부산항 객주상회소의 형성과 변화과정

Abstract

After the Joseon-Japan Protection Regulations in 1876, the Merchant Association of Pusan formed the Pusan Port the of Conference Bureau Commerce before October 1883. This can be seen as the first commercial chamber in Korea. While patrolling the port, the organization played a role in providing convenience in commerce, cracking down on metrology, detecting irregularities, and coordinating friction with Japanese merchants. Since its establishment, the government has actively used the Chamber of Commerce to collect commercial taxes in ports. Through this, transaction taxes were collected from Joseon merchants and foreign merchants, respectively. In addition, exports entering Busan Port were taxed. The collected taxes were used for expenses of the central government and local governments' finances and commercial offices. After that, according to the example of Incheon Port, Pusan Port also granted exclusive goodwill for products in a specific area and received business taxes. This was also abolished due to opposition from the Japanese government and local merchants. Since then, the Merchant Association of Pusan Port have prepared a protocol document to abolish the collection of taxes that have not been in the name of it, limit the number of people, and stipulate that local merchants should trade through the Merchant Association. However, it could not continue as the Pusan Port Supervision Office was abolished due to the Sino-Japanese War and the Gabo Reform. Since then, he has been active in Pusan Port under the names of commercial companies, Pusan Port General Affairs Office, Merchant Association Council, General Secretary and Gentleman Company until the Russo-Japanese War. Pusan Port owners tried to sustain their rights through commercial companies that maintain patent sales companies and maintain exclusive rights in a new form under government protection.