조동호 趙東祜
Independence activist and journalist, State Council member of the Provisional Government; took part in the Korean Independence League; art name Yujeong; Order of Merit for National Foundation, Independence Medal
| Life | 1892 ~ 1954 |
| Era | 근현대 |
| Clan | 풍양 조씨 |
Life & career
Jo Dong-ho (1892-1954) was an independence activist and journalist from Cheongsan, Okcheon, North Chungcheong, of the Pungyang Jo clan, with the art name Yujeong. He is described as the eighth-generation descendant of Jo Cheol-myeong, a cousin of the brothers Jo Mun-myeong and Jo Hyeon-myeong, and thus from a collateral line of Jo Jae-ho. He entered the Gyeongseong Surveying School in 1908 and worked as a surveyor; meeting Yeo Un-hyeong there, he became his lifelong comrade.
In 1914 he went into exile in China with Yeo Un-hyeong, graduated from Jinling University in Nanjing and worked as a reporter in Shanghai. He took part in founding the New Korea Youth Party in 1918, and in establishing the Provisional Government in 1919 as a founding assembly member and was elected State Council member; he was also involved in launching its organ, Dongnip Sinmun. In 1922 he attended the Congress of the Toilers of the Far East in Moscow as a Korean delegate.
Returning in 1923 he worked as an editorial writer at the Dong-A Ilbo; in 1925 he took part in founding the Korean Communist Party and obtained recognition from the Comintern. Arrested in 1928, he was sentenced to four years and later worked as editorial adviser of the Joseon Jungang Ilbo. In 1944 he took part in forming the Korean Independence League; arrested in August 1945, he was released right after liberation and headed the propaganda department of the Committee for the Preparation of Korean Independence. After liberation he took part in left-right coalition efforts and died of illness in his hometown in 1954. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Independence Medal, on 1 March 2005.
Exile in China and the Provisional Government
After graduating from Jinling University in Nanjing he worked as a journalist in Shanghai and served as a director of Dongjesa, then took part in founding the Provisional Government in 1919. He is credited with making Hangul type used for the Dongnip Sinmun.
Domestic Journalism and the Independence League
After returning he worked at the Dong-A Ilbo and Joseon Jungang Ilbo alongside Yeo Un-hyeong, and in 1944 handled internal affairs and the military committee of the secret Korean Independence League.
Official Recognition
As assessment of socialist-leaning independence activists began, his contributions were recognized with the Independence Medal on 1 March 2005.
Grave
Daejeon National Cemetery, Patriots Section 3 (moved from Icheon, Gyeonggi, on 30 August 2005)
Descendants
His sons are listed as Jo Yun-gu and Jo Jun-gu.