The Core of the National Movement in Chungju during the Korean Empire : Organization and Activities of the Giho Heunghakhoe Chungju Branch

This study examines the organization, activities, and historical significance of the Giho Heunghakhoe Chungju Branch, which played a central role in the national movement in the Chungju region during the Korean Empire period. Established in December 1908, the Chungju Branch was the largest among all regional branches, with 103 members, most of whom were former or incumbent government offi cials. Its organizational structure was comparable to that of the headquarters. Members engaged in educational nationalist movements by founding and managing several private schools, including Hoheung Bochang School (later Hoheung School), a surveying school, Myungshin School, Tongmyeong School, and Bohung Uisuk. Their activities were not limited to the post-establishment period; prior to the branch’s creation, members had already participated in establishing Donmyeong School (1906) and leading the National Debt Redemption Movement (1907) as initiators, major donors, and fund carriers. However, the branch’s late formation limited its eff ectiveness in resisting Japan’s annexation of Korea, and some members were criticized for misconduct or failed to engage in independence activities during the colonial period. Despite these limitations, the Giho Heunghakhoe Chungju Branch served as a key axis of the Chungju nationalist movement in the late Korean Empire, contributing to the enhancement of patriotic sentiment and capacity-building among local residents.