Japanese Colonial Rule in Korea

Japan’s Domination and the Effects of Colonialism

Japan dominated Korea during the Asia-Pacific War, which had an effect on their political, social, cultural, and economic development to this day. The main effects of colonialism on the Korean community will be examined in this essay.

The Imperialists’ Desire for Assimilation

The imperialists’ desire to merge the two systems served as the impetus for the entry of Japanese authority on the peninsula. The establishment of a new order in every area of the settlement was a necessary part of the colonization process. First, the Koreans were to abandon their social and cultural structure and embrace an imperialist one. For example, all of the residents had to adopt Japanese names. The directive was conditional on receiving the colonialist’s food rations, join imperialist schools and work in factories. Furthermore, the system forced the Koreans to adopt the religion of worshipping the Shinto shrines. Buddhists, Christians, Heaven worshippers among all the cadres of religions were obliged to revere the gods of Japan and the Empire. In the words of Kang, these were just but strategies to change Koreans to Japanese. Attainment of the social transformation would make them good subjects of the empire. The introduction of the Japanese education system into Korea had a significant effect of increasing the colony’s human capital. Although the approach was detrimental to the local culture, it was instrumental in the economic development of the post-war Korea.

Comfort Women and Forced Labor

During the Pacific-Asia war of 1937-1945, the Japanese military forcefully mobilized Korean and other Asian girls to work in their brothels in Asian and Pacific countries. The pain and suffering of these women have been a critical issue that has marked an anti-Japanese sentiment to date. Three courses define the legacy of the comfort workers. First, the forceful slavery into military brothels, suffering in sexual slavery times and long agonizing experiences back home. Min asserted that the patriarchal system of Japan led to the opening of the military brothels to prevent the raping of civilians in colonies. The suffering of the Korean women in brothels was attributed to the fact that it was under Japanese domination. Finally, the author posited that the patriarchal customs of Korea also extended the suffering of the victims. The traditions that impinged on the woman’s position in society intensified the pain and agony of the surviving comfort women that returned home afterward. Inside the camps, Korean sex slaves suffered excessively at the hands of soldiers. Post-war analysis indicates a range of horrors from being forced to intercourse for 10 to 30 times per day, beatings, stabbing and being burned. Some victims died due to conditions of filthy shanties, venereal diseases, and some were shot when Japan lost the war.

The end of the war led to most comfort women to return to their home country. However, most of them could not live healthy lives due to their past sufferings. For instance, most could not return to their families due to shame. Others failed in marriages because of their infertility or awareness of their previous encounters. Min posited that most survivors suffered physical and mental instabilities as they recounted their horrible experiences. Therefore, the sexual slavery of the Japanese military actions left many Korean women with several health complications and psychological traumas. The legacy led to the growth and development of feminist organizations that pioneered the redressing of the victims. Consequently, there is a strong fight against sexual tourism, violence against women in public by Korean feminist groups. Efforts have made against the Japanese government to admit to the crime and compensate the victims since the end of the war.

Forced labor in the days of colonialism and Asia-Pacific war relate to forcing Koreans to work in military factories and black medical experiments. A large number of victims from Korea were used in the secret tests in military medical practices while others were casualties in the atomic bombs incidents. The intensity of slavery was so extreme that even the lepers were not only segregated but were subjected to the hard labor.

Modernization of the Economy

Before the Japanese colonization of Korea, it was an agricultural economy although on a subsistence level. Japan introduced a system of industrial capitalism that led to rapid development of the feudal agrarian structure in the colony. Following the policies developed during the Meiji period, Korea was drawn up between 1910- 1945 beyond the imperialists’ imagination. The Japanese government implemented an education system that spread literacy. A stable authoritarian leadership combining civilian and military discipline established certain economic development programs. The colonial government facilitated resource mobilization and led the entrepreneurial drive to exploit Korea’s economy. Thus, the imperialists’ collaboration with business conglomerates to develop industries. The strict administration mobilized resources. The necessary human capital was established through the Japanese education and health systems that fast-tracked growth in productivity. Although there was the rapid expansion of the economy during the Japanese occupation, most of the revenues went to Japan. Most of the light and heavy industries were owned and funded by the imperialists. Japanese business conglomerates build heavy industries dealing with steel, hydroelectric power, and chemicals in the north of Korea. Many political analysts agree that colonization of the peninsula sped up its economic modernization. Although the process had begun before the occupation, the imperialists established the essential industrial capitalism.

Most Significant Legacies

The most important legacy that Japanese colonization impacted on the Korean peninsula is economic development. It is clear that the industrialization established during the occupation from 1910 to 1945 created a good foundation for progress. The imperialist government of Japan had laid an economic infrastructure that made Korea the most developed country in Asia after its colonial master. For instance, a massive industrial base had been developed in the North with hydroelectric, chemical and steel industries. On the other hand, the south had been filled with advanced agriculture and light industries. Armstrong agreed with the position. The author stated that North Korea had considerable economic achievement two years after liberalization. In fact, the national output had reached the provincial levels two years from recovering the post-liberalization chaos. The colonialists employed the diversification into mining, agriculture and power enabled the Korean economy to improve rapidly.

Armstrong pointed out that the North Korea had been left as an industrial region. On the other hand, the South had a flourishing agricultural sector that complemented the North’s industrial complex. The Japanese policy had managed the food crops farming of rice, sugar to ensure self-sufficiency of the empire. Manufacturing grew in the peninsula together with the exploitation of chemicals, natural gas, and electricity. It established the basic infrastructure for Korea’s growth although the businesses were owned by Japanese conglomerates close to the government. Therefore, Japan’s colonization of the peninsula left a legacy of a sustainable economic growth policy. Consequently, North Korea emerged as a large industrial nation with a mining sector that flourished. On the other hand, South Korea emerged as a prosperous agricultural economy with manufacturing in light industries. Most significant concerns included establishing a modernized infrastructure, an education system, and a diversified economic policy.

The second most important legacy left by the Japanese colonization included the utilization of the comfort women. Military camps forced Korean women into brothels to act as sex slaves. The suffering and agony of the young women in the hands of the soldiers were immense that it affected their later lives after the war. Among the survivors, a few could integrate well into their families. Most suffered from health issues and psychological trauma. Patriarchal norms of Korea made the comfort women suffer much of their life as they could not live a happy marriage afterward. Strong waves of feminist groups have since awakened in the peninsula seeking redress from the Japanese government. It has over time fueled animosity between Japan and its two colonies.

The third most significant legacy is the attempt to assimilate the Koreans into Japanese society. Among other means used was the enforcement of the Shinto shrine religion onto the citizens. Furthermore, the imperial government required the subjects to take Japanese names and use its language. The education system in place took the form that was active in Japan. Besides making the Koreans support the empire, the strategy intended to wash out the colony’s culture. For instance, schools began teaching the precepts of the Imperial rule to make the locals good followers of the empire.

Bibliography

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Mackenzie, Frederick Arthur. The tragedy of Korea. Colonial Korea. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908.

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