Military Rule

Military rule (무단; 武斷) refers to a colonial governance method in the early Japanese colonial period (1910–1919) implemented through the oppressive rule of the military police, and it later became the

Military Rule

Overview

Military rule (무단; 武斷) refers to the governing method implemented in the 1910s, the early period of Japanese colonial rule in Korea. After forcibly annexing Korea, the Empire of Japan pursued policies of military oppression centered on the military police and thoroughly suppressed freedom of speech, assembly, and association. This period is also called "military rule" (무단 통치) or "military police rule" (헌병 경찰 통치), and it aimed to suppress Korean resistance by force and consolidate colonial domination.

Main Content

Background

  • After the conclusion of the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty in 1910, the Government-General of Korea was established.
  • The first Governor-General, Terauchi Masatake (寺内正毅), was a former Imperial Japanese Army general, establishing the military governor-generalship system.
  • Military rule is conventionally divided as the period from 1910 to the March First Movement of 1919.

Main Features

  • Military police system: Japanese military police and police were integrated, patrolling the entire country and conducting surveillance and suppression.
  • Press suppression: Controlled the publication of newspapers and books, and forced the sale of the Korean-language newspaper Daehan Maeil Sinbo (The Korea Daily News).
  • Control of school education: Reduced Korean-language education, strengthened Japanese-language education, and promulgated the "Joseon Education Ordinance" to establish a colonial education system.
  • Land survey project: Through the land survey project of the 1910s, land ownership was reorganized in favor of Japanese landlords and the Japanese government.

Resistance and Transition

  • The March First Movement of 1919 was a nationwide independence movement against the oppression of military rule.
  • Afterwards, Japan shifted its policy to cultural rule (문화 통치), relaxing the military police system and allowing Koreans some autonomy as conciliatory measures.

Impact

  • The period of military rule left deep wounds on Korean society and served as a catalyst for the independence movement.
  • The experiences of this period became an important background for the formation of Korean nationalism and a spirit of resistance.

Recent Developments

In 2024–2025, historical reexamination of military rule is actively underway. In particular, in relation to the issue of historical distortion by the Japanese government, exhibitions and academic conferences are being held in South Korea to publicize the oppressive nature of early Japanese colonial rule. In addition, as the demand for uncovering the truth of past history and compensation continues to be raised, investigations into cases of damage during the military rule period are expanding. Online, ahead of the 106th anniversary of the March First Movement, there is a movement to reflect on the historical significance of military rule.

Related Topics

  • [[Korea under Japanese rule]]
  • [[March First Movement]]
  • [[Government-General of Korea]]
  • [[Military police]]