History of Korea

In 1931, rice production in Korea increased due to the implementation of programs aimed at by the Japanese government. The increase in rice production was for the most part exported to Japan, so that the Korean population would suffer from lack of food left at home. This rice policy changed in 1934, when Governor-General Ugaki stopped the increase production and export of rice from the colony to its mother country. This was largely due to the fact that the Japanese agicultural community placed pressure on their government to stop the importation of rice from Korea. The Japanese rice cultivators did not want to compete with cheap Korean rice products. The new policy on rice rice production was also complimented by the agricultural diversification plan of 1933, which was mottoed, "cotton in the south, sheep in the north." Koreans were allowed to produce rice for their own consumption, but the new policy towards cotton and wool products limited the amount of rice availiable to the Korean population. Cotton fiber and wool were important to the Japanese so there was a shift in the demand from rice to these clothing products.

Japanese investment in Korea also increased. The pool of resources available in the colony attracted Japanese industry to form. Textiles and other industrial developments occured throughout Korea because of the greater amount of natural and mineral resources in Korea. Besides the excess in natural resources, there was also an abundant amount of cheap, unskilled labor. Displaced landless peasants migrated to urban areas in order to gain some sort of economic stability. This increased the labor pool in Korea that could be harnessed towards industrialization.

Koreans also developed economically during this time period, but they were always hindered in economic mobility because of their ethnic standing. Some Korean entrepeneurs emerged and succeeded during the colonial period, but they could not compete with Japanese business or industry. In much the same way, Korean workers were always relegated to secondary jobs in an ethnically demarcated workplace. Koreans found themselves not only on the bottom of the social hierarchy but also the bottom of the labor hierarchy, as well. Koreans were payed wages which were lower than the Japanese even in situations where both groups did the same job.

All of these economic constraints helped Japan control the Korean population as well as to assist in the Japanese War Mobilization of the 1930's and 1940's. All economic policies were directed to contribute to the well-being of the Japanese Empire, while the Korean people were only a secondary priority in the Japanese plans to acheive dominance in Asia.

Colonial Period