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Colonization as Planned Changed: The Korean Case*
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 November 2008
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With the Kangwha treaty in 1876 Korea ended its period of isolation and became exposed to foreign pressures. In 1906, after a period of turmoil in Asian international affairs, Korea was declared a Japanese protectorate, and in 1910 it became a colony of that country. Korea remained a Japanese possession until the end of the Pacific War in 1945. This essay is concerned with some of the economic and social changes that took place in Korea under Japanese rule. The first part of the paper discusses the reorganization of the traditional economy by changes in institutional control over it, and the second part describes the growth of the economy during these years.
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References
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4 There were also seven occupational roles which were legally stipulated as inferior work and assigned to commoners. These included servants in administration offices, sailors engaged in transportation of tax tributes, beacon-tenders, palacetomb guards, and so on. These roles, however, were regarded as temporary occupations and most individuals engaged in them were also farmers.
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56 If women are included, the figures become 78% and 73% of the total labour force—a figure difficult to interpret because of the great fall in the number reported in manufacturing. Again changes in census definitions make interpretation of the figures difficult.
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