일제의 지방행정구획 개편의 내용과 성격 - 1914년 서울의 町洞개편을 중심으로 -

Abstract

Already engaged in the Korean Cadastral Survey, the Japanese imperial authorities were intending to bring order and a certain degree of unification both in terms of titles and districts to the Jeong • Dong/町洞 units of the Seoul area, which had been harboring the Korean Dong(洞)-title and also the Japanese-styled Jeong(町) -designation at the same time. The most significant basis for such efforts was the roadways, and after the policy was implemented certain changes ensued, as different Dong units that were previously facing each other across a certain major roadway were integrated into a same Jeong-Dong unit, while other Dong units were divided into smaller Jeong-Dong units based on minor roadways inside them.

As a result, the identity of the previous Dong units were significantly dismantled. Only 23 Dong units (which occupied 12% of the entire number of units) were managed to constitute an independent Dong unit on their own(or on part of their own), while the other Dong units were forced to join at least two. or in certain cases even up to 18 other Dong units to form a Jeong-Dong unit. This was in fact a total denial of the traditional identity and also the autonomous nature of Korean local units, and was no other than an attempt displayed in spatial terms to reform the Korean local system in their favor, based upon a Japanese model (the Jong-Chon/町•村) system).

In order to effectively regulate and control administrative districts with relatively weak internal solidarity, and also utilize them in their colonial ruling, the Japanese JeongChongdae-jae/町總代制 practice that, proved useful in cities like Nagoya and other local Japan cities, was adopted by the imperial authorities to be implemented inside Choseon. Those Chongdae figures in Japan served as an intermediary between city authorities and the citizens in providing support to city administration. And as the practice was being introduced to the Choseon situation, new Chongdae figures were assigned to each Jeong-Dong units in 1916. This also was the Japanese attempt to suppress the autonomous and independent development of the traditional Dong or Bang/it units inside Seoul area. They only acknowledged the newly established Joeng-Dong units and citizen groups as authorized supporters for effective colonial administration and ruling.