With their belief that the Enlightenment could strengthen the national power of Korea to achieve independence, they took action on military movement, education, publication, and industrialization. Even after the New People's Association had been dissolved by the Governor-General of Korea in 1911, they made a considerable contribution to the Korean Independence Movement.
From the initiation by Ahn Changho in Los Angeles, California, the people who used to be the leaders of the Independence Club decided to organize the Korean New People's Association (대한신민회) from Pyeongyang and Seoul in late 1906. After the establishment, they established branches nationwide and started to support education, industrialization, and military actions for independence. However, in 1911, the New People's Association was dissolved. Even though they were dismissed, their ideology and main actions were later inherited by the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.
Ideology
Yun Chi-ho
The main political ideology of the New People's Association was based on ideals of democracy and republicanism, which is far different from the constitutional monarchy the Independence Club espoused. Also, to strengthen national power, they asserted that citizens should be reformed to become new people (신민, 新民) first. In other words, they believed people should be 'prepared' first for the opportunity of Korean independence.
As they believed that the Enlightenment was one of the most crucial factors in strengthening national power, the New People's Association also made a massive investment in education in Korea. It is assumed that the New People's Association established hundreds of middle schools.[4]
Publication
The New People's Association also published The Korea Daily News. At the same time, Sonyeon (Boys, 소년) was published as a monthly magazine for students, and all these publication activities provided a basis for Korea's modern culture.
