일제하 동북아 관세문제와 조선의 대‘중국’ 무역

Abstract

After ‘annexation of Korea’, Japan could integrate Korea politically and militarily except for the customs duties. Japan promised that Japan will maintain Chosun customs duties for 10 years under the sensitive international political situation in the North East Asia where superpower countries show very keen attention to the Chosun customs duties. In August 1920, Office of Chosun Governor could apply ‘Japanese Customs Duties Law’ to Chosun and attain the ‘Annexation of Korea’ in economic sense. China lost its autonomous right of customs duties as a result of treaties with foreign governments. But later the Western superpowers admitted autonomy of Chinese customs duties in 1928 as the ‘Peoples Revolution of China’ succeeded and Japan approved the autonomy of Chinese customs duties in May, 1930. Subsequently, Chinese government gradually increased the tariffs rates. After invasion of Manchuria, Manchuria government separated the customs administration from China and strengthened the preferred tariff alliance with Chosun and ultimately integration with Chosun tariff was made in May 1944. As the puppet government was established in China after Sino-Japanese war, favorable conditions were given to the Korean export goods applying ‘pro-Japanese favorable tariffs.’ Under the situation that Chosun customs tariffs are still maintained after the ‘Annexation of Korea’, Japan developed various policy schemes to build an economic foundation for invasion to Manchuria and, as a result, export and import trade with ‘China’, in particular, with Manchuria area, further increased. On the export side, rice was the main item shipped to Manchuria as the rice demands of the immigrants from Japan and Korea to Manchuria increased and to make up food supply shortage incurred by the rice export, huge volume of millet was imported from Manchuria. As the ‘Japanese Customs Duties Law’ started to be applied to Chosun in 1920 and under the consequences of boycott of Japanese goods spurred by ‘People’s Revolution of China’ and the ‘Baehwa anti-Japanese riot’, trade with ‘China’ relatively declined or stagnated. In particular, the trade volume of Chosun with China dropped drastically after world great economic depression in 1929 and recovery of Chinese autonomy of customs duties in 1930. Export and import trade with Manchuria suddenly increased since Japanese aggression to the North Chinese Continent and the establishment of the Government of Manchuria. In particular, rice export became important inevitably in pursuing the war.