Korea under Japanese rule

Korea under Japanese rule
source
Conventional long name	Korea under Japanese rule
Native name	日本統治時代の朝鮮, 일제강점기
Era	Empire of Japan
Status	Dependency
Life span	1910–1945
Event start	Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910
Date start	August 29
Year start	1910
Event end	Surrender of Japan
Date end	August 15
Year end	1945
P1	Korean Empire
Flag p1	Flag of Korea (1882–1910).svg
S1	Soviet Civil Administration
Flag s1	Flag of the Soviet Union (1923–1955).svg
S2	United States Army Military Government in Korea
Symbol type	Imperial Seal
Image map caption	Map of the Korean Peninsula in 1927.
Capital	Keijō (Seoul)
Common languages	Japanese (official), Korean
Title leader	Emperor
Leader1	Emperor Meiji
Year leader1	1910–1912
Leader2	Emperor Taishō
Year leader2	1912–1926
Leader3	Emperor Shōwa
Year leader3	1926–1945
Title representative	Governor-General
Representative1	Terauchi Masatake
Year representative1	1910–1916
Representative2	Nobuyuki Abe
Year representative2	1944–1945
Currency	Korean yen

Korea under Japanese rule was a period when the Korean Peninsula was administered as part of the Empire of Japan from 1910 to 1945. This era followed the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905, which made Korea a protectorate, and was formalized by the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910. The period was marked by significant political control, economic restructuring, and cultural policies aimed at assimilation, ending with Japan's defeat in World War II.

Background and annexation

The path to annexation began with Imperial Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War, which solidified its regional dominance. Through the Eulsa Treaty, brokered by Itō Hirobumi, Korea became a protectorate. Following the forced abdication of Emperor Gojong and the assassination of Itō Hirobumi by An Jung-geun, Japan moved to formalize control. The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, signed under duress by Prime Minister Lee Wan-yong and Resident-General Terauchi Masatake, completed the annexation. This action was not recognized by the Korean Provisional Government and many international observers.

Japanese colonial administration

Administration was centralized under the office of the Governor-General of Korea, headquartered in Keijō (modern Seoul). Early governors-general, like Terauchi Masatake and Hasegawa Yoshimichi, were military officers who ruled with a strong garrison presence. The imperial dynastic system was dissolved, and the Japanese Korean Army maintained order. The legal framework, including the Public Order and Police Law, restricted political freedom. Infrastructure projects, such as those by the South Manchuria Railway, were implemented, but political power was exclusively held by Japanese officials.

Economic exploitation and development

The colonial economy was restructured to serve Japan's industrial needs. The Oriental Development Company played a key role in land surveys that led to widespread dispossession of Korean farmers, with many lands transferred to Japanese corporations or settlers. Major infrastructure, including the Gyeongbu Line railway and ports at Busan and Incheon, facilitated resource extraction. Industrial growth was concentrated in northern areas like Hamhung and Hungnam, focusing on chemicals and heavy industry for the Japanese war effort, while southern regions remained largely agricultural.

Cultural suppression and assimilation

Policies aimed at eradicating Korean national identity intensified, especially after the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The use of the Korean language was suppressed in education and official settings in favor of Japanese. The Chōsen Shrine was erected in Seoul, and Koreans were pressured to adopt Japanese names through the Sōshi-kaimei policy. Historical studies and media were controlled by institutions like the Government-General of Chōsen, and traditional Korean cultural practices were often discouraged or banned.

Korean resistance and independence movement

Resistance took many forms, from peaceful protest to armed struggle. The March 1st Movement of 1919 was a major nationwide protest, leading to the establishment of the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai. Armed resistance continued via groups like the Korean Liberation Army and independence fighters such as Kim Gu and Ahn Changho. Activists like Yu Gwan-sun became symbols of the movement. Externally, efforts were made to gain international support at venues like the Paris Peace Conference.

End of Japanese rule and legacy

Japanese rule ended abruptly with the Surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. The Korean Peninsula was then divided at the 38th parallel north into the Soviet Civil Administration in the north and the United States Army Military Government in Korea in the south. The period left a complex legacy of economic infrastructure, deep social trauma, and unresolved historical issues, such as the status of comfort women and forced laborers, which continue to affect relations between South Korea, North Korea, and Japan.

Category:20th century in Korea Category:Former Japanese colonies Category:History of Korea