식민지 조선의 근대 도시 형성과 기독교

Abstract

Cities clearly reflect the modernity of colonial rule. What characterized the urbanization process of colonized Chosun? This study set out to investigate the process of pre-modern cities evolving into modern ones with the historical data before the Japanese annexation of Korea to understand the process of modern cities being built in colonized Chosun. For that purpose, the study found useful historical data in the records of missionaries who explored Chosun from the late 19th century to the early 20th century for Christian missions, tapped the modernity of the places they visited, and set up mission stations. The study thus actively cited the records of missionaries as primary data, trying to find connections between the formation of modern cities and Christian missions in the Honam region from the late 19th century to the early 20th century as they were not illuminated before. The findings led to three conclusions:First, Christian missionaries followed the southwestern coasts in the early days of their mission and tried to develop major harbor cities into modern cities. They did not move along the post roads, part of the major road network during Chosun, penetrating the center of Honam from Gunsan. Second, they built mission stations at strategic points of transportation with the potential of growing into modern cities, which indicates that the missionaries first considered population and transportation as the location conditions. Finally, the Christian missionaries expanded their influences through medical missions. They monopolized Western medical practice in Jeolla Province before the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910 and paid attention to the areas where medical service could be expanded as candidates for modern cities.