Lara Alhaj, 3.

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KOREA UNDER JAPANESE RULE (1910. -1945.)

War has been an institution that has been associated with mankind since its creation. It is
mans nature to covet his neighbor for mans thirst can never be quenched by his own
possessions. He must have his neighbors possessions as well. Hence, the institution of war
was created as a solution to this problem. What we dont have, we fight for, and we have
become all too efficient in the destruction of man as a way of satisfying our greed. Although it
is the policy of many governments to use war as a last resort, it is too often the case that war
is a conflicts first resort. The purpose of war cannot be to achieve peace because the
aftermath of any war leaves one side, if not both, holding a grudge against the other for
decades to come.
The purpose of all war is peace. Saint Augustine

Too many times during the course of history has a group of peoples been brutally mistreated by
the hands of another nation. Korea, under Japanese rule, faced such atrocities as well. When a
nation conquers another nation, morals aside, taking advantage of the financial and economic
aspects of the conquered county is one of the benefits that the invading nation gets to enjoy.
Japan did just that. Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945) was a deeply ambivalent experience for
Koreans and during this period Korea underwent drastic changes.Almost sixty years after Korea
was granted independence from Japanese rule as a result of World War II, the resentment and
bitterness towards Japan continues even today in Korea and is passed on from generation to
generation. Was Japans colonization of Korea brutal, or did it shape Korea into the high-tech,
modern county it is today?

BEFORE:
Japan-Korea Treaty of 1876
The newly modernized government of Meiji Japan sought to join the colonizing effort of Western
governments, who during the late 18th to late 19th centuries used new approaches to intercede
in and influence the political and economic riches of Asian countries, using terms such as
protectorate, concession and sphere of influence. With that the Seikanron or the
advocacy of a punitive expedition to Korea began in 1873. At the time, Japan felt that Koreas
political and social actions portrayed a sense of arrogance toward Japan. Another problem was
Koreas refusal to recognize the legitimacy of Emperor Meiji as ruler of Japan. Those in favor
also saw the issue as an opportunity to find meaningful employment for the thousands of out-
of-work samurai.
Destabilization of Korea may be said to have begun in the period of Sedo Jeongchi whereby, at
the death of King Jeongjo of Joseon, the 10-year-old Sunjo of Joseon ascended the Korean
throne, with the true power of the administration with his regent, Kim Jo-sun. As a result, the
disarray and blatant corruption in the Korean government, particularly in the three main areas
of revenues (land tax, military service, and the state granary system) heaped additional
hardship on the peasantry. Faced with increasing corruption in the government and abuse by
the military, many poor village folk sought to pool their resources, such as land, tools, and
production, to survive.
Three years after the Seikanron, on 27 February 1876, the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1876, also
know in Japan as the Japanese-Korea Treaty of Amity was signed. It was supposed to open up
Korea to Japanese trade, but the treaty ended Koreas status as a protectorate of China,
granted extraterritorial rights to Japanese citizens, forced open three Korean ports to Japanese
trade and was an unequal treaty signed under threats. As a result of the treaty, Japanese
merchants came to Busan, which became the center for foreign trade and commerce.

Donghak Revolution and First Sino-Japanese War

The outbreak of the Donghak peasant revolution in 1894 provided an excuse for direct military
intervention by Japan in the affairs of Korea. In April 1894, the Korean government asked for
Chinese assistance in ending the Donghak peasant revolt, and in response, Japanese
leadersdecided upon military intervention to confront China. On May 3, 1894, Qing forces
appeared inIncheon. On the same day, Japanese forces also landed in Incheon, producing the
Sino-Japanese War.Japan won the First Sino-Japanese War, and China signed the Treaty of
Shimonoseki in 1895. Among its many of itsterms, the treaty recognized "the full and complete
independence and autonomy of Korea", therefore ending Korea's tributary relationship with the
Chinese Qing dynasty, leading to the proclamation of full independence of Joseon Korea in
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1895. Simultaneously, Japan suppressed the Donghak revolution with Korean government
forces. With the exception of czarist Russia, Japan now held military predominance in Korea.

In October 1897, the Korean Empire was proclaimed to be founding and throughout this period,
the Korean government led a westernization policy. However, it was not an enduring reform.

Russo Japanese War (1904-1905)

As Russia began to become a threat to Japan in its foothold in the peninsula, Japanese
sentiment towards enlightening Korea began to grow and Japan saw itself as having to
protect Korea from foreign countries, insuring her independence and the mutual profit of Japan
and Korea. During the Russo-Japanese, Korea became one of the key reasons for it.After the
war,the Korean government first declared neutrality, but under Japanese pressure it signed an
agreement allowing Japan to use much of its territory for military operations against the
Russians. After the victory of Japan, the resulting Treaty of Portsmouthgranted Japan undisputed
supremacy in Korea. Japan forced the Korean emperor into signing a treaty that made Korea a
Japanese protectorate, as well as giving itself control over Korea's foreign relations and external
matters (November 1905).

Prelude to annexation
After the treaty, they slowly took over the internal affairs. On July 19, 1907, Emperor Gojong
was foreced to relinquish his imperial authority, which forced his son to take the throne. Japan
pressured him to abdicate three years later, after which they started the formal annexation of
Korea.

DURING:
Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty (1910)
In May 1910, the Minister of War of Japan was given a mission to finalize Japanese control over
Korea after the previous treaties had made Korea a protectorate of Japan and had established
Japanese hegemony over Korean domestic politics. On 22 August 1910, Japan
effectively annexed Korea with the JapanKorea Treaty of 1910 signed byYe Wanyong, Prime
Minister of Korea, and Terauchi Masatake, who became the first JapaneseGovernor-General of
Korea.With an official stamp of approval, Japan acquired Korea without a shot. The treaty
became operative the same day and was published one week later. The treaty specified:

Article 1: His Majesty the Emperor of Korea concedes completely and definitely his
entire sovereignty over the whole Korean territory to His Majesty the Emperor of Japan.

Article 2: His Majesty the Emperor of Japan accepts the concession stated in the
previous article and consents to the annexation of Korea to the Empire of Japan.

This period is also known as Military Police Reign Era (191019) in which Police had the
authority to rule the entire country. Japan was in control of the media, law as well as
government by physical power and regulations. Since Japan ruled directly through the military,
any Korean dissent was ruthlessly crushed.

PRE-WORLD WAR II

Migration and land ownership

One of the first items of nusiness was a survey of Korean land. Numerous Japenese came to
Korea to farm and to fish its bountiful waters. By 1910, the number of Japanese settlers in
Korea reached over 170,000, generating the largest overseas Japanese community in the world
at the time. Simultaneously, high taxes and fixed crop prices forced thousands of Korean
farmers to move to Manchuria or relocate to Japan as laborers.

Many Japanese settlers were interested in acquiring agricultural land in Korea even before
Japanese land ownership was officialy legalized in 1906. Governor-General Terauchi Masatake
facilitated settlement through land reform, which initially proved popular amongs the Korean
population. He reestablished ownership by basis of written proof, and it was denied to those
who could not provide such written documentation. Since the Korean land ownership system
before that was a system of mostly traditional ownership with no legal proof whatsoever, many
Korean landowners as well as agricultural workers, became tenant farmers, having lost their
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entitlements almost overnight. The landowners were mostly Japanese, while the tenants were
all Koreans. As was also often the case in Japan itself, tenants were forced to pay over half their
crop as rent, forcing many to send wives and daughters into factories or prostitution so they
could pay taxes.

But it wasn't all bad, since the big business and semi governmental organizations established a
near monopoly on commerce, industry and mining, there was significant progress in
agriculture, energy, transportation and communication systems, monetary control, and
commercial distribution. Nonetheless, it was all for the benefit of the Japanese and to facilitate
their conquest of Asia.

Military control
Japan set up a government in Korea with the governor-generalship filled by generals or
admirals appointed by the Japanese emperor. The Koreans were deprived of freedom of
assembly, association, the press, and speech.In 1907, the Japanese government delivered the
Newspaper Law which effectively prevented the publication of local papers. For the first decade
of colonial rule, therefore, there were no Korean-owned newspapers whatsoever (although
books were steadily printed and there were several dozen Korean-owned magazines).A big
number of the private schools were closed because they did not meet certain arbitrary
standards. The Japanese used their own school system as a tool for assimilating Korea to Japan,
placing primary emphasis on teaching the Japanese language and excluding from the
educational curriculum such subjects as Korean language and Korean history. They also
promoted Japanese commerce in Korea while barring Koreans from similar activities.

The March First Movement

A turning point in Korea's resistance movement came on March 1, 1919, when nationwide anti-
Japanese rallies were staged upon Emperor Gojong's death. A Korean Decleration of
Independance was read in Seoul. Waves of students and citizens took to the streets and
demanded independance, estimating to two million people taking part. It took the form of
peaceful demonstrations, appealing to the conscience of the Japanese, who responded with
brutal repression, unleashing their army, navy and gendarmerie units to suppres the
demonstrations. They arrested around 47,000 Koreans, of whom 10,500 were indicated, while
around 7,500 were killed and 16,000 wounded.

After subdual of the uprising, some features of Japanese rule considered most objectionable to
Koreans were removed. The military police was replaced by a civilian force, and freedom of the
press was permitted to a limited extent. Two of the three major Korean daily newspapers,
the Dong-a Ilbo and theChosun Ilbo, were established in 1920. They spoke the loudest for
Korean people and inspired them with the ideals of patriotism and democracy. Objection to
Japanese rule over Korea continued, and the March First Movement was a catalyst for the
establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea by Korean migrs in
Shanghai on 13 April 1919.

Within Korea, these anti-Japanese rallies continued on occasion. Most markedly, the Gwangju
Students Anti-Japanese Movement on 3 November 1929 which led to the firming of Japanese
military rule in 1931, after which freedom of the press and freedom of expression were curbed.
Many witnesses reported that Japanese authorities dealt with the rebellion severely. When
villagers were suspected of hiding rebels, entire village populations are said to have been
herded into public buildings and massacred when the buildings were set on fire.Such events
intensified the resentment of many Korean civilians towards the Japanese government.

WORLD WAR II
National Mobilization Law

Deportation of forced labor

Korean migration had noticably increased after World War I and enhanced after 1930. In 1939,
there were 981,000 Koreans living in Japan as immigrants.

From 1939, labor shortages as a result of recruitment of Japanese males for the military efforts
of World War II led to organized official recruitment of Koreans to work in Japan. As the labor
shortage increased, by 1942, the Japanese authorities extended the provisions of theNational
Mobilization Lawto include the conscription of Korean workers for factories and mines on the
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Korean peninsulaand the involuntary relocation of workers to Japan itself as needed. Those who
were brought to Japan were often foreced to work under horrifying and hazardous conditions.
Koreans were apparently treated better than were laborers from other countries. Nonetheless,
their work hours, medical care and food were such that large numbers died.

Most Korean atomic-bomb victims in Japan were enlisted for work at military industrial factories
in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.On behalf of humanitarian support, Japan paid South Korea four
billion yen and built a welfare center for those suffering from the effects of the atomic bomb.

Korean service in the military

Japan did not draft ethnic Koreans into its military until 1944 when the current of WW II turned
calamitous. Until 1944, enlistment in theImperial Japanese Armyby ethnic Koreans was
voluntary, and highly competitive. Starting in 1944, Japan started therecruitmentof Koreans
into the armed forces. All Korean males were enlisted to either join the Imperial Japanese Army,
as of April 1944, or work in the military industrial sector, as of September 1944.The number of
recruited Koreans reached its peak in 1944 in preparation for war. During World War II,
American soldiers frequently encountered Korean soldiers within the ranks of the Imperial
Japanese Army. Most remarkably was in theBattle of Tarawa, which was considered during that
time to be one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. military history. A fifth of the Japanese stronghold
during this battle consisted of Korean laborers who were trained in combat roles. Like their
Japanese colleagues, they put up a vicious defense and fought to death.

AFTER:
Independence and division of Korea
Following the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the awaiting overrun
of the Korean peninsula by Russian forces, Japan surrendered to the Allied forces on 15 August
1945, ending 35 years of Japanese occupation. Upon surrender, Koreans took off their Japanese
clothes and appeared in Korean clothes and Japanese shrines were torn down and burned.

Russian troops entered Pyongyang on August 24, where they were welcomed by cheering
crowds. However some troops began to rob and rape the citizens. American forcesarrived at
the southern part of the Korean Peninsula on 8 September 1945, while the Soviet Army and
some Korean Communists had stationed themselves in the northern part of the Korean
Peninsula. The country was divided into zones of occupation by the Americas and Soviets,but
various individuals and organizations across the political spectrumclaimed to speak for an
independent Korean government. The Soviets and Americans failed to reach an agreement on a
unified Korean government. U.S. ColonelDean Ruskproposed to Chischakov, the Soviet military
administrator of northern Korea, that Korea should be split at the38th parallel. This proposal
was made at an emergency meeting to determine postwarspheres of influence, which led to
thedivision of Korea.

INFLUENCE:
Order to change names
Efforts were made to introduce the modern household registration system. In 1911, the
proclamation "Matter Concerning the Changing of Korean Names" was issued banning ethnic
Koreans from taking Japanese names and to retroactively revert the names of Koreans who had
already registered under Japanese names back to the original Korean ones. By 1939, however,
this position was reversed and Japan's focus had shifted towards cultural assimilation of the
Korean people, whereby ethnic Koreans were forced to surrender their Korean family
names and adopt Japanese surnames.

After the liberation of Korea from Japanese rule, the "Name Restoration Order" was issued on
23 October 1946 by theUnited States Army Military Government in Koreasouth of the 38th
parallel, enabling Koreans to restore their names if they wished. ManyKoreans in Japanchose to
retain their Japanese names, either to avoid discrimination, or later, to meet the requirements
for naturalization as Japanese citizens.
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Economy and modernization

By the time of the Japanese surrender in August 1945, Korea was the second-most
industrialized nation in Asia after Japan itself.

Japan's initial colonial policy was to increase agricultural production in Korea to meet Japan's
growing need for rice. Japan also began to build large-scale industries in Korea in the 1930s as
part of the empire-wide program of economic self-sufficiency and war preparation.The Japanese
government created a system of colonial mercantilism, requiring construction of
significant transportation infrastructure on the Korean Peninsula for the purpose of extracting
and exploiting resources.Theyalso developed port facilities and an extensive railway system
which included a main trunk railway from the southern port city of Pusan through the capital of
Seoul and north to the Chinese border.

The phenomenal development rate of economic output in terms of agriculture, fishery, forestry
and industry increased by tenfold from 1910 to was unexpected even by the Japanese. The
economic develepment model the Japanese instituted played the crucial role in Korean
economic development, a model that was maintained by the Koreans in the post-World War II
era. Therefore, the economic development during the colonial period can be said to have laid
the foundation for future growth in several respects.

Education
Following the annexation of Korea, the Japanese administration introduced a free public
education system modeled after the Japanese school systemwith a pyramidal hierarchy of
elementary, middle and high schools.

The public curriculum for most of the period was taught by Korean educators under a hybrid
system focused on assimilating Koreans into the Japanese empire while emphasizing Korean
cultural education. Integration of Korean students in Japanese language schools and Japanese
students in Korean language schools was discouraged but steadily increased over time. Korean
history and language studies would be taught side by side with Japanese history and language
studies. While official policy promoted equality between ethnic Koreans and ethnic Japanese,
in practice this was rarely the case.

Towards the end of Japanese rule, Korea saw elementary school attendance at 38 percent. The
Japanese education system ultimately produced hundreds of thousands of educated South
Koreans who later became "the core of the postwar political and economic elite."Korea saw
true, democratic rise in public education as evidenced by the rise of adult literacy rate from 22
percent in 1945 to 87.6 percent by 1970 and 93% by the late 1980s.

Though free public education was made available for elementary schools during Japanese rule,
Korea as a country did not experience secondary-school enrollment rates comparable to those
of Japan prior to the end of World War II.

Policies for the Korean language

In the initial phase of Japanese rule, students were taught in Korean in public schools founded
by ethnic Korean officials who worked for the colonial government. While prior to this schools in
Korea had used mostly Hanja, during this time Korean came to be written in a mixed Hanja
Korean script, where most verbal roots were written in Hanja and grammatical forms in Korean
script.

In 1921, government efforts were fortified to endorse Korean media and literature throughout
Korea and also in Japan. The Japanese government also created motivations to educate ethnic
Japanese students in the Korean language.As a response, the Korean Language Society was
created by ethnic Koreans. In 1928, as the assimilation policy began to rise, the first Hangul
Day (October 9) was celebrated to commemorate the Korean alphabet.
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Comfort women
Withthe Japanese push into China in the late 1930s, Korea was used as a staging point for
military activities. Crops were taken to feed troops and Korean boys were drafted. Others were
taken to serve in fields and factories in other parts of the growing Japanese empire, and young
women were forced into service as prostitutes ("comfort women"). Comfort women, who served
in Japanese military brothels as a form ofsexual slavery, came from all over the Japanese
empire. They numbered somewhere from 10,000 to 200,000, and they included an unknown
number of Koreans. However, Korean males serving in Japanese army used the comfort station
just as the Japanese did during World War II. Comfort women were often recruited from rural
locales with the promise of factory employment; business records, often from Korean
subcontractees of Japanese companies, showed them falsely classified as nurses or secretaries.

TODAY'S PROBLEMS:
Despite the removal of Japans military and old regime, tension between the two nations still
exist as shown by Koreas refusal to allow the distribution and presentation of any Japanese
culture, such as music and entertainment, as well as levying a heavy tax on Japanese cars to
prevent sales.
Japan, on the other hand, refuses to change the textual content of the history books distributed
to the students in its country, which in Koreas opinion contains inefficient as well as incorrect
information about the atrocities that Japan had committed during its colonization of Korea.

Apologies and attempts to improve relations have both been made and yet nothing seems to
be making much of an impact in helping to bridge friendlier relations between the two
countries.

Korean Perception of the Japanese

For most Koreans, perceptions toward the Japanese are contradictory. On one hand, Koreans
view Japan highly, based on their economic performance and social stability. On the other hand,
the images of Japanese colonization are still relatively fresh in their minds and upbringing.
Koreans percieve the Japanese as diligent and unified, while at the same time calculating
and egoistic.

History books
One of the most debated issues hindering the advancing of relations between Korea and Japan
is the controversy on the history books distributed to Japanese students in school. South Korea
asked Japan to revise 35 textbook passages because Korea felt that the writers merely polished
over and whitewashed the atrocities committed during Japans colonial rule of the Korean
Peninsula. In its review of the Japanese text books, South Korea felt that Japan had neglected to
mention in any detail the atrocities Koreans faced under Japanese rule, especially comfort
women and forced labor. As a response to Koreas demands, Japan informed Seoul that it
would only revise two of the 35 passages.
***

Japan first thought of sanitation, education, and infrasturcture in its colonies. By ignoring facts
as Koreans also being involved in the ugly parts of the annexation such asthe comfort women,
Korea has enjoyed a moral arrogance through a moral superiority over Japan. In comparison to
some other colonies or wars, Japan's rule of Korea was moderate. Nonetheless, we musn't
say that it was okay for them to do that. No war or oppresion is acceptable or should be done.
Koreans taking part in the atrocities committed doesn't make it more passable. Korea didn't live
under the most ruthless colonial rule ever known in history, however, that doesn't make the
current scars, the death of millions of lives and bitter rivalry amongst nations lessunnecessary.