In this study, we explored how manganese affects carbonaceous phase in the high-temperature pyrolysis so that how it affects the mechanism of persulfate activation different from other materials. To systematically understand the structure-activity relationships between metal-carbon reactions and persulfate activation performance and their reaction mechanisms, this study explores the efficiency and the mechanism of persulfate activation on configuration of Mn and carbon source which was synthesized via two step pyrolysis. As a result of material characterization, the carbon phase changed according to the manganese content in Mn-N-C. Compared with benchmarking carbonaceous activators, Mn-N-C is capable of degrading 4-CP efficiently regardless of the persulfate type (both peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and peroxydisulfate (PDS)) to a similar degree with high chemical stability. Oxidation by persulfate activated with Mn-N-C did not involve sulfate radical attack, and no radical signal detected via electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). In addition, the decomposition pattern of organic compounds, which are indicators of radical systems, and in the indicator test of high-valent metal, so confirming that it is a non-radical system. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analysis demonstrated the carbon phase transfer by Mn enables electrical conductivity to decrease and interfacial electron transfer.