Independence Club: A society of yangban formed in 1896 by Dr. Philip Jaisohn. Its cause was an independent Korea. It was dissolved in 1898.

 

Dr. Philip Jaisohn: (Korean name, So Chae-p'il) 1863-1951.  So Chae-p'il was born in ayangban clan. After studying in Japan he took part in the 1884 Kapsin Coup, after which he fled to the US. In America, he became an MD, converted to Christianity, married an American, and changed his name to Philip Jaisohn. After the 1895 Sino-Japanese War, he returned to Korea. He promoted modernization and independence through both his newspaper and the Independence Club. When conservatives re-established control in 1898, Jaisohn again left for the US, where he practiced medicine, became an American citizen, and continued to work for Korean independence. After WWH., he returned to Korea to advise American occupation forces. However, after Syngman Rhee became the first president of South Korea in 1947, Jaisohn went back to the US. He never again returned to Korea.