of the believers of the Cheondo religion including Dong-Oh Choi, there were complications and line differentiation regarding developing independence movement and the course of the Cheondo religion after the Korean Independence Movement in 1919, that is, the believers of Cheondo religion were divided into two groups. One group had a negative point of view on an independence movement and was reluctant to be involved in it, and claimed the preservation and development of the religion, and the other claimed to propel the independence movement actively succeeding to the Korean Independence Movement in 1919. As the former that was in charge of operation affairs of the Cheondo religion at that time won the approval of Byeong-Hee Son, the Cheondo religion avoided direct confrontation with Imperialist Japan and started cultural campaign from 1920. On the other hand, as it was difficult to perform an independence movement in Korea, the members of the latter came to foreign countries as exiles and propelled the independence movement. In particular, as the government-in-exile in Shanghai was founded and asked the Cheondo religion to dispatch its representative to the government-in-exile, the group went into exile within the jurisdiction of China and participated in the government-in-exile. They helped the government-in-exile to set up its foundation as a government and lead an independence movement comprehensively. Together with Chang-Ho Ahn who led practically led the government-in-exile, they supported propaganda activity in which he had his heart and tried to economically support the provisional government which was financially embarrassed severely by their asking the Cheondo religion for financial support. And they took charge of correspondence and negotiation with the driving force of the independence movement in the Cheondo religion and tried to realize the rights and interests of the Cheondo religion. Also they aggregated the believers of the Cheondo religion within the jurisdiction of China and made them their independent political forces. According to an order of the provisional government they visited North Gando with Sam-Deok Wang, Jeong-Geun Ahn and Yong Lee and led the unification of the organizations for an independence movement which competed with each other. However, as the provisional government lost its representative as a government and was faced with crisis, they participated in Shanghai Association for the realization of a plan, the Council of the Representatives and Peking Council for military coordination, and asked to call the Council of the Representatives. And in order to raise funds for holding the meeting they expanded their activities to Korea, Manchuria Japan and so on. They made a plan to push Byeong-Hee Son to be the president after making him come to Shanghai as an exile and realizing the Council of the Representatives, however, as they were attacked by the supporters of the provisional government and could not continue their activities in Shanghai any more, they moved their foothold to Peking. After the Council of the representatives came to a rupture, the believers of the Cheondo religion within the jurisdiction of China continued their independence movement with the independence fighters in Peking area. When Great Ganto earthquake occurred in 1923, they organized a Body to console the Korean victims in Tokyo and relieved them. Also they plotted to launch an undertaking with Euiyeoldan (a group with heroic and noble mind) led by Won-Bong Kim and helped Yeo-Soon Goo, a member of Euiyeoldan with a plan to raise funds and Euiyeoldan's undertaking in Korea. Also with the independence fighters in Peking they deliberated on measures to cope with the events of the massacre of Koreans at the time of Great Ganto earthquake and Herbert Welch's insult to Koreans. They organized a Korean club in Peking with Se-Jun Kim, Cheon Sim, Jin-San Han and so on, which all koreans in peking could join, and helped the independence fighters who were active in Peking area, and promoted friendship among Koreans who were pitted against each other because of ideological and area differences. Also they participated in a grand meeting of Koreans with heroic and noble mind in Peking which was held under the auspices of Hangyodongjihoi (Association of Korean residents in China) and played a part in it. Meanwhile, the believers of the Cheondo religion proposed a society promoting to learn austerity for the young believers of the Cheondo religion in order to foster anti-Japanese independence fighters of the Cheondo religion and raise funds for the independence movement, however, as their activity was detected by Imperialist Japan, the group leaders including Dong-Oh Choi could not perform their independence movement in Peking any more. Therefore, as Dong-Oh Choi moved the foothold to Manchuria in 1925, the independence movement of the believers of the Cheondo religion within the jurisdiction of China centering on him came to an end.