대한민국임시정부 초기 위임통치 청원논쟁

Abstract

This thesis deals with one of the biggest issues in the history of Korean Independence Movement, the dispute over the petition for mandate. The petition for mandate is the document which Rhee, Syng-man, Jeong, Han-kyeong, Kim, Kyu-sik and others tried to submit to Paris Peace Conference through the president of the United States, Thomas Woodrow Wilson right after the Samil Independence Movement. In the document, there is a paragraph asking to place Korea under the League of Nations mandate for a certain period of time under the definite precondition to guarantee complete independence of Korea in the future. Rhee, Syng-man and Jeong, Han-kyeong submitted the petition for mandate to President Wilson. After drawing up the petition with the help of foreigners having a thorough knowledge of the international law, they underwent review and received approval from Ahn, Chang-ho, chairman of Korean National Association. Also Kim, Gyu-sik, the delegate of Shinhan Youth Party to Paris Peace Conference submitted the petition for mandate to Paris Peace Conference. These show that the moderate independence activists shared the theory of the petition for mandate as a plan for Korea’s independence. The theory of the petition for mandate which was raised by the independence activists was the realistic second best policy considering the Korea’s actual circumstances and the international situation at the end of 1910s. In order to utilize the advantageous international situation of the advocation of the principle of self-determination of peoples and the establishment of the League of Nations, they petitioned Paris Peace Conference for mandate. The theory of the petition for mandate was not an unpatriotic logic ruinous to their country or pro-American background diplomacy, but a save-the-nation diplomacy based on the spirit of national independence. The theory of the petition for mandate claimed by Rhee, Syng-man, Jeong, Han-kyeong and Kim, Gyu-sik included the plan for gradual independence by stages for laying the foundations for Korea’s sovereign independence by improving its ability under the neutral position. They put a long-range plan for independence in the petition, that is, they wanted to advance democracy in Korea of the neutral position under the United States mandate for a certain period of time and accomplish economic growth through free trade with all the countries of the world. And they wanted to achieve Korea’s complete independence in case that an earthshaking event like the US-Japan war would break out. The dispute over the petition for mandate which started in the early stages of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea had the character of a struggle for supremacy to get rid of opposed competitive forces. In a word, the dispute was carried out as part of the anti-Provisional Government and anti-Rhee, Syng-man drive. It didn’t keep a constructive stance to adopt the theory of diplomatic independence in the petition as the strategy for the establishment of a new country. The dispute resulted from a power competition between Rhee, Syng-man and Park, Yong-man. The strongest criticism of the petition came from Park, Yong-man forces. Their confrontation resulted from differences in policy distinctly separated in the course of independence movement in Hawaii in the middle of 1910s. The idea of Rhee, Syng-man who advocated the theory of diplomatic independence and the theory of ability training was incompatible with that of Park, Yong-man who advocated the theory of the war of independence. Their ideological struggle violently arose over the petition again in China. The system of the League of Nations mandate and the system of the United Nations trusteeship were designed as a measure to deal with colonies after two world wars. The Republic of Korea established an independent democratic state in South Korea through the general election under the UN surveillance after 3 year U. S. military rule after the liberation from Japan. Therefore it is needed to take a serious view of the case of Korea, which developed into a modern nation that accomplished national prosperity and defense through trusteeship that was similar to mandate.