The Review of the Characteristics of the Seokoh Lee Dong-yeong Family and Their Activities During the National Independence Movement

This is a study that examines the characteristics of the Lee Dong-yeong family and their activities during the movement for national sovereignty restoration, specifically focusing on the Independence Association and the Sangdong Youth Association. Lee Dong-yeong lived in Yeonghae while accompanying his father, Lee Byeong-ok, who was appointed as the governor of Yeonghae, and assisted him. Later, when Lee Byeong-ok transferred to Pyongyang for his official position, Lee Dong-yeong became active in the northwestern region, and together with his father, they carried out educational projects in Wonsan. However, based on Lee Byeong-ok’s official position in 1891, such activities appear to be impossible. Lee Dong-yeong cannot be considered a participant in the Independence Association. There are no records of him being elected as an executive member or a leading figure of the Independence Association. Apart from the “Mukam Bimangnok” and “Independence Association Chronicles,” which are problematic sources, no records confirm Lee Dong-yeong’s involvement in the Independence Association prior to the liberation. Therefore, these two materials cannot be considered reliable evidence to support the claim of his participation in the Independence Association. Lee Dong-yeong was imprisoned in place of his father, Lee Byeong-ok. During his imprisonment, he interacted with individuals detained in Hanseong Prison and deepened his understanding of Christianity by reading Christian-related books available in the prison library. After being released from prison, he joined the Sangdong Youth Association and worked with figures such as Jeong Soon-man on movements like the execution of the Eulsa Five Traitors and petitions to annul the Eulsa Treaty.