He became involved in the power struggle that enveloped North Korea in the months following the Japanese surrender after World War II.

Cho intended the Society to be a national movement supported by all religious organizations and social groups, particularly ordinary Koreans.

[3] Due to the Korean Products Promotion Society, his strong non-violent resistance, and leading by example rather than political or social authority, Cho gained respect even from critics, and earned himself the title "Gandhi of Korea".

[9] Despite this record, his encouragement of Korean student enlistment in the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces earned him a mixed reputation with some of his fellow nationalists.

[15] When the Soviet Civil Administration arrived in Pyongyang following the Japanese surrender they hoped they could influence Cho Man-sik.

Cho was at this time the most popular leader in Pyongyang due mainly to his constant resistance to the Japanese and his formation of the Korean Products Promotions Society.

At the beginning it was intended to turn into an authentic political organization of the nationalist right with the aim to bring about a democratic society after Japanese occupation.

Choi Yong-kun was a guerrilla soldier who served in the 88th brigade of the Soviet Union, and was a friend of Kim Il Sung.

[23] He stood in the 1948 vice-presidency election, but by then the Communist influence in the country's affairs was too strong, and he was unsuccessful, receiving only 10 votes from the National Assembly.

[24] Cho is generally believed to have been executed along with other political prisoners during the early days of the Korean War, possibly in October 1950.

[6] Cho's removal opened the way for Kim Il Sung to consolidate his power in the north, a position he was able to hold for 48 years until his death in 1994.

[26] Cho Man-sik, Gye-Jun Ryu, Kim Dong-won, and Oh Yun-seon are cited as the pillars of the Sanjunghyun Church in Pyongyang.