한말 서울 東幕 객주의 미곡 거래와 荷主들 - ‘東泰元’의 장부를 중심으로 -

Abstract

Grain brokers (米穀 客主) were merchants to whom the sale of rice were consigned by shippers, producers, and dealers. The brokers received, stored, and sold the grain at the appropriate opportunity, for which they received a fee. Consequently, the brokers knew the trends of the grain market better than anyone else. Utilizing both information and capital, they expanded their business to the areas of grain production, transport, storage, polishing, export, and finance, and many of them developed into the stereotypical modern Korean bourgeoisie. Previous authors have contributed various studies detailing the economic activities and political, social, and cultural aims of brokers with the purpose of uncovering the internal path of modernization and the commercial, urban origins of the bourgeoisie. In furthering those studies, this paper analyzes the account books “Sŏnbok” (船福 1902~1908) and “Hoegyegi” (會計記 1901~1904) of the Kim family that managed Tongt’aewŏn (東泰元), a broker business that operated along the banks of the Han River in Seoul during the period of the Taehan Empire. This paper closely examines the identity of the shippers who entrusted Tongt’aewŏn with rice sales; the scope and frequency of consignment; how rice shipments were stored and payment balances were settled; the expenses arising in the transaction process, especially the amount of miscellaneous taxes; and the relationship between the brokers and shippers.