Review of Linguistic Writings by the Forgotten Language Activist, Lee Man-gyu

During the post-liberation period, Lee Man-gyu, who was associated with the so-called ‘moderate faction’ before his defection to North Korea, served as a representative of Joseoneohakoe(Korean Language Society) during the colonial era. He played an active role in the unification of Hangul orthography and the standardization of the Korean language. Furthermore, even after his defection to North Korea, Lee Man-kyu published various writings on North Korean language policies. However, he has not been the subject of substantial academic research within Korean linguistics. Accordingly, this study aims to prioritize providing a comprehensive introduction to Lee Man-kyu's linguistic writings. Chapter 2 provides a brief overview of his life and presents a catalog of his linguistic writings. Chapter 3 analyzes his contributions prior to liberation, focusing on his writings related to the activities of the Korean Language Society and Hunminjeongeum. Chapter 4 examines his post-defection publications, emphasizing issues such as script reform and horizontal writing. This analysis highlights that Lee Man-kyu, as a member of the ‘moderate faction’, sought to incorporate not only a nationalist perspective but also class-conscious viewpoints in addressing language movements and policies.