1915~1921년도 구황실(李王家) 재정의 구성과 그 성격에 관한 고찰

Abstract

This paper aims at a suggestion of an analytic framework about the Korean Imperial Family’s financial operation during Japanese rule. By reviewing budget proposals of the Korean Imperial Family from 1915 to 1921, we could know the principal items of revenue and expenditure, and we could understand for the Korean Imperial Family how to raise funds and how to spend them. Data utilized in this paper were Wangongjongroks(王公族錄), which contains related subjects about kings and dukes of the Korean Empire. They were filed in Archives of the Imperial Household Library in Japan. From above reviews, following facts were revealed. Firstly, the scale of the Korean Imperial Family’s budget was about 1.6 million yen in 1915 ~ 2.9 million yen in 1918. The budget proposal should be submitted to the Minister of the Imperial Household via Governor-General of Korea by the secretary of the Office of the Yi Dynasty(李王職). The budget execution was controlled by Governor-General of Korea. An annual allowance from the special account for Government-General of Korea was the biggest one among budget items of the Korean Imperial Family’s financial revenue, which was 1.5 million yen(1.8 million yen from 1921). Secondly, the Korean Imperial Family’s finance basically had the characteristic of preservation of the nobility of the Korean Empire centering on the Korean Imperial Family. The Korean Imperial Family tried to prevent the collapse of its relatives and supported them with subsidies. Thirdly, subsidies and donation to research of Goryeo celadon, Chosun Arts Production Center, Chosun Publication Associate for Ancient Books, a historic spot preservation society, Seohwa(paintings and calligraphic works) Academy of Art, Buddhist temples could be understood as an expression of the Korean Imperial Family’s interest and enthusiastic attitude as to preservation of Korean culture. From the case of Changkyungwon(昌慶苑) which had museum, zoo, botanical garden, we could know, however, the intention of the government-general of Korea to rule Korean people with the Korean Imperial Family’s reputation and property. Fourthly, the Korean Imperial Family’s permanent property(基本財産) was established on mainly liquid assets not real estates. It meant that real assets excluded from setting-up permanent property were left outside Permanent Property Control Regulation. Management authority for general assets(普通財産) was the Office of Yi Dynasty also. And it was not easy to sell real assets compared to liquid assets. After all, all of the Korean Imperial Family’s properties came to be under control of the government-general of Korea. It is clear that such a control originated from the goal to preserve collaborative people with Japanese rule and foster pro-Japanese people. One thing to be desired is that above conclusion was temporary because of restricted data, with which we can not make this argument on the characteristic of the Korean Imperial Family’s finance clear. That is why we should discover 1920’s 1930’s data and construct longer time series data than before. Key words : the Korean Imperial Family(李王家), the Office of the Yi Dynasty(李王職), the Korean Imperial Family’s finance(皇室財政), documents on kings and dukes of Yi Dynasty(王公族錄), the Korean Empire(大韓帝國)