1910년대 한반도 중북부 지역 상점 상인의 존재형태와 동향

Abstract

Based on the list of stores listed in the appendix to the “Chosun Commercial comprehensive book”, this paper examines the existence and trends of store merchants in the 1910s. The store merchant in the “Chosun Commercial Comprehensive Book” were largely emerging merchant forces, who differed from traditional merchants. The first characteristic that is noteworthy in the existence of store merchants in the 1910s is the bias by industry. Looking at the composition of the detailed industry, four types, commission agency business, general store, trade store, and cloth store, accounted for about 71% of all commercial-based stores. In the case of industrial-based stores, manufacturing pharmacies and shoe manufacturing stores accounted for nearly half of all handicraft stores. This industry bias phenomenon was due to the survival strategy of Korean commercial and industrial capitalists to respond to the impact of colonialism. The second characteristic that is noteworthy in the existence of store merchants is that there were several types surrounding the supply and demand of products and sales channels. It can be classified into five main types. First, the type that is produced in Chosun and sold in Chosun. Second, the type that is produced in Chosun and sold to Japan. Third, the type that is produced in Chosun and sold to China. Fourth, the type that is produced in Japan and sold to Chosun. Fifth, the type that is produced in China and sold to Chosun. It can be seen that small and medium-sized capitalists were also gradually dividing their economic existence due to colonial economic policy. Meanwhile, some of the store merchants have expanded their economic activities by establishing modern companies or factories or investing in other industries such as mining and agriculture based on the capital earned from store management. This aspect can be said to show that the path of personal economic growth was not completely impossible even for small and medium-sized capitalists, at least until this period.