Book

Modern Korea

Institute of Pacific RelationsNew York • Published In 1944 • Pages:

By: Grajdanzev, Andrew J..

Abstract
Grajdanzev undertook this study as part of the international research program of the Institute of Pacific Relations. He critically appraises Japanese reports and statistics and the impressions of foreign observers in Korea. He cites four reasons for making the study: (a) Korea has a large population, a long history and was once in the forefront of the world's civilizations; (b) Korea has been a Japanese colony for thirty-two years and hence is important as an example of Japanese colonial administration; (c) the war current in the Pacific makes Korea important to the Japanese war economy; and (d) the eventual peace settlement will pose a problem as to what to do about Korea. The author concentrates on (b) using comparable data on the Japanese people using comparable data on the Japanese people as a yardstick to measure the degree to which the Koreans enjoy the prosperity and welfare promised to them by the Japanese emperor at the time of the annexation. Grajdanzev's evidence indicates that Korea suffered as a result of Japanese colonial policy. On the basis of his comparative analysis, Grajdanzev marshalls a body of evidence which indicates that real political power remained with the Japanese bureaucracy, that the Japanese maintained a virtual monopoly over Korean foreign trade, that Japanese (disproportionately to their actual number in the population) occupied social positions to which substantial power, wealth, and prestige accrued, and that the standard of living did not improve under Japanese control
Subjects
Composition of population
Sociocultural trends
Production and supply
Territorial organization
External relations
culture
Korea
HRAF PubDate
1998
Region
Asia
Sub Region
East Asia
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Social Scientist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
Analyst
Robert J. Smith ; 1952
Field Date
No date
Coverage Date
not specified
Coverage Place
Korea
Notes
[by] Andrew J. Grajdanzev
Includes index and bibliography
LCSH
Koreans