The Characteristics of Jongbang-village sericulture at Jeollanam-do Province during Japanese Colonial Rule: Focused on Gokseong-gun & Damyang-gun Jongbang-village

Abstract

This study investigated the characteristics and changes of Jeongbang-village silk culture Jeollanam-do Province during Japanese Colonial Rule with a focus in on Gokseong-gun & Damyang-gun Jeongbang-village. The results of the study are as follows. First, after Japanese occupation, it changed from a traditional silkworm species, the Joseon Silkworms and the mulberry tree to an improved Japanese species. Japan established a silk spinning mill called Jongyeon Textile factory in Gwangju and Jeongbang Village was formed in poor rural areas. Second, the way of village management consisted of buying a large number of land for mulberry plans and creating mulberry fields as a cheap way to utilize the labor force for women and men in rural areas. Third, since the end of the Japanese colonial era, mulberry fields in Jeongbang villages which the Japanese left, were sold at a cheap price to Koreans. After the Korean War, the Korean government’s efforts to modernize the silkworm industry resulted in a continuous plan to increase the number of silkworms. The impact of government policies has also increased the production of silkworms in these areas. However, since the early 1980s, Korean companies have been affected by Japanese economic policies and dumping by China that has resulted in in a sharp decline in their production. In the case of Gokseong-gun and Damyang, the production of silk products was halted and switched to other crops in the early 1990s when the farming industry began to decline.