In this blog post, we will look at whether the Japanese colonial period contributed to the development of Korea or whether it only left a deep scar from various perspectives.
From the 19th to the 20th century, several European powers, the United States, and Japan expanded their empires by colonizing other countries. These powers pursued their own interests through colonial rule, and during that time, Joseon, the predecessor of Korea, was also invaded by the Japanese Empire and subjected to colonial rule. Japan occupied and colonized the Korean Peninsula for 35 years from 1910 to 1945. During this period, Japan committed inhumane acts and plundered the Korean people, causing them great suffering and reaping enormous profits at the same time.
However, Yuval Noah Harari, in his book “Sapiens,” argued that the new knowledge accumulated by empires has benefited the people of the dominated nations and brought them the benefits of progress. If we apply this argument to the situation in South Korea, it can be interpreted as a thesis that, despite the Japanese colonial period bringing oppression and exploitation to South Korea, it paradoxically contributed to its development. However, this is also a sensitive issue that is difficult for the countries that were once under the yoke of colonial rule to accept. I agree with the idea that this argument has helped the development of Korea, and I would like to focus on this aspect in my writing.
First, before supporting the claim, I would like to look at the background of the Japanese colonial period and the oppression and exploitation of the Korean people that occurred during that period. After undergoing rapid modernization in the mid-19th century, Japan led diplomacy with Joseon and signed the Ganghwa Island Treaty, and later became deeply involved in politics through the Gapsa Reform. After winning the competition with other countries for the Joseon Dynasty, Japan signed the Eulsa Treaty in 1905 and established the Japanese Resident General’s Office to begin to govern Joseon systematically. In 1910, Japan forced the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty to complete its invasion and colonization of Korea. After colonization, Japan reaped huge profits by exploiting the resources produced in Korea through mining monopolies and land rights. Japan also burned down Korean cultural assets and temples and brought them to Japan, and inflicted serious wounds on Koreans through forced labor and the operation of comfort stations. It can be confirmed that Japan’s colonial rule caused tremendous damage to the Korean people at the time. However, despite these damages, I would like to state that Japan’s occupation contributed to the development of Korea.
First, the reason I think the Japanese occupation was beneficial to the development of Korea is because of the facilities and systems that Japan created to exploit Korea. These facilities and systems contributed to Korea’s foundation for growth after independence. For example, the land survey project implemented by Japan to occupy and exploit the Korean Peninsula led to the establishment of a taxation system and the establishment of a monetary economy. Some argue that this led to the establishment of a capitalist market economy system. In addition, the Forest Protection Act was enacted to systematically manage and nurture forests, which is said to have reduced natural disasters. The acid-fertilizer plan greatly increased grain production and provided an opportunity for industrial development. Many of the railways and electrical facilities that were installed for the convenience of the Japanese were also introduced during this period. It is reasonable to view the establishment of these systems as a strategic decision based on the long-term plans of the Empire of Japan at the time. However, after the Empire of Japan was defeated and Korea became independent, these economic and technological foundations contributed to the development of Korea.
Second, I believe that the Japanese colonial rule had a positive impact on the development of the Republic of Korea because it provided the Korean people with strong motivation. The Japanese colonial rule left Korea with a great deal of humiliation. This humiliation served as a source of resentment for the Korean people, and along with the desire to surpass Japan, it became a source of motivation for the Korean people to work together to develop the country. For example, due to the terrible colonial rule of Japan, Koreans focused on strengthening their national power to never return to that period again. They also began to imitate technology to surpass Japan in the early industrial sector, and this led to many cases of technological advancement that surpassed Japan. It can be said that this motivation had a great impact on Korea’s growth. Based on this, I believe that South Korea has been able to achieve a relatively high position in terms of economic scale and defense capabilities despite its relatively small population.
Finally, the reason why I think the Japanese colonial period was beneficial to Korea is that, given Korea’s history at the time, it would have been difficult to achieve the current pace of development without Japan’s forced modernization. Looking at the situation in Joseon before the Ganghwado Treaty, when Japan’s invasion began, we can see that the isolationist policy of Heungseon Daewongun prevented exchanges with foreign countries. After repelling the French invasion in 1866, the government erected anti-foreign monuments throughout the country and further strengthened its isolationist policy, creating a political climate that rejected foreign culture and focused on traditional culture. If it had not been for Japan’s forced modernization, it is estimated that it would have taken a long time for Korea to accept foreign culture. It is possible to speculate that the Republic of Korea as it is today would not have existed.
This article argues that the Japanese colonial period was beneficial to the development of Korea, citing three reasons: the systems provided by Japan laid the foundation for growth, and they provided strong motivation to the Korean people; and the closed political nature of Joseon at the time. However, it is important to note that Japan’s colonial rule did indeed help and had a positive impact on the Korean people. I believe that Japanese colonial rule had no positive impact on the Korean people, and I hope that if we could go back in time, the Japanese colonial period would never happen again. The reason is that Japanese rule left many Koreans with deep physical and mental scars. For example, even if a president has achieved economic growth, if he has used his absolute power to rule the people inhumanely, he will not be well-received for his actions. After all, Japan lost the Pacific War, Korea was liberated, and if Korea had not succeeded in gaining independence, the Japanese colonial period would have remained an era that could never be defended.
In other words, the point of this article is not to argue that the Japanese colonial period was a good time that had a positive impact on our people. However, I would like to conclude by arguing that the Japanese colonial period, which caused great pain to the Korean people, also had a positive impact on economic development.
