대한제국 시기 인삼업의 변화와 특징 －개성 지역 이외의 인삼 재배지를 중심으로－

Abstract

Until the Japanese colonial era, Kaesong[開成] was the main ginseng production area in Korea. Although the ginseng fields were small, ginseng was also grown outside of Kaesong. Researchers have had little interest in the production of ginseng in those regions. This article examines the changes and characteristics of the ginseng industry in those areas during the Korean Empire. Around 1898-99, ginseng fields in the North Gyeongsang Province, the North Jeolla Province, and the North Chungcheong Province represented more than 60,000 kan[間≒3.3㎡], while ginseng fields in the Kaesong area occupied more than 550,000 kan. Compared to the Kaesong area, the production in these other provinces accounted for slightly more than 10 percent. The size of the ginseng industry was small. However, the fact that ginseng was grown in many areas was important. The Korean Empire’s imperial family imposed taxes on ginseng fields. In order to collect this tax, ginseng fields throughout the country were examined. This study used the data gathered at that time. When the imperial family collected the taxes on ginseng fields, ginseng farmers protested. However, the imperial family enforced the collection of the taxes on the ginseng fields. As officials collected excessive ginseng tax, ginseng farmers found themselves struggling. The conflict over the taxes on the ginseng fields worsened the ginseng industry environment. Therefore, some ginseng farmers began to give up the cultivation of ginseng. As a result, by 1908, the size of ginseng fields had been reduced to less than half that in 1898-99. However, there was a difference in the change by province. Jeonbuk experienced less slump in the ginseng industry, while the production areas of the North Gyeongsang Province and the North Chungcheong Province decreased sharply. While Seongju-gun had been the largest mountainous ginseng region in 1898, by 1908, Geumsan-gun had become the biggest. Although the ginseng industry suffered a slump, ginseng was grown in many areas around 1898-1899. People in those areas had ginseng cultivation techniques, which reflected the spread of ginseng cultivation technology. These people could jump into the ginseng industry anytime the problem of cultivation funds was solved. This expansion of the base was the foundation for the development of ginseng in these regions.