경북지역 동양척식 이주농민의 정착과 존재양태

Abstract

This article explores the development aspects and result of the migration through the Oriental Development Company(ODC) in order to re-examine the Japanese colonial policy using a bottom-up approach. Many studies have been conducted on this project because it is closely related to the population discourse, agricultural policies, and the land management in the early colonial Korea. However, they did not take account of the farming settlers emerged as a result of this project. The ODC’s settlers in Korea have been estimated at around 4,000 households, representing 35 to 40 percent of all Japanese farmers, which requires more attention than dismissing it as a failure not to meet the original plan. As a case study, therefore, this paper pays attention to the North Kyȏngsang province; their overall settlements and social activities can be summarized as follows. First, in the early days of the project when group immigration was encouraged in 1912-1915, settlers were mainly deployed in transportation hubs near Daegu, but In the later(1916-1921), they were dispersed sporadically in small groups into several remote villages. Second, some of farming settlers organized an association to instruct the Korean peasants the Japanese modern farming. These associations were formed by the ODC or settlers; in both cases they received some assistance from the ODC. Their assimilation of farming, however, achieved only limited results. This was because Koreans preferred the traditional one suitable for the climate and environment. Further, as the ODC’s projects ended, protection and supervision for settlers virtually came to disappear, so they sought their own welfare and relief rather than trying to assimilate Koreans. Lastly, Yamaguchi Genzou, a typical example of landowner settlers, utilized this project for his own success rather than meeting the ODC’s colonial purposes. Based on this, Yamaguchi strengthened his economic and social position in the region. He united and cooperated with Korean landowners or capitalists who shared economic interests, but also had conflicts with Korean representatives who went against the policy of the Government General.