개항기 울릉도 개척정책과 이주실태

Abstract

Korean Peninsula was the arena of competition of imperialist powers such as Japan since Korea opened a port in 1876. The East Sea area including Ulleungdo and Dokdo, in that situation, played a role not only of a testing place but a bridgehead of Japan's invasion to Korean Peninsula. The Reclamation Policy of Ulleungdo was proclaimed in 1883 to protect the island from Japan's invasion, but it failed. Successful reclamation needed to select settlers from ‘rich and powerful people’, to build administration system and give material support for the settlers and to establish military force for their security. Ulleungdo Reclamation Policy after the Proclamation in 1883, however, began without meeting any of these requirements. The settlers could not use the sea near Ulleungdo and Dokdo as their place because the reclamation policy was focused on the agricultural emigration. It was not concerned about its geographical trait, an island, and the fact that Japanese had been fishing illegally in the sea. These resulted in Japanese' logging and even staying long in Ulleungdo. Korean government tried to solve the dispute over Japan's invasion diplomatically, however, the efforts was not successful due to the poor ability of the government in diplomacy. The Reclamation Policy of Ulleungdo remained unsuccessful in the history page. Japan took Dokdo as its territory in 1905. Korean Government which failed to respond effectively to this crisis became a colony of Japan with the national shame in Kyeongsul year.