19세기 말~20세기 초 의류 직물 관련 수입품의 종류와 무역 특성

Abstract

This study aims to understand the diversity and trade characteristics of imported textiles and clothing by examining the types of goods and the import value of the products. Primary research sources used in the study are the diplomatic documents on customs regulations for importing and exporting of goods in the late 19th century and the trade reports between Korea and foreign countries from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. The results of the study are as follows. First, the imported piece-goods included cotton, woolen, silk, and grass cloths, mixtures, and other fabrics. Among the imported fabrics, cotton cloths were the most common, followed by woolen and silk cloths. A total of 20 kinds of cotton cloths, 15 kinds of woolen cloths, and 11 kinds of silk cloths are available. However, only a few kinds of grass cloths exist. Other fabrics included carpets, canvas, wax cloth, felt, and floor rugs. The sundries included various items such as raw materials, skins/bones/feathers, leather/furs, clothing, hats, socks, shoes, waistband/pouches, haberdashery, umbrella/parasols, bags, accessories and dyes. Second, over the period from 1882 to 1910, the highest import value was cotton cloths, followed by silk, grass, and woolen cloths. Cotton cloths were the product group with the highest import volume and value among all the products imported to Joseon since the port-opening era. By contrast, the import value of silk, grass, and woolen cloths was considerably low compared with that of cotton fabrics. However, if we compare the three fabrics only, silk cloths have the highest import value. The import value of sundries was relatively low compared with the fabric. In 1883, the import value of clothing was only 0.2% of total imports, but this import value has a tendency to increase with time.