Namgung Eok (1863–1939) was a significant figure during the Korean Empire and Japanese colonial period, serving as a journalist, educator, and independence activist. His family origin was from Hamyeol, and he went by the names Chiman (Chi-man) and Hanseo (Han-seo). In 1896, he co-founded the Independence Club with Seo Jae-pil, playing a leading role in the independence movement. In 1898, he founded the *Hwangseong Newspaper*, using it to promote public enlightenment and support the independence movement.
Namgung consistently published articles advocating for Korea’s independence and resisting Japan’s imperial ambitions, leading to multiple imprisonments and torture. In 1907, he established the Hyeonsan School in Yangyang to educate the youth and continued to lead patriotic enlightenment movements as the president of the Korean Association in 1908.
Notably, he promoted the national flower, the *Mugunghwa* (Rose of Sharon), across the country, fostering national spirit. He also composed patriotic hymns and distributed them to schools and churches, further contributing to the independence cause through education and culture. In 1933, he organized a secret Christian independence group called the *Cross Party*, but was arrested by Japanese authorities and tortured, leading to his death in 1939 due to the injuries he sustained. In 1977, he was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Independence Medal).
