일제하 진주지역 鄭相珍의 성장기반과 유지활동

Abstract

This paper studied and analyzed Jung sang-jin’s life and activities as the representative community leader in Jinju under the forced occupation period of Japan. He was born as a descendant of a ruined family in the late 19th century. At the age of teens, he traded imported goods toraise money for his business. In the Korean Empire period, he became a consignee who dealt in rice and salt and raised more money. Based on this, in 1910, he became a great landlord. His land was spread in western part of Kyungnam. As an active investor, he served as president and chief shareholder of several companies. His economic activity is most prominent in the same period in Jinju. His activities as a community leader can be classified into education, donation, charity, and public official service. In Education, he was interested in night school and had active support. He also took interest in vocational(technical) education and insisted on the establishment of a commercial school and donated assets. We can see his practical education philosophy from this. He donated and contributed to so many fields. Although he was a landlord and a man of property, he showed a balanced attitude when the conflicts between classes occurred. Thus he earned the highest credit in Jinju and most of his public official was from the professional organizations. He had no interest in being a local councillor, which was the key of maintaining power. This non-political behavior earned him a reputation as an “everyday businessman”. At the end of the forced occupation period of Japan, he did pro-Japanese activities, but his status did not change even after the liberation. Bibongru was built later in his life andwas used as a representative cultural space of Jinju by his son. He was a person who adapted to colonial power and changing times and grew up to be the first rate community leader. Based on practical mind thoroughly, he intervened in local problems and residents’ life. It is necessary to pay attention to him as the most symbolic community leader in the forced occupation