Many
American people misunderstand about Japan’s rule of Korea in 1910-1945. Korean says, it was "a dark era for Korea marked by violence and exploitation”. However, Japan’s rule of Korea was quite
different from it and from what European powers did in Asia and Africa. European powers colonized Asian and African countries and terribly mis-treated the people, but Japan's rule of Korean peninsula was annexation, which was desired by Korean realists (see chapter "The background of Japan-Korea Annexation"). The true dark era for Korea marked by violence and exploitation was Joseon dynasty (the former Korea before 1910) that lasted for 500 years.
In the PREFACE of a book entitled" The New Korea ( E. P. Dutton & Company, New York; 1926) " written by Alleyne Ireland, a British Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and leading expert on colonial policies in East Asia during the early 20th century, he wrote as follows:
" It is true that at the time Japan annexed Korea, in 1910, the actual conditions of life in the Peninsula were extremely bad. This was not due, however, to any lack of inherent intelligence and ability in the Korean race, but to the stupidity and corruption which for five hundred years had, almost continuously, characterized the government of the Korean dynasty, and to the existence during that period of a royal court which maintained throughout Korea a system of licensed cruelty and corruption.
Such was the
misrule under which the Koreans had suffered for generation after generation
that all incentive to industry, thrift, and social progress had been destroyed,
because none of the common people had been allowed to enjoy the fruits of their
own efforts."
(English/Japanese Bilingual, available at Amazon.co.jp)
While the people of the peninsula
have accused Japan of stealing Korean farmland, Ireland observes that the
government-general actually rented uncultivated state land to tenant farmers “on
easy terms” and, when their reclamation had been effected, transferred them “gratis
to the cultivators.” Ireland adds
that the government-general further assisted farmers to own cultivated lands “by
allowing the purchase price to be paid in ten annual installments,”
Rhee Yong-hoon (李榮薫), professor of
economic history at Seoul National University, South Korea, wrote The Story of
the Republic of Korea: Korean History Textbooks Must Be Rewritten （大韓民国の物語：韓国の「国史」教科書を書き換えよ）(Bungei
Shunju Ltd., Tokyo; 2009).
Prof. Rhee has scrutinized the
land issue. Closely examining Korean land registries, Rhee notes he has found
not a single case of plundering by the Japanese, concluding that land
acquisition in Korea was done “fairly” by the colonial regime.
On his part,
Ireland emphasizes that the land reform implemented by the Japanese was aimed
at helping poor tenant farmers, noting: “I have formed the opinion that Korea
today is infinitely better governed than it ever was under its own native
rulers, that it is better governed than most self-governing countries ... (the
government-general) having in view as well the cultural and economic
development of the people as the technique of administration.”
Population
Before Japan’s rule of Korea, Korea had been governed by Joseon dynasty (1392 - 1910) and extremely poor country. Small number of privileged people called “Yangban” occupied the most of the wealth and Yangban plagued the farmers, the majority of Koreans. During the Joseon dynasty era, the polulation of Korean peninsula decreased dramatically because of the tyranny. The population was 18.04 million in 1804, 13.13 million in 1910 when Japan started the governance. On the other hand, the population increased to 25.53 million in 1943.Infrastructure
Why?
It was because Japan spent so much money to develop Korea as a modern country
and aimed to make all Koreans happy. Indeed, slavery was abolished during
the governance by Japan. Japan compensated two third of governmental
expense of Korea and invested for infrastructure such as railroad,
hydroelectric power plant，sewer
system, caused industries, built hospitals and many others.
For railroad, Japan totally invested 250M yen that is equivalent to $75 Billion of present day money value. During the first 10 years of Japan’s rule, the area of agriculture field was increased nearly double. Korea’s expense to buy industrial products in 1914 was 73k yen, but increased to 2.5M yen in 1940, indicating the over 30-fold increase of economic strength of Korea during Japan’s rule.
For railroad, Japan totally invested 250M yen that is equivalent to $75 Billion of present day money value. During the first 10 years of Japan’s rule, the area of agriculture field was increased nearly double. Korea’s expense to buy industrial products in 1914 was 73k yen, but increased to 2.5M yen in 1940, indicating the over 30-fold increase of economic strength of Korea during Japan’s rule.
Education
The
education system in Korea before Japan-Korea annexation was poor. Only
16,000 children of Yangban families were learning at schools before Japan’s rule. Japan provided education to as many children as possible equally. In the end
of Japan’s rule in 1944, the number of schools was increased to 5,243
where 2.4 million children were learning. There was 150 -fold increase in
student number. Japan established even an imperial university for higher
education in Korea (in Taiwan as well).
At schools, both the Korean alphabet (Hangul) and Japanese were taught. Below is are pages of the textbook for
learning Hangul used in schools established by Japan in Korea during the
annexation. Anti-Japan Korean activist often say that Japan robbed Korean of their language, but it is not true.
Thus, during
Japan-Korea annexation, Korean’s education level became much higher and they
were able to read and write words of both Japanese and Hangul.
The economic strength was significantly increased. Korean accounted for 70% of police officers. There were also
many teachers at schools. I am not sure about how many but there were
the chief of a police station, judge, public prosecutor.
Korean-Japanese soldiers
According
to a documentation from the ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in ja.wiki, there were 126,047 Korean
military civilian employees and 116,294 Korean military men that included three
major general and six lieutenant general. In 1938-1943, totally
over 8 million Korean men applied for the enlistment to the Japanese armed
forces out of 25.5 million population in 1943. The recruited number of
military men in the 6 years was only 17,364.
The former
South Korean President, Park Chung-hee (朴
正煕, 1917-1979),
who is a father of the current President, Park Geun-hye (朴 槿惠), graduated Japanese Imperial Army Academy in Japan. After
graduating third in the class of 1944, Park was commissioned as a lieutenant in
Japan's elite Kwantung Army and
served during the final stages of World War II.
A lieutenant Park Chung-hee
Thus, Koreans
in Imperial Japanese military participated in WW2 as Japanese. Hong Sa-ik (洪思翊, lieutenant general) is one of the nine high-class（major
general or lieutenant general) Korean military officers in Japanese
Military.
Lieutenant general Hong Sa-ik
He was executed by a judge in post-war BC-class war-crime court. Like other >6,000 Japanese military men, 129 military men were punished for their war crime in BC-class war crime court after the war. 14 Korean military men were punished by death penalty.
He was executed by a judge in post-war BC-class war-crime court. Like other >6,000 Japanese military men, 129 military men were punished for their war crime in BC-class war crime court after the war. 14 Korean military men were punished by death penalty.
Family Name
Anti-Japan Korean activists often say that Japan robbed Korean of their family name, but it was not true. Many
Koreans adopted Japanese names in this era. However, Koreans were not forced to do so. There
was no law to force Koreans to adopt Japanese names. Lieutenant general Hong Sa-ik was one of those who did not adopt Japanese name at all. During the Japan-Korea annexation, Koreans were Japanese nationals, but many Koreans desired to adopt Japanese name, and that was what led Japan to allow Koreans to have Japanese names if they wished to.
Conclusion
If you
fairly review these historical facts, you would understand it is never likely
that Japan treated Koreans like Nazi’s treatment of Jew, but rather Japan
treated Koreans as Japanese so that both Japanese and Koreans can thrive
together under the severe international situation as described in Chapter 8-1 "The background of Japan-Korea Annexation". Of
course, it was a too big challenge and a mistake that Japan attempted to assimilates
another ethnic group in Japan.
Anyway, it
would be NEVER likely that Imperial Japanese military took a policy to
abduct Korean women and make them sex slaves. However, Korean students do
never have opportunities to learn at schools about good aspects of Japan’s rule of Korea and believe lies of comfort women issue.
(updated on Feb 14, 2016)
Refs:
Images of textbook used in schools of Korea during Japan-Korea annexation
(updated on Feb 14, 2016)
Refs:
Images of textbook used in schools of Korea during Japan-Korea annexation
PDF: A NEW LOOK AT THE ANNEXATION OF KOREA
Another side to Japanese-Korean history
Jan 30, 2006 The Japan Times
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