(1) Growth of the Ideas of Enlightenment

During the period of the port openings, new ideas of enlightenment spread rapidly among some of Choson's intelligentsia.
These modernization ideas were spawned internally by pragmatism and developed in the latter period of Choson. It was conceived as a new recognition of the world situation. Such ideas were formed in the early 1870's and representative scholars of enlightenment included Pak Kyusu, O Kyong-sok and Yu Hong-ki. These men had traveled to China and witnessed the changes of Western civilization as well as the international situation, and therefore advocated the opening of Choson's doors and the introduction and utilization of Western technologies.
The enlightenment ideas were later widely accepted and espoused by young bureaucrats. Kim Ok-kyun, Hong Yong-sik, Pak Yong-hyo, So Chae-p'il and So Kwang-pom, who had all received training from the first enlightenment thinkers, promoted political and economic reforms. Their greatest interests were in the areas of modern scientific technology, the munitions industry and industral organization.
They believed that the reasons behind Choson's lagging developments in scientific technology and industry were the political and social institutions and they, therefore, advocated reforms for these structures. These men proposed a change in the present political system of monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, appointing persons regardless of their social status, and in the economic sphere, promoting modern industries through the development of railroads, steamships and telegraph communications. The realization of these goals were the reasons for the Coup d'Etat of 1884.
The enlightenment movement confronted opposition from the conservative forces and, thus, was unable to develop smoothly. As time went on, the ideas of enlightenment spread throughout society and state to become an important ideological base for the modern reform movement.

(2) Propagation of Modern Education

The first modern school in Korea was established in 1883. The education institute, Tongmunhak, was established in Seoul to mainly teach foreign languages to train interpreters.
In Wonsan, the Wonsan haksa was set up with support from the bureaucrats of the enlightenment school to teach foreign languages, geography, history and natural science. The government also established the Yukyong kongwon in Seoul and invited Homer Hulbert and other such Americans to instruct the sons of the Yangban in foreign languages, mathematics, natural sciences, history, government and other modern academic fields.
Western missionaries in Korea founded schools as a means of spreading their religion and engaged in educational activities. Henry Gerhart Appenzeller founded the Paechae haktang, Mary Scranton founded the Ewha haktang, Horace Grant Underwood founded the Kyongsin hakkyo, Ellia founded the Chongsin yohakkyo, and Horace N. Allen, chief physician to King Kojong, established a medical school called the Kwanghyewon to provide education along with clinical care.
The Western missionaries established schools and provided education in order to propagate Christianity and to train Christian workers. It is widely believed that a great contribution was made to the enlightenment movement through these contacts with modern education and thinking.
After the peasant movement, the government made various reforms in various fields including education. The government promulgated the Royal Edict on Education which urged the people to train themselves in intellectual, moral and physical faculties in order to become loyal subjects and patriotic citizens. In addition, it created a modern educational system, and established elementary schools, foreign language schools, middle schools, medical schools, military schools, in addition to agricultural, commercial and industrial schools. In this way, Korea turned out many young men and women possessing knowledge in modern academic fields.

(3) Induction of Modern Science and Technology

With the opening of the Korean ports, some Western ideas of scientific knowledge and technologies were accepted. In the medical field, Chi Sog-yong introduced vaccination methods and established a vaccination bureau in Chonju, Kongju and Taegu to improve public health.
There were developments in agricultural technology as well. An Chongsu blended our traditional farming methods with foreign farming technology and wrote a new farmer's handbook. The government established experimental agricultural and livestock farms in order to propogate new skills.
For the promotion of modern industrial technical training, various agencies were set up. In 1880, the government established a mechanical plant, a telegraph exchange, and a cocoonery, and civilians built textile plants, reeling factories, and ironworks. Telegraph lines were connected between Seoul, Inch'on and Uiju and a domestic set of codes were invented.
Such accommodations in modern science and technology were carried out even more actively by the Taehan Cheguk government. Telephones, electric lights, street cars and railroads were constructed and a new style of architecture such as the stone palace of Toksukung Palace was introduced.
However, since these modern facilities were made in order to accommodate foreign aggression into Korea, opposition movements began to spring up among the people.

(4) Expansion of Faith Movements

After the opening of the ports, social and economic changes as well as political suffering brought about a new awakening among the people and the various religious movements. In particular, the idea of Tonghak, which was created to counter the influence of Western religions, was widely propagated among suffering peasants and by early 1890. Its influence stretched throughout the entire nation.

Catholicism and Protestantism were at first prohibited, but with the signing of a treaty with France in 1886, the practice of these religions was permitted. Of course, there were many people who secretly practiced and believed in these faiths prior to the treaty. In particular, Catholicism, which was introduced to Choson 100 years before this time, had spread widely in spite of severe persecution. However, with enlightenment and concomitantly, the propogation of freedom of religion, many churches were established in Seoul and the countryside. Moreover, many missionaries arrived in Choson to engage in religious conversion as well as education and medical activities.
Tonghak and Christianity aided in spreading the concept of equality and raising a modern consciousness among the people. The Peasant War of 1894 was deeply influenced by the thoughts of Tonghak and the enlightenment movement was greatly influenced by Christianity. However, Christianity also played a role in drawing Western forces into Korea.

(5) Rise of the Ideology of Civil Rights

With the growth of enlightenment, awareness of human freedom and rights was heightened. In the premodern society, where there was a legal and socially rigid distinction between Yangbans and Sangnoms, civil rights for the people could not exist. However, from the latter period of Choson when the social status system began to crumble, the ideas of equality and freedom began to take root in Korea. These ideas were more actively pursued with the spread of Western and Tonghak thoughts.
The Independence Council was most ardent in its cries for civil rights. The Council combined the theories of the enlightenment thinkers and advocated the individual's right to live, freedom to own property, freedom of speech and assembly, and the people's rights of sovereignty and participation in government. They believed that in order to gain independence and establish a wealthy and powerful nation, the rights of the people would have to be improved first. These positions were strengthened in the process of the Japanese invasions of Choson and developed into the ideas of democratic republicanism, the belief that sovereignty rests with the people.

(6) Booming Media and Cultural Activities

The first newspaper published in our country was the Hansong Sunbo (1883).
The government, which was promoting its enlightenment policies, established and distributed the Pak Mun-guk in order to spread enlightenment ideas. The paper was first published in Chinese characters, but later, Han'gul articles were added to aid in the distribution of new knowledge. However, since it possessed the characteristics of an official gazette, it was not a profitable operation and ceased publication after five years.
Private citizens began to publish newspapers after the Independence Council was organized. The Independence Council, composed of enlightenment thinkers, printed the Independent in 1896 in pure Han'gul and thus, was widely read by the masses. It was full of editorials inspiring reform, introducing new knowledge and informing to the people of domestic and foreign affairs.
The Independent was published for three years but was dissolved due to government oppression. But afterwards, the Hwangsong Sinmun, Taehan Maeil-Sinbo, and Cheguk Sinmun were published and played important roles in denouncing Japanese aggression and inspiring patriotism. The enlightenment movement also influenced cultural activities. The new intellectuals did not stop with merely accepting Western teachings, but rearranged Korea's traditional culture as well. History books were printed in large numbers and new styles appeared in art and music. Many textbooks were also compiled in order to teach students in each school.