The Politico-military Dynamics of the Formation of Japanese-colonized Seoul after Russo-Japanese War: A Comparative Historical Approach

Abstract

Seoul, a 500 year old historical city, experienced a rapid transformation from the traditional capital of Choseon Dynasty to a colonial city of Japanese Empire after Russo-Japanese War, resulting in the establishment of Keijofu(Keijo municipal office), the primate city in colonial Han penninsula, in 1914. Japanes-colonized Seoul, Keijo formed a peculiar gourd-shaped colonial dual city, which juxtaposed two opposing pairs: the contrast of the southern town and the northern town within the historical town (within walls) and that of the historical town and new town -Yongsan area- built around Japanese cantonment.BR I examine the historical process of the formation of Japanese-colonized Seoul from Russo-Japanese War(1904) to Japanese annexation of Korea(1910). focusing on the specificity of the politico-military dynamics. Seoul, as is well-known, was decided as a colonial capital due to its traditional role and status as a primary city in Choseon dynasty. But my point is that the politico-military dynamics after Russo-Japanese War are very important in shaping specific spacial features of colonial Seoul. Also the structural inertias of the historical city and resisting forces from both up and down had strong influence on the transformation of the urban space in all over the colonial period.BR While at this early phase, the colonial urbanization was led by military power bloc, forming the gourd shaped dual city, consisting of two heterogeneous elements which included historical city area surrounded by walls on one hand, and Yongsan colonial cantonment area the other. But in 1920s and afterwards, its became comprised of the political center, the northern town and the military center, the southern town, the last half was developed into a fan shaped city expansion with the development of Yeong-deung-po plant complexes and suburban housing. Such changes foretold the growth of mega-city in a postcolonial era.