일제시기 경산수리조합의 설립과 운영

Abstract

This study discussed the establishment and operation of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives during the Japanese Imperial Rule. Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives was established in 1925 as a part of Japan's plans to increase rice farming and operated until after the liberation of Korea. The irrigation district of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives included Gyeongsan-myeon, Amnang-myeon, Jinnyang- myeon, and Wachon-myeon of Gyeongsan-gun. Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives was a large-scale organization whose irrigation area was 1,404 jeongbo. Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives was established by the Japanese landlords and Gyeongsan-gun District Office. The Japanese landlords were Dongyang Cheoksik Corporation and Joseon Heungeop Corporation Gyeongsan Office. Those two landlords owned the largest lands within the district of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives. They both managed agricultural businesses through sharecropping since the early years of the Japanese Imperial Rule. At first, Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives was established to improve irrigation in the irrigation district. However, the irrigation district already had enough irrigation facilities such as reservoirs (Muncheonji, Yeonji, Nammaeji, and Namcheonji) and dammed pools (Geumhobo and Namcheonbo). Also, only 250 out of 1,404 jeongbo of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives' irrigation area had to be converted into farms. Because 82.2% of the irrigation area was already farms, there was little need for the reservoirs. Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives was mainly established for the profitability of Japanese landlords. 加藤俊平, the president of Daegu branch of Dongyang Cheoksik Corporation, and 下村忠, the director of Joseon Heungeop Corporation Gyeongsan Office, were deeply involved in the establishment and operation of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives as its founding member and regular member, respectively. Also, the governor of Gyeongsan and the district officers within the irrigation district of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives took leading roles for the establishment of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives. Even the governor and district officers who owned no land in the irrigation district of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives signed to give consent to its establishment. There was no protest against its establishment due to the pressure of the Japanese landlords and Gyeongsan-gun District Office. Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives had many problems with its operation. First, Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives was to be operated with the cooperatives fees after construction. However, it was difficult to collect the fees due to water damage and poor designs. Second, the Japanese landlords of the irrigation district of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives raised the sharecropping fees due to the construction of reservoirs. Joseon Heungeop Corporation Gyeongsan Office raised the sharecropping fees by 15% to demand a total of 65% as Joseon Heungeop Corporation Gyeongsan Office increased the amount of harvest. Eventually, the members of Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives fiercely protested against the operation of reservoirs. They organized ‘Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives Irrigators Association’ to demand low interest rates and extension of repayment period. In 1934, Gyeongsan Irrigation Cooperatives was included in the Cooperative Organization Plan due to poor managent of reservoirs.