대한제국기 한일 경찰복 제도 비교

Abstract

This study examines the degree of Japanese influence on Korean police uniforms during the Korean Empire by comparing them with Japanese uniform systems and assesses their value as cultural heritage. The key findings are as follows: The 1895 police uniform, Korea's first, adopted the Japanese system’s legal format for uniform regulations but differed significantly in design. It also showed distinct features from the contemporary military uniforms. The 1899 revision presented further divergence from Japanese standards in both regulation format and design, reflecting a period of reduced Japanese influence in Korea and aligning more closely with Korean military attire. Subsequent revisions were made in 1900, 1902, 1905, and March 1907. Comparing the 1899 and March 1907 versions shows that while ceremonial hats and topcoats remained mostly unchanged, the ceremonial jacket and cap underwent modifications. The differences between police and military uniforms were primarily in fabric color, emblem shape, and jacket trim and fastening. The 1905 revision saw a shift to red accents, aligning more closely with military attire. By March 1907, the police uniform’s jacket adopted a double-breasted style similar to the military, with differences primarily in color and trim. The October 1907 revision of the police uniform aligned almost entirely with the Japanese system, except for substituting Japanese national symbols with the Korean pear blossom. This study is the first to clarify the complete conformity of the October 1907 version with the Japanese system. The evolution of the highest-ranking police uniforms can be divided into three phases: the 1895 version, which adopted the Japanese regulation format but had distinct designs; the period from 1899 to March 1907, where both regulations and design diverged and became closer to military attire; and the October 1907 version, where both regulation and design conformed to the Japanese system. However, this study focuses only on the highest-ranking hats and jackets of metropolitan police. The October 1907 version does not signify full Japanese control over police uniforms, as lower ranks continued wearing the March 1907 version closer to military attire. Therefore, the 1895 to March 1907 police uniforms, which did not follow Japanese standards, can be seen as a unique cultural heritage of the Korean Empire. While there are many remaining diagrams of police uniforms, few exist for military ones. Conversely, there are few artifacts of police uniforms but several of military ones. This study’s comparison of police and military uniform regulations highlights commonalities and differences, allowing for a complementary understanding of available visual materials. The primary contributions of this study are threefold: identifying three stages in the evolution of police uniforms during the Korean Empire; recognizing the 1895 to March 1907 police uniforms as unique cultural heritage; and proposing ways to bridge gaps in visual materials for police and military uniform studies.