1920~1925년 『동아일보』의 유통망 확장과 지국장

Abstract

This study aimed to track the expansion of Dong-A Ilbo(東亞日報)’s distribution network and the distribution process from 1920 to 1925, and clarify how many Dong-A Ilbo(東亞日報)’s branch managers(支局長) in this period participated in the Culture Movement(文化運動), led by the head office. Since its founding on April 1, 1920, Dong-A Ilbo(東亞日報) has made efforts to secure a distribution network in the regions. As a result, the distribution network of Dong-A Ilbo(東亞日報), which had only 25 branches(支局) at the time of its founding, expanded to 124 branches and 182 sub-branches(分局) by the end of 1925. Due to high illiteracy and poverty, the subscription rate of the Dong-A Ilbo(東亞日報) in 1925 was less than 1%. However, in colonial Joseon at that time, all villagers read the newspaper together, and literacy read a newspaper for illiterate existed as a daily form of reading. Since the Dong-A Ilbo(東亞日報) headquarters set up a distribution network across the country, these scenes were not limited to a few regions, but could be seen across the country. The Dong-A Ilbo(東亞日報) printed in Gyeongseong(京城) was distributed throughout the country under the system of the head office(本社) → branch(支局) → sub-branch(分局). The branch manager(支局長) was responsible for the distribution of the newspaper in their respective regions and branch offices. Subscribers of the Dong-A Ilbo, who lived in areas with good transportation, were able to receive newspapers of the day. However, subscribers of Dong-A Ilbo(東亞日報) in areas where railroads were not installed and located at the end of distribution, such as Yeongju(榮州) in 1921, or in island areas, such as Jeju Island(濟州島) in 1925, could not receive the newspaper published on the same day. Subscribers of the Dong-A Ilbo living in remote areas had a large gap between the date of receipt of the newspaper and the date of publication of the newspaper. Between 1920 and 1925, 21 of the branch managers of the Dong-A Ilbo(東亞日報) participated in the Korean Production Movement(物産奬勵運動), and 64 participated in the Movement to Establish a People’s University(民立大學設立運動). Considering that 223 branch managers of the Dong-A Ilbo were identified during the study period, it can be seen that relatively few people participated in the Culture Movement(文化運動) led by the head office.