Gu Chun-Seon is an independence activist who represents the anti-Japanese movement of manchuria around the 1919 3?1 Independence Movement. As president of Korean National Association, a representative independence movement organization in North Gando, he was a figure who led the anti-Japanese movement in North Gando. Gu Chun-Seon was born in Onseong, Hamgyeongbukdo in 1860. He worked as chief gatekeeper at palace before moving to North Gando from 1878. He moved to Yianji, North Gando with his families in 1899 although he was a solider for the Korean Empire. After moving there, he accepted Christianity by Robert Grierson, missionary of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. He established a Yongjeongsi church in 1906 and helped with establishing Hapmadang Church in 1913. As shown above, he led in establishing an early Christian church in Yongjeong, North Gando and played a big role in spreading Christianity in North Gando. Christianity also exerted a big influence on his national movement and independence movement as well as formation of his national consciousness.
In late 1900s, the people in North Gando felt the necessity of an organization which would protect and educate them and show national competence as more and more Koreans were immigrating. As a result, Ganmin(people in North Gando) Educational Organization was formed in 1909 and he participated in establishing this organization. In 1911, he engaged in educational activities when he worked as assistant administrator of Gil-Dong Christian Village School erected by Lee Dong-Hui. In 1913, Ganminhoe, the first legal Koreans'' Self-Governing Unit was established. Gu Chun-Seon was one of the promoters of Ganminhoe and also undertook the position of head of branch. As seen above, he consolidated his position as national leader in North Gando and expanded his influence.
Independence demonstration began in Seoul on Mar. 1, 1919, followed by 3·13 movement in Yongjeong, North Gando. He planed 3·1 movement in Yongjeong with the nationalist leaders of North Gando and led demonstration movement with immigrated Koreans. He took the position of president of the Korean Independence Preparatory Association organized after then and simultaneously led the 3·1 movement in North Gando.
On April 1919, he became the president of the Korean National Association that succeeded the Korean Independence Preparatory Association. Korean National Association was the representative independence movement organization in North Gando together with Bukrogunjeongseo(armored unit for independence movement). As president of the Korean National Association, he sent a petition, warning, etc to the Chinese Government for carrying on negotiations with China and exerted an excellent ability in such negotiating activities. He determined that performing independence movement in North Gando required cooperation from the Chinese Government. This is why he stressed that both Chinese people and Koreans should join forces to resist against Japanese imperialism because Japan was the common enemy of them. He also maintained in Proprium that many independence movement organizations in North Gando should unite together to perform more effective independence movement. In such an effort to unite the independence movement organizations in North Gando, General Management Division(called as Chongpanbu) that combined many small organizations in North Gando in Oct. 1920 was organized. He was appointed as head of the Chongpanbu.
After Battle of Qingshanli, he moved to Russia to avoid the Japanese attack and returned to Manchuria when Free City Disaster happened in June, 1921. Then he joined Goryeo Communist Party, a communism based independence movement organization. In Dec, 1921, he organized Integrated Division(called as Chonghapbu), an independence movement organization and worked as the head of the Chonghapbu. Although he committed himself to national movement and independence movement in North Gando, he returned to Wangcheng District, North Gando and spent the remainder of his life in engaging in religious activities around churches. In 1944, his life ended in Wangcheng District.