간토대학살에 대한 조선총독부의 프로파간다— 『경성일보』와 『매일신보』를 중심으로 —

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the propaganda strategies employed by the Japanese Government-General of Korea regarding the Kantou Massacre (関東大虐殺) through reports published in Keijo Nippo and Maeil Shinbo. Compared to other massacres that occurred during the colonial period, the Kantou Massacre exhibits distinct characteristics, most notably that it originated from a large-scale natural disaster—the Great Kantou Earthquake (関東大震災). Thus, the Kantou Massacre is an event where a natural disaster and political violence overlapped, intertwining the force majeure of the earthquake with acts of political brutality. This overlapping nature serves as a key indicator that vividly illustrates the divergent perceptions of the incident that persist to this day. The official newspapers of the Japanese Government-General of Korea, Keijo Nippo and Maeil Shinbo, served as political and cultural propaganda tools for the Government-General, carrying out propaganda related to the Kantou Massacre. At the time, the Government-General’s propaganda reflected the spatial characteristics of “colonial Korea.” Due to geographical distance and media control, there was a time lag in the transmission of information from outside sources immediately after the incident, which in turn influenced the societal response within Korea. Furthermore, the gap between the situation in mainland Japan and the atmosphere in Korea required the Government-General to employ more delicate and tailored propaganda strategies suited to the “circumstances of Korea” in order to manage the situation effectively. The Japanese Government-General of Korea and its official newspapers emphasized the violent elements within the Korean population to justify the maintenance of social order. As rumors of a Korean uprising spread, the Government-General amplified these narratives in an effort to manage the situation and prevent the unrest from escalating into a broader social problem within Korean society, imposing even stronger controls. In particular, Koreans, who were the victims of the massacre, were categorized into “disloyal Koreans” and “good Koreans,” while responsibility for the violence was divided between the state and the masses. Although the discrimination and massacres against Koreans in the disaster-stricken areas following the Great Kantou Earthquake were generally acknowledged within Korean society, the perpetrators were largely perceived to be vigilante groups. The two newspapers depicted the military and police as saviors who protected Koreans from violent mobs (vigilantes). As a result, while there may have been criticisms that the authorities failed to adequately prevent violence against Koreans or that relief efforts were insufficient, accusations identifying the military and police as the main agents of the massacre were rare throughout the entire period. Consequently, Korean society’s response to the Kantou Massacre remained limited to temporary criticisms of discriminatory treatment against Koreans—such as the prohibition on travel to Japan and the issue of relief—without extending to criticisms of the Japanese government's declaration of martial law, the spread of false rumors, or the involvement of the military and police in the massacres.