청일전쟁기(1894~1896) 주한일본영사의 영사보고와 ‘첩보’ 활용

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the real condition that Japanese consuls illegally obtained and utilized information targeting the Korean Peninsula during the Sino-Japanese War. Japanese Consuls in Korea played a key role in obtaining, collecting, and arranging information in Korea and supplying them to diplomatic ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in their own country in a form of reports and intelligence during the open port period. Nevertheless, we have not taken notice of information collectors of Japanese consuls and have not been interested in the distribution process and utilization of the information until now. As a result, the recognition that the Japanese annexation of Korea was unilaterally done by military power and diplomatic power was dominant. By the way, Japan made different types of people including merchants move and migrate to the whole area of the Korean Peninsula, seek commercial interests, and collect detailed information on Korea so that they could be utilized as the foundation of dispossession. Especially in the chaotic situation of the Sino-Japanese War, the fact that Japan stabilized its fellow countrymen in international settlements by utilizing intelligence or supported and cooperated with the Japanese military to be advantageous for its war was confirmed. Awareness of Korea through these information was the high level that Korean people could not resist on a national scale when Japan annexed Korea in 1910. That is, espionage of Japanese consuls in Korea can be found to be very beneficial to understand Korean people’s recognition of Japan.