Mercantile Practice and Conditions in the Mokpo Open Pore Market

Abstract

Mokpo Port opened on October 1, 1897 and many merchants, who worked at the open ports in Busan and Incheon, etc, moved into Mokpo Port. We divided these merchants as Korean merchants and foreign merchants who put down roots in Mokpo. As Korean merchants, the commission agency had the initiative at the early of opening ports. They formed the ‘commission agency association’ for the first time and Muan Sasang Company. Through these organizations, they expanded their commercial power in opening port. But Japan pushed their colonial policies more than more, Korean commercial power contracted. Some Korean wealthy merchants pursued their profits through cooperation with Japanese colonial organization.<BR> The other side, Japanese merchants, Incheon Gaerim Jangupdan, formed their places as the Mokpo merchants. But the inland commerce right was not recognized in the early of opening port and they could not succeed because of their poor communication. But they expanded their commercial power because many Japanese moved into Mokpo and social infra was expanded through Japan pushed their colonial policies. As the result, Japanese merchants became wealthy merchants in Mokpo. The number of Chinese merchants was less than Korean and Japanese merchants. Thought they bought the land near opening port and ran the store, they did not influence to the commerce.<BR> According to the above facts. Mokpo merchants of opening port competed and developed between Korean merchants and Japanese merchants in the early of opening port. Their characteristics showed modernity and colonialness at the same time through under the rule of Japanese imperialism.<BR> Through this study, we found out the outline of existence aspects and characteristics of Mokpo opening port merchants. However, we could not investigate the detailed aspects because of the lack of personal data and study for them. This is the limit of this study. In future, it will study in detail if we find the more data to make clear.