Draft Japanese Colonial Period
| Title | Japanese Colonial Period (1910-1945) |
|---|---|
| Author | Lyndsey Twining |
| Actor | King Gojong, Queen Min, King Sunjong, foreign missionaries |
| Place | Gyeongseong(present-day Seoul), Seodaemun Prison |
| Event | Sino-Japanese War, Japan-Korea Treaty of 1905, Annexation Treaty of 1910. March 1st Movement, World War II |
| Concept | Unit 731, Shinto, comfort women, Korean Empire, Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, United States, Soviet Union, China |
| Object | Governor-General's Building, Gwanghwamun Gate, Korean Declaration of Independence |
Leading up to the annexation, Japan had been surreptitiously making plans for colonization for over 30 years, beginning with the unfair and forced treaty making Korea open its ports in 1876. In the 1890s, Japan made China sever its relationship with Korea following the Sino-Japanese War, assassinated of Queen Min, forced the Korean Empire into debt, and sent spies to map the country to facilitate quicker implementation of colonial infrastructure upon annexation. Korea was declared a protectorate of Japan in the Eulsa Treaty (Treaty of 1905), which was not signed by King Gojong himself, but rather five Korean ministers who were forced to do so at the threat of death. Korea was fully annexed in 1910, via a treaty that was again not signed by King Sunjong, but a pro-Japanese minister who stole the royal seal.
Upon annexation, Japan began the rapid industrialization of Korea for the purposes of extracting resources, destroying over 90% of major cultural heritages like the city walls and gates as well as palace buildings in the process[1]. A key symbol of such desecration was the Governor-General's Building, which was built on the site of Gwanghwamun Gate, the main gate of the official palace of the Joseon Dynasty. Other cultural artifacts were taken to Japan, over 30,000 of which remain there today[2]. Industrialization led to a population boom along with urbanization around Seoul, although its economic benefits were largely restricted to the Japanese and pro-Japan collaborators. The colonial government defacto forced Koreans to take Japanese names, suppressed Korean-language media, and suppressed Korean culture. People were also forced to worship at Shinto shrines, and those who refused, including foreign missionaries, were deported. During World War II, the Japanese forced Koreans into labor, including as comfort women, who were sex slaves for the Japanese military. Koreans also were experimented on and died in Unit 731, a secret military medical experimentation unit. After World War II, Japanese were forced to surrender the Korean territory, which was temporarily divided between the United States and the Soviet Union along the 38th parallel.
Throughout the occupation, Koreans engaged in many efforts for independence. Prior to Korea's annexation, ordinary citizens started the National Debt Repayment Movement in an attempt to pay back the debts Japan had forced on Korea. The most famous independence movement began on March 1, 1919, when the Korean Declaration of Independence was signed by 33 activists. Following this declaration, over 2,000,000 Koreans participated in more than 1,500 independence demonstrations[3]. The movement was met with harsh suppression,with tens of thousands killed, injured, or arrested sent without trial to the Seodaemun Prison. It was also at this time the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was established, a government in exile which moved around various cities in China throughout the remaining duration of the occupation.
Glossary
- Places
- Gyeongseong (capital during the occupation; present-day Seoul)
- Seodaemun Prison
- Events
- Concepts
- Related States
Media
Further Reading
Editor's Worksheet
Issues to Resolve
- Are there issues with tone?
- References for numbers??
Media to be Produced
- Building of Infrastructure (경부선 등)
- Changes to Gyeongseong
- Movement of the Provisional Government
- Sino-Japanese War
Samples
Center for International Affairs, Korea in the World, Academy of Korean Studies, 2015, p.11.
March 1st Movement
The dawn of the modern era did not bode well for the Korean Peninsula. During the first rumblings of Japanese imperialism, Japan annexed Korea in 1910, and the Korean people struggled hard to regain their sovereignty.
On March 1, 1919, the Korean Declaration of Independence, which was signed by 33 prominent Korean leaders, was announced. This precipitated a national uprising against the Japanese occupation, and political and armed resistance occurred both at home and abroad. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was established in Shanghai, China.
Korean Culture and Information Service, Facts about Korea, Korean Culture and Information Service, 2009, pp.31-32.
Japanese Occupation and Independence Movement
In the 19th century, Korea remained a "Hermit Kingdom," adamantly opposed to Western demands for diplomatic and trade relations. Over time, a few Asian and European countries with imperialistic ambitions competed with each other for influence over the Korean Peninsula. Japan, after winning wars against China and Russia, forcibly annexed Korea and instituted colonial rule in 1910.
Colonial rule stimulated the patriotism of Koreans. Korean intellectuals were infuriated by Japan's official assimilation policy, which even banned Korean-language education in Korean schools. On March 1, 1919, a peaceful demonstration calling for independence spread nationwide. The Japanese authorities ruthlessly repressed the demonstrators and their supporters, slaughtering thousands.
Although it failed, the March 1 Independence Movement created strong bonds of national identity and patriotism among Koreans. The movement led to the establishment of a Provisional Government in Shanghai, China, as well as an organized armed struggle against the Japanese colonists in Manchuria. The Independence Movement is still commemorated among Koreas every March 1, which is designated a national holiday.
During the colonial period, Japan's economic exploitation of Korea continued. The lives of Koreans deteriorated under colonial rule until the end of World War II in 1945.
- Korea in the Imperial Era and Japanese Occupation - about.com
- Korea as a Colony of Japan, 1910-1945 - Asia for Educators (Columbia University)
- History - Colonial Period, 1910-1945 (K. Wells) - Encyclopaedia of Korea, p. 518-529
