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Jo So-ang, the Model Theorist of the Provisional Government

Jo So-ang (1887-1958) played several important roles such as being the Master of Ceremonies (MC) at the interim meeting of the legislature of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in 1919, enacting the country name and the “Provisional Charter of the Republic of Korea,” forming the branches of government, and creating various proclamations. In the 1930’s, he performed the task of systematizing the theory of three equalities as the guiding ideology for the Movement for the National Single Party through the push for collaboration of both left-wing and right-wing parties in China. In 1941, Jo gave shape to the Provisional Government’s independence movement strategy and nation-building plan by drafting the “Foundation Doctrine of the Republic of Korea.” These are achievements of Jo So-ang, the leading theorist of the Provisional Government.

The “Declaration of Unity” that Suggested Reasons for Establishing the Provisional Government

The Declaration of Unity was announced under the names of 14 leaders including Sin Kyu-sik, Park Yong-man, Park Eun-sik, Sin Chae-ho, and Jo So-ang in July 1917. The Declaration was a proposal to hold a conference of overseas independence activists for the formation of a Provisional Government, presenting the appropriateness and theoretical grounds for the creation of such a Provisional Government in Korea. The Declaration, drafted by Jo So-ang, established the theory of national sovereignty, based on the theory of immortal sovereignty and Emperor Yunghee’s abandonment of sovereignty, and laid the groundwork for the ideology of the independence movement. In other words, the Declaration of Unity was an argument for the succession of the Korean Empire, but also for the formation of a new Provisional government based on national sovereignty formed by overseas independence activists.

Pursuit of Independence through the Declaration of Unity

Jo So-ang and the other leaders disclosed the principle of national sovereignty in the Declaration for Unity, paying close attention to the emerging liberation movements of the socialist forces and the minorities newly emerging in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution. They also suggested universal justice and peace of humanity based on equality of the human race and egalitarianism as the ultimate direction of the independence movement. Later, the head of the Korean Socialist Party sent a telegram to the International Socialist Congress requesting support for Korea’s independence, but none of the overseas independence movements responded to the declaration. News of allowing Korea’s participation in the conference did not come either. The attempt to establish a provisional government in 1917 was not realized.

Jo So-ang in 1925, at the age of 39 – Independence Hall of Korea

As the news broke that the Paris Peace Conference would be held at the close of World War II in late 1918, the New Korea Youth Party was formed in Shanghai and it was decided that Kim Kyu-sik would take part in the conference as a delegate. To support this, the party sent personnel home to Korea and abroad, calling for a united independence movement. Jo So-ang, who had been in Jilin Province, launched the Independence Military Unit with Yeo Jun and Jeong Won-taek in response to this request and presented the “Korean Independence Declaration.” In the “Korean Independence Declaration,” which was announced under the names of 39 independence activists abroad, Jo So-ang defined Korea’s independence as escaping the era of “dictatorship and coercion” and building mankind’s peace in an era of “equality and peace,” while underscoring the independence movement as a campaign for egalitarianism striving for equality across “gender, fortune, intellectual power, and age.”

Democratic Republic Recorded in Article 1 of the Republic of Korea’s Provisional Charter

When leaders both at home and abroad gathered in Shanghai for the establishment of the Provisional Government following the March 1st Movement in 1919, Jo So-ang attended, representing Jilin Province. Jo So-ang, who attended the meeting to discuss the establishment of the government of the Republic of Korea on April 10 and 11 in 1919, was elected as a deliberation council member of the “Provisional Charter of the Republic of Korea,” along with Shin Ik-hee and Yi Kwang-su. Together, they drafted the charter. He suggested the term “democratic republic” for the first time by specifying that “the Republic of Korea shall be a democratic republic” in Article 1 of the Provisional Chart. Articles 3 and 4 stipulated that Korean people “are entirely equal without a hierarchy of men and women, high and low, rich and poor,” and that the Korean people shall “enjoy the freedom of religion, speech, writing, publication, assembly, correspondence, address, movement, body, and possession.” Article 5 stated that “people qualified to be citizens shall have the right to vote and be elected.” With this, the Republic of Korea was declared a democratic republic state that would ensure people’s political rights and freedom, and realize socioeconomic equality based on the principle of national sovereignty. In Article 1 of the “platform” of the “Republic of Korea’s Provisional Chart Proclamation,” Jo announced the names of the Members of the State Council of the Provisional Government, stating that “the cause for racial, national, and human equality shall be publicized” and suggesting egalitarianism as the first item of the platform.

Jo So-ang regarded socioeconomic egalitarianism as a crucial value of the democratic republic through the “Republic of Korea’s Provisional Charter,” alongside the principle of democracy based on the principle of national sovereignty. His attention aimed towards the value of egalitarianism came from his belief that the global socialist movement that arose after the Russian Revolution of 1917 would be of help to Korea’s independence movement. Thus, as soon as the establishment of the government had been completed, he traveled to Europe in May and vigorously carried out diplomatic activities advocating for independence, targeting European socialist circles especially. Jo So-ang also attended the International Socialist Congress (Second International) held in Lucerne, Switzerland in August and asked for approval for Korea’s independence, emphasizing the fact that the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea would be a social democracy with values derived from neither American capitalism nor Soviet communism. Responding to this request, the International Socialist Congress recognized Korea’s independence and adopted a resolution, asking the League of Nations to accept Korea as a member.

Draft of the “Foundation Doctrine of the Republic of Korea” written by Jo So-ang – Cultural Heritage Administration

Jo So-ang’s Theory of Three Equalities and a Democratic Republic

As was confirmed earlier, the element of egalitarianism expressed in the “Provisional Charter of the Republic of Korea” corresponded to egalitarian principles of the socialist movement. His interest in socialistic egalitarianism materialized further through his “Hansarim Party” plan in the 1920’s. In order to unify the independence movement communities that were divided into left-wing members and right-wing members, Jo So-ang systematized his theory of three equalities, highlighting the equality of politics, economy, and education, as well as human, racial, and national equality as the guiding ideology of the independence movement in the 1930’s. Then, in November 1941, he drafted the “Foundation Doctrine of the Republic of Korea” based on his theory of three equalities. This became the theoretical basis for the Provisional Government to form a coalition government of leftists and rightists, led by Kim Gu and Kim Won-bong, in the 1940’s. The term “democratic republic,” used by Jo So-ang, meant realizing an equal society politically, economically, and socially by integrating democracy, socialism, liberalism, and egalitarianism, and further building a society in which the whole country is in harmony as one community.