A New Controversy over Korea’s Modernization during the Colonial Period Viewed from a Perspective of the Regional Agricultural History
Journal Title: International Journal of Korean History - Year 2013, Vol 18, Issue 1
Abstract
In his recently published book Ilche ch’ogi Chosǂn ǎi nongǂp [Agriculture of Chosǂn (Joseon) during the Early Days of Japanese Colonial Period], Huh Sooyoul (Hǂ Suyǂl) focuses on Korea’s agriculture in the 1910s. He criticizes those who hold the view that the country’s agriculture developed during the colonial period (i.e. that colonial rule contributed to the modernization of the colony).1 He points out that the estimation made for the 1910s by ‘those with a view that Japanese colonial rule contributed to the modernization of Chosǂn’ (“the colonial rule supporters” hereinafter) is overblown, like the estimation made by Mizoguchi Toshiyuki (㡠ㆧ㗖㸁).2 The colonial rule supporters noted the trend of “straight sharp growth” in the 1911-1918 period, i.e. the early colonial period. Huh Sooyoul questions, “Was there really a special reason for such rapid growth of the Korean economy?”3 He says that the level of the country’s agricultural production in the 1911-1918 period should be underestimated by extending the trend line to the 1918-1926 period.
Authors and Affiliations
Seungjin Chung
Keywords
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