식민지 조선의 법대·의대 진학 열풍 : 경성제국대학 조선인 학생들을 중심으로

Abstract

This paper revealed that the efforts to improve social status based on an academic background in colonial Joseon appeared in the form of a craze over entering law or medical schools. Joseon students wanted to have professional jobs such as doctors, legal professionals, and officials at the Government-General of Korea, in addition to the educational attainment of college graduation. This was an attempt to improve socioeconomic status by overcoming ethnic discrimination under Japanese colonial rule as well as regional discrimination due to the remnants of the status system. Since only the studies useful for the colonial rule were permitted, Keijō Imperial University attached importance to departments such as laws necessary for training colonial officials and medicine necessary for implementing hygiene and medical policies. The law school curriculum was linked to the courses for the Higher Civil-servant Examination, and the medical school provided an opportunity to obtain a medical doctor’s license and gain clinical experience at Keijō Imperial University Hospital. There were serious job shortages in colonial Joseon where the industries were not developed. Nonetheless, many law school graduates of Keijō Imperial University were appointed as officials at the Government- General of Korea. Medical school graduates got jobs at Keijō Imperial University Hospital or became lecturers or professors at Keijo Medical College, and even became private practice physicians. Those with professional jobs in colonial Joseon succeeded in obtaining a stable socioeconomic status that would put them under less ethnic discrimination. Considering that many of them were from the northwest suffering discrimination, they could overcome not only ethnic but also regional discrimination by securing an academic background and a professional job. However, the craze over law and medical schools in colonial Joseon has limitations as it was merely an effort made by individuals to move up the ranks as pieces on a chessboard created by the colonial authorities, rather than actually abolishing the discriminations existing in the colony.