TheFirst in Koreaand theOldest in Incheon

Transcription

Incheon History and Culture Series 43
The First in Korea and
the Oldest in Incheon
Historical Data Office, Incheon Metropolitan City
The First in Korea
and
the Oldest in Incheon
Historical Data Office, Incheon Metropolitan City
Introduction
This book, as known from the title, The First in Korea and
the Oldest in Incheon, is to show the first and oldest modern
historical facts in the process of Inchen's development. This
publication will make residents in Incheon take pride in the first
things in Incheon and feel proud in incheon's history.
All the while, many local historians in Incheon have got
some information about 'the first in Incheon' as much as they
can, and as a result of their efforts, the history and culture of
Incheon grew enlarged. They have kept their local affections by
showing their labors required to publish this book. Nevertheless,
some facts about Incheon were forced to be recorded by a
designated person's memory and unfounded report because of
lack of sources.
Although Incheon, the modern open port, had the richer
historical facts than any other area, historians hold the different
views about the significance of these facts. If any, 'The first in
Korea and the oldest in Incheon' will unusually enlarge the
stories about Incheon, and in the near future, the first in Incheon
will need to be renovated through the constantly comparative
study.
This book was based on data as follows. Records or articles
in the newspaper; books such as The Centennial History of
Incheon Open Port(1983), The History of Incheon(1973,
1993), The History of Incheon Metropolitan City(2002); the
centennial records published by each organization; the local
historians' writings and the personal research papers, and the
others.
In
addition,
although
some
records
including
Incheonsajeong(1892), The History of 25 Years after Incheon
Open Port(1892), Incheon Port(1931), The Incheon Local
History(1932), and Incheonbusa(1933) were written from
Japanese point of view and by Japanese authors, they were
considered with very significance under the condition of lack
of data about Incheon.
Furthermore, some errors of the date were caused by the
difference of the solar and lunatic calendar of sources, but if
possible, the date was keeping in with historical sources, and
if needs be, the lunatic date was turned into the solar date.
The contents of the book first contained the first in Korea,
and then the oldest in Incheon, and they were arranged in
chronological order.
The sources were limited from the beginning of open port to
the 1950s, and untimely facts in the process of arranging
data will follow later.
Contents
First in Korea
The Influx of the Western Trading Companies / 10
E. Meyer & Co's Dormitory Building, a Western House with an
Exotic Mood / 15
Foreigners Buried in Incheon / 19
Development of Local Post Office, Incheon Post Office / 24
Fountainhead of the Chinese Community in Korea / 28
The Birth of Jajang-myeon / 31
The Common Management of the General Foreign Settlement / 33
Naeri Church, the First Methodist Church / 38
The Establsihment of Gyunpyeong-sa / 42
Incheon Meteorogical Observatory / 44
Match Manufacturing Factory in Incheon / 48
Incheon Maritime Customs, the Beginning of Customs
Administration / 51
Daebul Hotel, the First Western-style Korean Hotel Where Rev.
Appenzeller Stayed / 55
The First Foreign Style Park Established Prior to Seoul's
Tapgol(Pagoda) Park / 59
The Steam Power Rice Mill Managed by Townsend & Co. / 62
Incheon Mint Bureau, in Which the Typical Modern Coin, 5nyang Silver Coin, Was Made / 65
Yeonghwa Hakdang, the First Western-style Elementary
Educational Institute in Incheon / 69
Joseon Naval Academy, Susahaebang-hakdang / 74
Yangmu-ho / 76
Iunsa Company, the First Shipping Company in Korea / 78
Haeseong Nursery / 81
The Open Port Court of Incheon / 84
The First Commercial Advertisement of the 'Deoksang,' German
E. Meyer & Co. Walter & Co. / 86
Incheon Sinsang Association, Which Protected the National
Commercial Rights / 90
A Futures Market, Incheon Rice and Bean Exchange Market / 94
The First Official Telephone and Toll Line in Korea, and
Telegraph / 100
Introduction of Baseball Game in Incheon / 103
Two Ground-breaking Ceremonies of Seoul-Incheon Railroad / 105
Daehancheonil Bank, the First National Bank in Korea / 109
Sinhak-wolbo, the Advent of the Monthly Theological Magazine / 111
The Cannon Salute System, the Sound of the Cannon Echoed
around the Port / 113
Modern Indentured Emigrants to Hawaii / 115
The First Lighthouse on Palmi _ do, Which Lit on the Dark
Ocean / 119
From Glass production on a Small Scale to Establishment of
Plate Glass Factory / 121
Sun-dried Saltpans and "Incheon's Salty (Hardhearted) Water" / 123
Sanggyewolbo, a Monthly Commercial Publication, and
Incheon's Korean Board of Trade / 126
The Incheon Port Equipped with the Only Lock Gate in Korea / 129
Wolmi-do's Public Hot Seawater Bath / 132
Incheon Burip(local) Library, a Free Reading Space / 135
The Joseon Boy Scouting Party, Playing the Bugle and the
Drum / 137
Incheon Metropolitan City Museum, the First Public Museum in
Korea / 140
Oldest in Incheon
The Westerners' Records about Incheon's People / 146
Incheon, a Place Where Soccer Was Introduced
/ 149
Quarantine for the Prevention of the Infectious Disease / 151
Police Organizations / 153
The Fire Station, a Very Careful Organization even in the
Extinguished Fire / 154
Powder Magazine / 156
Incheon Printshop, the Beginning of Type Printing / 157
Dr. Landis, Yakdaein(a Great Man of Medicine), and the
Western-style Hospital / 158
The Soy Sauce and the Soybean Paste as Side Dishes / 161
Incheon Gyeongseong Gyeokjusangbo, a Special Which was
Published Every Other Week, and Daehan Ilbo Which was
Published with Korean and Chinese Writing / 163
The Manufacture of Rice Wine and Bottled Liquor / 166
The Modern Permanent Market / 172
Enforcement of Rickshaw Business Regulation / 174
The Traditional Soap Manufacturer / 176
The Control Regulation against the Lodging Business / 177
The First Private School, Jenyeong School / 179
Tobacco Manufacture / 183
Quality Examination for Milk / 185
Watering on the Street / 186
Warehousing Business in the City of the Distribution Industry / 187
The Predecessors of Chilseong Cider / 188
Electricity, Flashed over Incheon / 190
The Sound of Midday Gun Startles People / 192
Hyeopryulsa Theater and Aegwan Theater / 196
The Formation of Mt. Munhak-san's Catchment Area for
Drinking Water and Water Service Project / 199
The Tidal Power Project / 202
Ham Made in Incheon / 203
Gyeongjehwa Shoes (Economic Shoes) and Rubber Shoes / 205
Hanyong Club and Day Students Commuted by Train from
Incheon to Seoul / 207
Incheon, Mecca of Korean Labor Movement / 211
An Academy for Bookkeeping and Abacus Calculation / 216
Resting Places for Workers, a Common Lodging House and an
Employment Agency / 217
The Public Stadium / 219
The Advent of a Woman Telephone Operator / 221
Burip(local) Public Bath / 223
Barbers and Beauty Artists / 225
Coffee Shops / 228
Ice Factories / 230
The Largest Industrial City / 232
Naengmyeon, Haejang-guk, and Chutang_Dishes Standardized
in Incheon / 236
Husks of Grain, Fuel Developed in Incheon / 239
Incheon Expands Bedbugs throughout the Nation / 241
Chicken Raising in the School / 243
The Private Taxi Company / 244
Munyetap, a Literary Magazine / 245
The First in Korea
The Influx of the Western
Trading Companies
After Joseon made the Treaty of Amity
and Commerce between Korea and the
United States in May, 1882, the Treaty of
Land and Water Trade between Korea and
China in August, and various Treaties of
friendship and trade between Korean and
western countries, Incheon which was a
gateway to Seoul grew as an international
port when it opened in 1883. Most foreign
ships passing between Shanghai of China
Home Ringer & Co.'s Advertisement
and Japan touched Incheon port, as a result,
Incheon was the first port where the
western nations set up their companies.
Jardine Matheson & Co. was established in
Guangzhou, Guangdong Sheng by Scots William Jardine
and James Matheson who were captains of a merchant
ship under the command of the East India Company. It
focused on the trade of opium and Chinese tea as one of
the English trade companies. It was also known as "Ihwa
10
The First in Korea and the Oldest in Incheon
Western Company or Sajeon
Western Company" in China and
other Asian countries. When the
East India Company lost its
exclusive trading right with China
due to the Opium War, Jardin
Matheson & Co. started holding in
Shanghai and Hongkong two years
after its separation from the parents
company and set up a branch in
Yokohama, Japan in 1859.
Meyer & Co.'s Advertisement
Jardine Matheson & Co. established its branch in
Incheon, engaging in the cowhide trade, and made
inroads into Chemulpo in June 1883. The company
established the routes among Busan, Incheon and
Nakasaki with a base of Shanghai by the agency of
German Mollendorf who had worked for Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade, and had started the shipping
services with Namseung-ho ship twice a month since
August, 1884. At that time, Jardine Matheson & Co.
made an agreement with the Korean government that if the
trade was in the red, the company could pay only the half of
the customs tax. When the company failed to make money,
it shifted from trading to mining. Since their mining
business did not produce a good profit, the company had to
give up its Incheon branch in December 1883.
First in Korea
11
Meyer & Co. founded by German Heinrich Constantin
Edward Meyer based its headquarter in Hamburg,
established some branches in Hongking, China, and
Japan in the eastern area to specialize in the trading
business, and opened a new branch in Chemulpo in 1884.
The company maintained steady growth under the
protection of the German consolate, and expanded its
business, making its great profits in the field of shipping,
loan, employment of engineers, mine development,
trading and the others. At first the company traded the
trading goods of everyday supplies such as needles, dyes
and cotton stuff, but later changed its business to
commission trade of iron, steel, medicine, machinery,
weapon, and so on. The company was purchased by Karl
Walter who was a manager of the company, and renamed
Karl Walter & Co. in 1907.
Townsend & Co. which was founded by Townsend
started its business as a Incheon agency of the American
Trading Company established by Morse. At that time,
Kim Ok Gyun, under the direction of Emperor Gojong,
tried to obtain a loan from Japan, and he was not
successful, but he attempted to obtain a loan from Morse
in Yokohama in 1883. Morse obtained, with a help from
Kim Ok Gyun who was a member of the power elite
within the Jeson government, a concession right to fell
trees in Ulleung-do in April 1884. Morse dispatched
12
Townsend to Joseon to establish Morse and Townsend &
Co. on May 1, 1884. Shortly after Townsend took over
the Morse's right in Korea and changed the company's
name to Townsend & Co. in 1895.
Townsend & Co. purchased the Sunsinchang
Company in Incheon at the beginning of 1885 and
appointed Seo Sangjip as its representative, and started
the rice trade business. It had once lent some loans to
Korean Gaekjus and merchants. The company could also
get a special tax privilege from the government while it
had supplied the government with weapons since 1888.
In addition it offered luxury and electric supplies to the
royal family and took part in the establishment of the
royal light facilities. The company mainly sold foreigners
around Incheon some goods such as oxhide, food,
dinnerwares, medicine, clothes, fabrics, weapons,
munitions, stationary, interior decoration articles.
In1892, Townsend and Co. established and managed
the Townsend Rice Mill. It was the first modern rice mill
run by steam power. In March 1897, Townsend secured a
monopoly on gas in Joseon by signing a contract with
Standard Oil Company, a great Amercian oil company. In
1896, the company built a half million-ton gas storage in
Wolmi-do. In 1900, it ever offered some explosive
detonator to the government by establishing a detonator
storage site in Yul-do of Seo-myeon, Bupyeong and it led
First in Korea
13
the detonator industry in Korea with Meyer & Co.
Homle Ringer & Co. was one of the most active
English companies in Korea. This company was based in
Nakasaki of Japan and set up a branch in Incheon in
1896. The company imported flour, sugar, gunnery and
cotton fabrics, but afterwards, as an agency of Russian
Dongbo Steamboat Company, the company concentrated
on the export of Korean rice to Vladivostok. Originally,
the export of rice from Korea to Russia had been mainly
managed by Chinese merchants. When Homle Ringer &
Co. intervened in the rice trade, Japanese merchants as
well as the Chinese who had engaged in the rice export
were hit hard.
Bennet & Co. was among the western trading
companies in Korea. It was established as a JapanEngland Joint Company by Englishman W. G. Bennet in
partnership with the Japanese Ebara Shuijiro. When
Shuijiro dropped out from the business, Bennet changed
the company's name to Bennet & Co. The company sold
English cotton fabrics from Shanghai, but its business
performance was poor.
14
E. Meyer & Co's Dormitory
Building, a Western House
with an Exotic Mood
Among
trade
which
foreign
companies
flocked
to
Meyer and Wolter
Incheon Port after the
port opened,
the
German company, E.
Meyer & Co. built a
western house first
and foremost. On the area near
where the statue of General
MacArthur currently exists, E.
Meyer & Co. built a dormitory
E.Meyer & Co.'s Dormitory Building
building for three employees who came from Hamburg in
1883 to establish a business company. It was a striking
brick building which has a square-shaped 2-story castle
tower but it was destroyed at the time of Incheon Landing
Operation of 1950. Together with Incheongok, which was
First in Korea
15
called Johnston's resort villa, this gold and silver western
house was known as a landmark to foreign merchant
ships going in and out of the habor. This building whose
pictures only remains, now was the first western house
building which was built by western people in Korea. The
office of E. Meyer & Co. which was located at #4
Jungang-dong 3rd St. was a one-story brick building
constructed in 1884, but it has also vanished.
There remains no record that western houses were
built by Jardine Matheson & Co, an English company,
which was the first trading firm to come into Incheon and
withdrew soon because of the dissatisfactory trading
result in 1883. The foreign business company which
came after E. Meyer & Co. was Townsend & Co., an
American company, which used to be located at a border
line between Songhak-dong and Nae-dong. Holme
Ringer & Co., an English company, which used to be at
the corner of the street to Jayu Park which is right behind
current Jung-gu office, was demolished. On the site in
which Holme Ringer & Co. used to be, there are two inns
constructed at the present.
The building of Bennet & Co. run by Englishman
Bennet used to be situated across from the old Incheon
Post Office. Daebul Hotel, at which Appenzeller had
stayed in 1885, was used as Chinese restaurant called
Junghwaru until 1978, but was demolished. Another
16
western hotel, Steward Hotel used to be in the Chinese
settlement across from #12 Seolin-dong but was also
destroyed by gunfire at the time of the Incheon Landing
Operation.
Horace N. Allen's cottage located at the top of
Ugakhyeon was a white western-style two-story building
with a dome at the corner with pine groves and a grass
lawn. Later it was used as an educational institute and
school but was demolished. A church building exists on
this site.
In addition, many western buildings were constructed
in Incheon, such as D. W. Deshler's mansion, which used
to be on the site that Inseong Girls' High School is
situated; the mansion constructed in 1895 owned by H.
Henkel, an employee for E. Meyer Co.; a one-story
western-style cottage at #2 Dap-dong at the end of Joseon
dynasty owned by Lee Hayeong, a Minister of Justice;
the mansion built at #9 Songwol-dong 3rd St. on a low
hill owned by Paul Schriwaum, an employee for E.
Meyer Co; etc.
At that time one of the most beautiful buildings was
English James Johnston's summer house which was built
in 1905. Late it was called 'Incheon-gak'. German Paul
Baumann's house, which was better known as a Saito's
villa, a previous governor-general, and Woo Li Tang's
house at #12 Songhak-dong 2nd St, Jung-dong had the
First in Korea
17
spotlight with its beauty and exotic mood. In addition, the
English consul's houses situated at the present Hotel
Paradise and Russian's house to the west were the typical
western houses built by westerners.
Among religious buildings remaining are Dapdong
Cathedral which was constructed in 1987; Daehan
Episcopal Church in Naedong which was rebuilt by
English veterans of the Korean war after it was
demolished in 1897; and the women's dormitory, the only
existing building among four two-story brick buildings
built as missionary's dormitories in Ugak-ri which was
built by Reverend G. H. Jones.
18
Foreigners Buried in Incheon
"When
you
hear
about
foreigners' cemetery for the first
time, you may wonder what it is.
As you can see, Incheon grew
up as an international trade port
after opening it, so it had close
relations with foreigners. From
1883 to 1914, Incheon alloted
settlements, which were specific
living areas for foreigners from
each country. For example, there
were a Japanese settlement for
Japanese, a Chinese settlement
Foreigners' Cemetery in Cheonghak-dong
for Chinese and a general foreign
settlement for other foreigners from western countries.
Each living area had to be well equiped with what people
needed, including a cemetery for each settlement in
suburb hills, which today have become central part of the
city.
The Japanese Cemetery was called Ilinmyoji and the
First in Korea
19
Foreigners' Cemetery in Bukseong-dong
Chinese Cemetery called Uijangji while the cemetery for
western foreigners was called foreigners' cemetery.
There still remain small rocky hills and spacious
vacant land at #1 First Avenue, a starting point of
Bukseong-dong. They are on the right hand side after
passing over Seoul-Incheon railroad tracks through the
overpass starting from Songwol-dong and connecting to
Manseok-dong. Before the deconstruction occurred on
the area of these rocky hills and empty lots, there was a
foreigners' cemetery of over 26446m²(8000 pyeong) on
gently inclined hills."
This paragraphs are parts of the explanation about the
foreigners' cemetery in the book One Century in Incheon
written by Dr. Sin Taebeom. This book shows why the
20
foreigners' cemetery appears in this place.
As soon as Incheon Port opened in 1883, foreigners
from Japan, China and Russia as well as other foreigners
from America and Europe started to arrive and settle
down as residents in Incheon, in order to gain important
concessions in Joseon. As the number of the residents
increased, the number of death among them also
increased. As a result, they needed to prepare the
boundaries of grave to deal with the dead. That's why
Japanese Cemetery, Chinese Cemetery, and foreigners'
cemeteries were created as mentioned in the previous
paragraph.
Chinese Cemetery called "Uijangji" was constructed
in March 3, 1884 upon the signing of "Incheon
Crematoriam Bill" between Korea and China. This bill
Dosan Crematorium
First in Korea
21
prescribed the regulations, including a rule that said
"Chinese merchants may have a permission to create a
public cemetery in the mountain area that they want, as
long as it is within the area which is 2.5 miles apart from
Jemulpo, spacious enough to plant trees and build houses
to take care of the graves."
At the outset, however, Uijangji was built up in the
area of # 6 Nae-dong, which seemed to have been already
constructed in secret before 1884. Afterwards, as the
population increased, it became necessary to relocate the
graves from the center of the city. Based on the
regulations that seemed to favor for them, Chinese people
prepared a cemetery in a good mountain area selected at
their pleasure, which is the area near the entrance of
Incheon University at Dohwa-dong, Nam-gu at the
present. As the city developed, it moved to Mansu-dong,
Namdong-gu in 1970s and then into Incheon Family
Cemetery (the old Bupyeong Cemetery).
Foreigners' Cemetery located at Bukseong-dong, Junggu was a spacious grave area of around 26446m²(8000
pyeong). This cemetery had the first burial in July 1883.
9914m²
(3000 pyeong) of the Cemetery remains as it was
while 16529m²(5000 pyeong) was expropriated for
railroad site in 1941. In the Foreigners' Cemetery were 59
foreigner bodies from 11 countries in all including 21
English bodies, 14 American bodies, 7 Russian bodies, 6
22
German bodies, etc. In 1965, the cemetery was relocated
to 13223m²(4000 pyeong) new cemetery in Cheonghakdong, Yeonsu-gu, in which people can see graves of
celebrities who formed ties with Incheon such as Landis,
a medical missionary, Woo Li Tang at Incheon Customs,
H. Henkel of E. Meyer and Co., Walter Townsend of
Townsend and Co. This foreigners' cemetery is the only
one in Korea.
The Japanese Cemetery located at Yulmok-dong was
created in 1902, and it was a public graveyard where
various scattered graves were brought together in one
place after exhuming and burying. The area was land
originally owned by Lee Hayeong, Minister of Justice at
the end of Joseon Dynasty.
DaeJungilbo Daily Newspaper published a news
article on January 18, 1946, urging that the Cemetery at
Yulmok-dong be relocated, saying "Incheon is the only
city with a public graveyard located at the center of city.
The Japanese Cemetery with mound graves adjacent to
Japanese Army Cemetery was a sore thumb, but
untouchable by Korean people under the oppressive
tyranny of Japan."
The remains from the Japanese Cemetery at Yulmokdong were relocated to Japan after the normalization of
Korea and Japan diplomatic relations in 1965.
First in Korea
23
Development of Local Post
Office, Incheon Post Office
The modern postal system in Korea started when
General Post Office in Seoul and Incheon Branch Post
office were established on November 18, 1884. Although
Incheon Branch Post office was the first local post office
in our country, it was closed on December 9. The
reformist group including Kim Okgyun started the
Emeute of 1884, a political change at the opening
Incheon Post Office(Japanese)
24
ceremony of General Post Office on December 4 and
reigned over government. However, the reign of
government by a reformist group was dissolved in 3 days,
and it caused General Post Office closed on December 9.
Afterwards, postal correspondence continued in an old
way by posthouse for 10 years until the Post office
building was instituted in 1895.
At that time, mail was delivered by swapping mail
between Incheon and Seoul. Before the opening of SeoulIncheon railway, each postman called Ujeonin started
from Incheon and Seoul at 9 o'clock in the morning with
a mailbag on their back. Then, they met halfway at Oryudong around at 1 pm and exchanged their bags. In this
way, mailbags were exchanged between Incheon and
Seoul once a day. It is said that it took over 9 hours for a
mailman to complete the task each day.
The modern postal service between Incheon and Seoul
started again on July 22, 1895 when 24 posthouses
affiliated with postal system were established. Hanseong
posthouse was installed in the Seoul postal station, while
Incheon posthouse opened in the building of Iunsa at
Gyeong-dong, Incheon. The Gyeong-dong posthouse
located at Gyeong-dong moved to Nae-dong in 1898. The
number of posthouses increased to 38 by 1900 but the
authority of communication service was forcibly removed
with Japanese oppression in 1905.
First in Korea
25
On the other hand,
Japan assigned postal
service to the Incheon
Consulate from 1882 and
appointed the Japanese
Consul at Incheon to take
charge of the service as an
additional duty. Thereafter,
The Early Telegraphic Instrument
in 1883 Incheon opened its
own port and the Japanese settlement was founded. As
the immigration of Japanese got into the stride, in April
1884, the post office was started in Japanese Consulate in
order to contact its home country. The post office
installed a branch office at Japanese legation in Seoul in
1888. The branch office took charge of postal service for
Japanese residing in Seoul. In addition, foreigners who
resided in Korea used The Japanese post office, because
Joseon Dynasty did not have its own postal system yet.
After the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, according to
Korea-Japan joint communication management
agreement, Joseon's postal communication system was
folded into Japanese correspondence organization. After
the Japanese annexation of Korea, it was under the
control of Japanese governors-general in Seoul. The
Japanese post office, which had telegraph service since
1888, constructed a new building at Japanese Consulate
26
in Seoul in 1896 but relocated in the Incheon post office
when it was newly built in 1923. The Incheon Post office
building constructed at that time remains its original form
well. It was once called as Incheon post office and
nowadays it is still used as a name of Jung-dong post
office. The Incheon Post Office building is a shape of
“ㄱ”and has a salient entrance with its corner jutted out.
This antique Renaissance-style building is built of stones
and concrete, and has a peculiarly shaped roof.
First in Korea
27
Fountainhead of the Chinese
Community in Korea
It has been over 120 years since Chinese started to
settle down and resided in Korea Peninsula in the early
1880s. The titles of Chinese residents were as various as
the length of their history. At the beginning of open port,
most of the Chinese residents were merchants, and
Koreans called them as "Chinese merchants" and
Japanese as "Jina merchants." In the time of the Empire
of Korea, Koreans addressed them as "Chinese Korean"
The Draft of Chinese Settlement
28
which meant the Chinese in the Empire of Korea. When
Korea regained its independence from Japan and was
divided into South and North Korea, Chinese were also
divided depending on the area that they resided. The
Chinese who resided in South Korea were called "South
Chinese Korean" or "Chinese residents in Korea".
China built their consulate In Incheon, which was the
second one after the consulate of Japan. As China signed
on the "Agreement of Land and Water Trade between
Korea and China," they enjoyed the privileges such as
extraterritorial rights and inland trading rights in Korea. It
facilitated the immigration of Chinese merchants into
Korea and their commercial business, which eventually
became an important foundation in forming China Town
in Incheon.
The Chinese community in Korea started to form
around Incheon in 1883 and began in earnest after the
Chinese settlement was established in Incheon in 1884.
Because more than 90% of Chinese were from Shandong,
China, they were considered as those who constructed the
Chinese community in Korea. However, it was not true as
it was known. It was discovered that those who took the
first step on Korea were the merchants who came from
the southern part of China and Chinese soldiers who were
sent to Korea during the emeute in 1882(Imogunran).
Forty merchants from the southern parts of China such
First in Korea
29
as Gwandung and Jeojangseong arrived in Korea with
Ching's solders under the protection of the Ching
Dynasty, which was the beginning of Chinese
immigration to Korea. When the Port opened in 1883
there were 59 Chinese immigrants in all in Incheon. Nine
of them worked for the Chinese consulate, 33 of them
were incensed merchants and the remaining 17 were
merchants without a permit. The very next year in 1884
the number of merchants increased to a total of 205.
Ching Dynasty sent their merchants to acquire
commercial supremacy by competing with Japanese
merchants who were already trading in the market.
In its early stage Chinese community was developed
under the protection of Ching government. Ching gave
their merchants full support through the mobilization of
warships in order to holt Japan's economical permeation
and monopoly. After Ching was defeated in the SinoJapanese war in 1894, the Chinese community declined.
After concessions in Korea were passed into Japanese
hands, Chinese community further declined, which
caused them to be hostile toward Japanese during the
Japanese colonial period.
30
The Birth of Jajang-myeon
Jajang-myeon is one of the most popular dishes that
Korean people adopted from Chinese dishes. They may
not regard it as traditional Korean meal, but this dish
which originated in Incheon became something which
Korean people enjoy regardless of age or sex. Although it
certainly took its rise in Incheon, it is said that its origin
dated from 1883 after the port opened, and the Chinese
coolies who came to realize Korean dream at that time
Gonghwachun
First in Korea
31
enjoyed it as a simple meal.
Some people argue that this
dish was made for the first
time in Gonghwachun, but it
has not been confirmed.
There is a possibility that
Gonghwachun in which coolies
Jajang-myeon
stayed as a their provisional
residence, served coolies with Jajang-myeon as a
collective dish. But thre is no evidence for this story to be
true because neither Korean nor Chinese people failed to
show the evidence. There are no records about it and its
origin may remain uncertain. However, It is certain that
Jajang-myeong became popular as a simple substitue dish
for poor people.
Gonghwachun is known for its dominance among the
top class restaurants in Incheon-Seoul area, while most of
coolies mainly lived together in boarding houses around
Dapdong. Therefore, it is doubtful that Gonghwachun
served cheap and simple Jajang-myeon to poor coolies.
On the other hand, it is certain that Gonghwachun, the
only surviving restaurant from the pioneer days, has
greatly contributed to the development of Jajang-myeon
in the history of Korean food culture.
32
The Common Management of
the General Foreign Settlement
The
General
Foreign
Settlement was an area in the
open port where foreigners were
free to live, conduct trade, and
exercise their extraterritoriality.
The administrative executive
authority of this area was
entrusted to foreigners. Joseon
opened its port last among three
eastern nations of Japan, China
and Joseon, and the foreign
countries who had set up
settlements in Joseon already
The Foreign Settlement' Monument
had experience in managing their settlements in other
countries or the foreign settlement in their own countries.
As a result of their experience, the foreign settlements in
Joseon were to benefit only their government, and were
unfavorable to Joseon.
After many twists and turns, Incheon opened its port
First in Korea
33
to Japan on January 1,
1883 (19 years and 11
months 23 days since
King Gojong reign) and
Incheon permitted Japan's
exclusive settlement of
some 7000 peong (23140
) by 'Agreement for
Japanese Settlement in
Incheon.' When Japan set
up its settlement in
Incheon, China which
The Map of Settlement
maintained a competitive
relationship with Japan in Joseon, hurriedly established
its own settlement of some 5000 peong (16,529
) west
of Japanese settlement with conclusion of 'Bill for
Cremation Area in Incheon' on April 4, 1884.
The Treaty for General Foreign Settlement at Jemulpo
was contracted among Kim Hongjip who was an officer
of the Korean Trade and Commerce Department, the
British consul Parkes, the American consul Foote, Yuan
Shikai who was an officer of Chinese Trade and
Commerce Department, and Japanese consul Takazoe in
October 1884. In 1885 Germany joined the group was
assigned as a member of settlement. The overall foreign
settlement was 140,000 peong (111 acres) in size, which
34
was formed around the Chinese and Japanese settlements.
Actually, few western residents lived within the
foreign settlement. Most of the residents of the settlement
were customs' staff, interpreters, missionaries, doctors,
and some merchants. On the other hand, many Japanese
lived in the Japanese settlement and they were too small
to live together in the settlement. Therefore western
foreigners lent parts of their areas to the Japanese people
so that they could make some rent money.
Each foreign settlement had idiosyncratic characters,
and the most important common element for all
settlements was Sindong-gongsa, the international
settlement association. The first election of the
representative of Sindong-gongsa was held in November
1888 under the presence of six members including
Incheon's supervisor as an ex-officio member and consuls
from England, America, Germany, China, and Japan. The
infighting leading up to the election of Sindong-gongsa
made the settlement into a center of power, and the term
'Chemulpo Politics' arose from these events.
Six general foreign settlements were built in Korea:
Incheon in October 1884, Jinnampo and Mokpo in
October 1897, and Gunsan, Seongjin and Masan in June
1899. As five settlements except that of Incheon were
occupied by Japanese people, they could be described as
the Japanese settlement rather than the general foreign
First in Korea
35
settlement. The agreement of Sindong-gongsa could
properly be carried out only in Incheon. In other words,
the only Sindong-gongsa in Incheon could do duty as an
international settlement association.
In Incheon at that time, the number of Japanese people
in the general foreign settlement was over 2000, but the
Japanese power within the settlement was limited due to
the influential group from western countries in the
settlement administration. The financial situation of
Jemulpo made it to be the center of international politics.
The high cost of housing in Incheon brought in high
income and Incheon could collect high taxes from such
businesses as bars, cabarets, and restaurants, so the
annual revenue in Incheon was much higher than the
expenditure. The expenditure included wages for police
and cleaner, costs for road construction and maintenance,
the ditch construction, electing street lamp and so on. The
general foreign settlement could save sufficient money
every year, and was able to develop the common facilities
like Foreign Park (the present Jayu Park), which was
exceptional for the time.
Japanese imperialism endowed the Japanese people in
Korea with exceptional status, as Japan thought of the
Korean Peninsula as its own territory after the ResidencyGeneral System in 1906. In the early stage of the
36
Japanese annexation of Korea, taking the national
situation and the international opinion into account, Japan
maintained the system of the general foreign settlement
except the police authority. However, Japan abolished the
general foreign settlement on April 1, 1914. In addition,
Japanese imperialism discarded all data about the
organization, its human constitution, and the reports
regarding Sindong-gongsa, because Japan regarded the
history of the general foreign settlement as shameful
example of the Japanese history of occupation.
First in Korea
37
Naeri Church, the First
Methodist Church
Methodist Missionaries who settled down in Seoul in
1889 purchased two houses in the Chinese settlement and
opened their bookstore to start their missionary work.
They sent Noh Byeongil to the bookstore, told him to sell
some books and to preach the gospel to people. However,
the Chinese settlement was located far from the Joseon's
settlement, so he had difficulty engaging in missionary
The Nari Church
38
work.
The reverend
H. G Appenzeller
decided to move
the
base
of
operations to Naedong hill to preach
to
Incheon's
citizens.
Noh
Byeongil
took
The Nari Chapel
over its task and
worked hard to preach the gospel to people. His work,
however, did not get the desirable achievement due to the
excessive demand of Methodist belief to people and the
government's suppression of Methodist. He expressed
such an excessive preach in his district that the residents
could not go to bed even at night.
People in each district around Incheon dominated by
Confucianism didn't allow Noh Byeongil to preach the
gospel to citizens. Because converts were forced to leave
their homes due to the new religious belief, people were
not able to accept Methodist belief. As a result, Methodist
bishop Goodsell arrived in Korea in June 1891, and
appointed Appenzeller as a missionary manager around
Incheon. Appenzeller had to ride a pony to move from
Seoul to Incheon, preside over a church service on
First in Korea
39
Sunday mornings in Incheon, and return Seoul to give a
lecture in English class in Baejae-hakdang.
It took about 7 hours for him to go by pony from
Seoul to Incheon. Despite this arduous task, Appenzeller
managed to establish the first Methodist Church in
Incheon. Naeri church was not only a symbolic building
for Methodist, but also a place where people were able to
maintain their belief. Naeri church was completed in
1891, and its wall was painted with lime, and its roof was
built in Japanese style. This church with 2 rooms had the
Eastern-style floor, and there was nothing except an
pulpit inside the church. The church service room was so
small that only 12 adults could occupy the space of about
33
(10pyeong). This church has its own significance as
the first Methodist building in Korea. (On the other hand,
Bethel chapel of Jeongdong-jeil Church in Seoul was
built in October, 1987.)
※ Women's Chapel in Naeri Church began to
regularize its activities in 1892 when the reverend Jones
was dispatched as a manager in Incheon district.
Especially while Mrs Jones took charge of the missionary
work, Gang Cecilia, a wife of preacher Gang Jaehyeong
and Lady Baek Helen showed a great achievement in the
field of religious mission and education. Women
worshipped Christ and studied the Bible in preacher Gang
40
Jaehyeong's house with the strict separation between men
and women. As the number of christian men increased,
christian women were forced to evacuate their space of
about 20㎡(6 pyeong) for men.
As a result, christians decided to build the chapel for
women, and they began to collect funds on Easter day to
establish a new chapel for women. Women exerted
themselves to the utmost to build the chapel, living in
employer's house and doing chores.
As the result of these efforts, the thatch-roofed chapel
for women was completed in July 1894. It took four
months and cost 110,000 nyang Korean money to
complete the building. Bishop Ninde presided over the
dedication service for the first time in this chapel in
February 1895. The chapel for women was recorded as
the first chapel built by their own efforts in Korea. The
reverend Jones appreciated this event as "the first great
thing in Korea."
First in Korea
41
The Establsihment of
Gyunpyeong-sa
Incheon Gaekju(Commissioner) Association was
formed in Incheon in 1885, and the similar associations
were also organized in cities like Busan, Wonsan and so
on. When the associations monopolized business, the
Article about Measurement
42
government set up and operated Gyunpyeong-sa to
standardize scales and measures and to prevent illegal
dealings of commercial transaction.
The Joseon government established the main office of
Gyunpyeong-sa in Incheon and its branches in Busan and
Wonsan, and standardized the scales, and tried to collect
the tax from merchants to supply the expenditure, but
Foreign commissioners and consuls persistently protested
this regulation, and as a result it was discontinued.
It wasn't until the first half of 1911, the measurement
law was widely practiced, despite the fact that the
measurement law was first tested in Incheon and Seoul in
1885.
First in Korea
43
Incheon Meteorological
Observatory
Incheon Meteorological Observatory is located at #25
Jeon-dong, Jung-gu. This white cylinder-shaped building
rose loftily at the top of thickly wooden Eungbongsan
mountain in the northern section of Jayu Park behind
current Jemulpo high school. It is tranquil and beautiful
Early Incheon Meteorological Observatory
44
like a castle in a fairy tale. This building was the Central
Observatory to observe meteorology in a modern way for
the first time.
Although the observatory was build by Japanese, it
played a pivotal role in analyzing and forecasting daily
weather between 1905 and 1953 from the meteorological
data of every place in the world as well as in the country.
After opening the Port, Incheon took charge of
important functions in every field of politics, military
affairs, diplomacy, economics, and transportation because
of its geographical location as a gateway to the Capital
Seoul. Because of the frequent arrival and departure of
Meteorological Observatory in Eungbong-san
First in Korea
45
ships in Incheon, the necessity of weather forecast
increased, which is proved by the fact that in 1897 the
French diplomatic minister requested the permission to
build meteorological observatories at Incheon, Pusan, and
Wonsan Port.
In 1886, meteorological observatories were
established in Incheon and Wonsan Customs, and they
began to exchange meteorological information. Because
meteorological information was desperately required for
the military purpose like naval power reinforcement, a
meteorological office was set up in 1900 at Songhakdong, behind Incheon Jung-gu office where the old Sujin
Motel used to be located. However, there was no way to
verify the exact location. After the Russo-Japanese War
broke out, a meteorological station was established at the
current location as a Tonggambu Observatory.
Wada who once was a engineer at Japan Central
Meteorological Observatory was assigned as the first
head of the Observatory and laid the solid groundwork
for its operation. At that time, Incheon Tomggambu
Observatory had control of 13 local meteorological
stations at Gyeongseong, Daegu, Busan, Mokpo,
Gangneung, Pyeongyang, Yongampo, Wonsan, Seongjin,
Junggangjin, Wunggi as well as other stations at
Manchuria, Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao, and Jinan located
in China. It exchanged weather information with the
46
Japan Central Meterological Observatory and the Royal
Greenwich Astronomical Observatory in London. In
August 1910, it was reorganized as Japanese
Government-general Observatory and played a role
similar to that of the current Central Meteorological
Observatory.
It is reported that Halley's comet was observed from
Incheon Observatory in April 1910. The major role of
Tonggambu Observatory was to record, analyze and set
up meteorological data and to observe weather in and
around the local sea area of Korea as well as around the
Northeast Sea, Pacific Ocean, and a broad sea area near
Japan. It hoisted weather signal flags every day at Wolmido Island from 1915 and offered weather forecast to
general citizen from July 1939, after its name was
changed to the Meteorological Observatory.
The Central Meteorological Observatory in Seoul was
constructed in 1948. As important facilities at Incheon
Observatory were destroyed during the Korean war,
making it impossible to fulfill its responsibilities, and the
role of Incheon Central Observatory was transferred to
Seoul Observatory in 1953 when the Armistice
Agreement was made. Afterwards, Incheon Observatory
was reduced to a mere regional observation post, but it
was later renamed as Inchoen Meteorological
Observatory, the name it holds today.
First in Korea
47
Match Manufacturing Factory
in Incheon
There are plausible reasons
why even today many people
associate Incheon with match
manufacturing
women.
Incheon was where the industry
started and it was a Mecca for
match manufacturing industries
in the country. The association
Joseoninchon Company's Advertisement
extended to female workers
engaged in match-making because match manufacturing
required many hands especially at that time.
The report titled "The Record about Joseon" published
by Russian Ministry of Finance in 1900 said that "A
match factory was built under the direction of foreigners
in Incheon in 1886. However, manufacturing ceased
before long. The major reason was a flood of matches
made in Japan." According to this record, there is no
doubt about the existence of the first match
manufacturing factory although its exact location, name,
48
or size cannot be decided.
The first match factory in
Incheon mentioned in the record
is "Joseoninchon company"
established at Geumgot-ri in
October 1917. The factory was
built in Incheon because of its
Incheon Match
easy access to nearby timber carriers that transported
timber from timber forests near the Yalu river. It is
reported that the factory had an affiliated timber mill
located at Sinuiju, with about 500 employees in total
including 200 male and 300 female workers and annually
made 70,000 match boxes under the brand names of
Paedong, Urokpyo, Ssangwonpyo. The factory size and
production was enormous to the degree that it sublet 500
plants to produce match boxes. At that time the factory
was not completely mechanized so many procedures were
done by hand, such as coating the end of matches with
sulfur and packing matches in a matchbox.
One Century in Incheon recorded that "when local
conditions between Seoul and Incheon were compared,
Seoul had no building sites nor sufficient electric power.
Incheon was the right place to establish a match factory."
In fact, Incheon had a better electric power availability
than power factories than Seoul because the first
transformer substation in Incheon was installed on a hill
First in Korea
49
at Geumgot-dong, Dong-gu. Match factories built in
Seoul and Taegu closed soon without making a good
profit because the conditions in those cities were not
good enough to support the factories at that time.
However, the Japanese kept Korean from learning
match manufacturing skills in order to hold the monopoly
of making matches. It was only after the Korea's
liberation from Japan on August 15, 1945, that Korea
began to manufacture matches. The first factory built by
Korean was Daehan-Seongnyang in Incheon. In those
days, about 300 manual labor factories were established
throughout the nation. As production procedures became
mechanized and the size of the factory became larger, the
number of the factories decreased after 1970, and 20
factories remained. As lighters became popular as a
substitute, many match factories closed down.
50
Incheon Maritime Customs,
the Beginning of Customs
Administration
The Maritime Customs is an organization which is in
charge of import and export taxes like the customs today.
Incheon Maritime Customs was organized first in Korea
on June 16, 1883. Wonsan Maritime Customs started its
duties on October 31, and Busan Maritime Customs on
The Early Maritime Customs
First in Korea
51
Incheon Customs
November 3. Incheon Maritime Customs was built east of
Hotel Paradise (a former Hotel Olympus), Hang-dong,
and the frist accountant of the Maritime Customs was A.
B. Stripling.
The tax collected from the maritime customs was
needed to protect the national industries in the
international trade relations, at the same time it was an
important factor for the national financial revenue. The
Joseon government, however, did not recognize its
significance, and took it over to Japan in August 1876
with Ganghwado Treaty, which had declared that Japan
52
would manage it for 7 years until June 22, 1883. With
this treaty, Joseon had been out of control over the
Customs until 1883.
After Imo Emeute of 1882, the Joseon government
asked China to recommend a manager who could take
care of the commercial and diplomatic affairs, and Lee
Hong Jang, a Chinese minister, recommended German
Mollendorff, who decided to reorganize the customs with
Min Yeongik with loan of 210,000 yang from Chinese
Chosangguk office in January 1883. In addition,
Mollendorff brought customs officers from Shanghai to
found Incheon Maritime Customs. As a result, Incheon
Maritime Customs started its duties beginning on June
16, 1883, and Wonsan Maritime Customs started its
duties on October 31, and Busan Maritime Customs on
November 3.
Incheon Maritime Customs was modeled on the
Chinese Maritime Customs, and it was also under the
Chinese influence at that time. China also had the
appointing power of the general accountant, so Incheon
Maritime Customs was controlled by a general Chinese
accountant and foreign accountants until the Gabo
Reform of 1894.
When Incheon Maritime Customs was established, it
was only one building. However, it had jurisdiction over
five provinces like Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, Jeolla,
First in Korea
53
Hwanghae, Pyeongan at the beginning. Mokpo and
Jinnampo Maritime Customs as Incheon's branches
opened in October, 1897, but later Jinnampo branch was
raised to Jinnampo Customs in 1906 and Mokpo branch
was transferred under Busan Maritime Customs in
January, 1908. On the other hand, Wonsan Customs was
annexed to Incheon Maritime Customs, and three
provinces like Hamgyeongnam-do, Hamgyeongbuk-do,
and Gangwon-do dominated by Wonwan Customs were
controlled by Incheon Maritime Customs.
Incheon Maritime Customs was renamed Incheon
Customs on the basis of the Customs Regulation, and
Japanese Mekada who had come to Korea as a financial
advisor during the Russo-Japanese war was appointed as
a general accountant of the Maritime Customs in January,
1906.
54
Daebul Hotel, the First Westernstyle Korean Hotel Where Rev.
Appenzeller Stayed
With Incheon port opening, western envoys,
missionaries, tourists entered incheon port. However,
their destination was Seoul, so as soon as they arrived at
the port, they headed for Seoul. They were forced to use
Daebul Hotel in Incheon Port
First in Korea
55
ponies or sedan chairs or go
on foot because there were
no railroad lines at that time.
It took about 8 hours on foot
to go
to Seoul. Also,
instantly when they arrived
The Ground Plan of Daebul Hotel
at the port, it was difficult to
leave for Seoul. In addition, it was not easy for them to
get some ponies and sedan chairs. Depending on the
arriving time in the port, they had to stay during the night
as the case might be. Naturally, Incheon needed some
accommodations for the people who had to head for
Seoul but couldn't get there on the day of arrival.
Daebul Hotel was undoubtedly born of the necessity to
provide the western people with the modern
accommodation in Jungang-dong, Incheon, in 1888. This
was the first western-style hotel in Korea, which was
built three years ahead of the Sontag Hotel in Jeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul.
According to The Development of the Open Port and
Western House by Choi Seong Yeon, "The construction of
this 3-story brick building in western style was begun by
Japanese Hori Rikidaro in 1887, and completed in 1888.
The building looked like a Chinese restaurant at a glance,
but in reality it would be interesting to know that it was
located at the head of the Japanese settlement. Mr Hori's
56
house was the first building among all the Japanese
houses in the settlement, and Daebul Hotel, a brick
building, was the second building in the settlement built
by following the trends of that time. It is surprising that
this hotel was built to accommodate the western or
American people at such an early time."
The Chinese Itai went into the hotel business for
foreigners, and had the building across from Daebul
Hotel with a general dealer's shop on the first floor, and
Steward Hotel on the second floor .
To compare the lodging charges between two westernstyle hotels and a Japanese hotel.
name
Daebul
western Hotel
Itai
style
Hotel
owner
number number of lodging charges
of floor mats
rooms (floor size) exclusive prime standard
Horihisa
11
Itai
8
Japanese
Suwol-lu Sujincheongsam
style
11
240
￦ 2.50 ￦ 2.00 ￦1.50
￦2.00
62
￦1.00 ￦ 0.75 ￦ 0.5
It is generally said that Daebul Hotel was built by Hori
Rikidaro in 1888, but there is also another interpretation
about it. According to the letter of Methodist Rev.
Appenzeller to his homeland, "There are no hotels which
Americans and Europeans manage. As I was told that
there was a hotel which a Japanese was managing, I made
First in Korea
57
a porter move my luggage to the hotel and I headed for it.
The hotel room was comfortable and spacious, but a little
bit chilly. Sitting at the table, I could enjoy the delicious
foreign meal." In addition, he mentioned the following
story in his memorandum written on April 5, 1885: "My
luggage was moved among shouts among Japanese
people, Chinese people and Korean people, and later I left
for Daebul Hotel. To my surprise, the hotel led the guests
to their room in English but not in Japanese." Judging
from his memorandum, it may be thought that there is a
different hotel with the same name because the young
minister couldn't have made a mistake in writing his
memo. In addition, the illustrated newspaper at that time
shows two-story building in Japanese style. Considering
the Hotel from these reports, even if it was built by
Japanese, the first western hotel in Incheon should date
from the date before April, 1885, and it must have been
rebuilt in 1888.
58
The First Foreign Style Park
Established Prior to Seoul's
Tapgol(Pagoda) Park
The present Jayu Park constructed in 1888 and being a
symbol of Incheon is the oldest western-style park in
Korea. Jayu Park located on the 69m-high top of small
Eungbong-san hill was called Foreign Park when it was
built. When foreign diplomats, including American,
Foreign Park and Johnston's Villa
First in Korea
59
English, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese decided to build
common settlements by the first article of 'Bill for
General Foreign Settlement' on November 9, 1888,
Russian civil engineer Sabatine designed the park. The
park was completed 9 years ahead of Tapgol Park, the
first modern park in Seoul.
The General Foreign Settlement covers 426,000㎡
which includes the whole area around Eungbong-san
except for the Japanese and Chinese settlements. Various
residents like Germans, Russians, Americans, English,
and so on lived in this area. The General Foreign
Settlement occupied a relatively large area comparing to
the 23,100㎡ of Japanese settlement and the 16,500㎡ of
the Chinese settlement.
Foreign settlements in Incheon began to vanish under
the Japanese oppression during the Japanese colonization
of Korea in 1910. General Foreign Settlement was closed
in April, 1913, and Chinese settlement in November.
Japan built a Japanese shrine at the site of the present
Incheon Girls' Commercial High School, and called this
area as East Park, and called the Foreign Park as West
Park.
At site of the present Jayu Park, there used to be
private house of German E. Meyer & Co., English
Johnston's villa and Jemulpo Club house, which disclosed
Incheon's features and Jayu Park's historical facts at that
60
time. Today, one can see a statue of General MacArthur
and the centennial tower commemorating the treaty of
amity between Korea and th Ue.S.A, and some buildings
such as Seokjeongru and Yeonohjeong. They make Jayu
Park, a living historical educational spot of Incheon's
history.
Especially, the park offers great views over Incheon
port and pier, including all kinds of boats near sea and the
nearby islands. The twilight seascape with its reddish
colored sea is also one of the outstanding views. In
addition, the park is decorated with old traditional trees
and flowers, and it has 7-forked ways from four sides on
the walk to the top, which make visitors bring together. In
Spring, the cherry flowers are in full bloom all over the
park. Jung-gu office holds a cherry-blossom festival and
provides its taste for the residents.
First in Korea
61
The Steam Power Rice Mill
Managed by Townsend & Co.
The first rice mill in Incheon
was established by a Japanese
Sindo at Jungang-dong 4-ga,
Incheon, in March 1889, but the
first modern rice mill was
introduced with its steam power
equipment by Townsend & Co.
Townsend & Co. was one of the
trade companies such as English
Jardine Matheson & Co. and
German E. Meyer & Co. Walter &
Co. It made inroads into Korean
Korean Rice Mill's Advertisement
market in 1884. As the company
was a branch of Morse Company
managed by Townsend, it was called Morse and
Townsend & Co. However, Townsend took over the right
of business in Korea from Morse Company. In 1895, he
renamed his company into Townsend Co. and managed it
until 1930.
62
Townsend had an outstanding
business talent. After he purchased
Sunsinchang Company in Incheon,
he decided to engage in the rice
trade business and appointed Seo
Sangjip by proxy for his business.
He not only lent some money to
Gaekjus and merchants, but he also
delivered some weapons to the
Joseon Government. In addition, he
supplied luxurious articles and
Townsend
electrical appliances to the royal
family and took part in the work for electrical facilities of
the palace. He also sold articles such as cowhide, food,
table wares, medicines, clothing, bedding, weapons and
chemical goods, writing materials, and products for
interior decoration to the residents and foreigners around
Incheon.
As known, he had lent Morse some funds when Morse
obtained the right to build the railroad line. He made a
great fortune and also made contributions to the
government. While Incheon was thriving with rice mill,
he invested the rice mill business in 1892 and then he
managed his own rice mill of steam power. The Korean
people called his steam power rice mill as "Damsoni Rice
Mill."
First in Korea
63
His rice cleaning machine was a new brand made in
the USA in 1889. Polishing and cleaning the rice by
rubbing it softly, his rice mill could produce rice of the
highest quality. Rice produced by his mill was exported
to Japan and even to the Maritime Province of Siberia.
The records about his rice mill indicated that 12 rice
mills could polish ice of 7,000 seok a day (with 12
working hours a day), and 10 million seok a year. The
motors of the machine could generate a total of 2,400
horse powers from small and large(300 horse powers)
engines, which were mainly electrical motors with
apparatuses of gas inhalers.
His mill was composed of more than 240 cleaning
machines of engine system. Most of the machines first
manufactured unhulled rice into rough one, and then
processed the rough rice into the cleaning one.
Sometimes, Rice Bran had been used as a processing fuel
for motors. He was said to possess 21 small rice mill
machines and 21 rice pounding areas.
64
Incheon Mint Bureau, in
Which the Typical Modern
Coin, 5-nyang Silver Coin,
Was Made
The Joseon government established Gyeongseong
Mint Bureau for the first standardized monetary system
of Korea in July 1883. Subsequently, E. Meyer & Co.
Walter & Co. constructed the new office of Mint Bureau
in 1885. The government introduced the new minting
Incheon Girls' High School
First in Korea
65
machinery with a aid of E. Meyer & Co.
Walter & Co. and minted three different kinds
of modern style coins in 1888. In 1892,
Gyeongseong Mint Bureau was dismantled
and the new Bureau was built at the site of old
Incheon Girls' High School in Jeon-dong,
Jung-gu, Incheon because the Japanese
government referred to the difficulty of
supplying the raw materials to Seoul.
However, this was the tricky idea that Japan
tried to take control over the monetary system
in Korea by relocating the Gyeongseong Mint
Bureau.
The new Mint Bureau in Incheon was
completed in November 1892 after 6 months
of construction period, and the Bureau began
to mint coins after a trial run of the machine
on December 4. The Mint Bureau made 5
kinds of coins on the basis of the New Coinmint Regulation in 1891; five-nyang silver
coin, one-nyang silver coin, 2-don and 5-pun
white copper coin, 5-pun red copper coin, and
1-pun yellow copper coin. Among them, the
denomination of five-nyang silver coin was
changed into 1-hwan Korean monetary value
Old Coins
66
in 1893.
Coins minted at Incheon Mint Bureau were different
from those of Gyeongseong Mint Bureau. The coins from
Incheon Mint Bureau were designed with plum blooms
instead of the Tae-geuk pattern on the upper part of the
front face of the coin, and the branches of the Rose of
Sharon, the national flower of Korea instead of plum's
branches was decorated on the left part. On the other
hand, Yuan Shikai, a leader of Manchu Dynasty of China,
argued the elimination of 'Great' among the written
characters of 'Great Jeoseon' on the face of coin minted in
1892, so some of the coins were not put in circulation.
Actually, Incheon Mint Bureau minted new modern
style coins of 4,316,000 Korean hwan from December of
1892 till August of 1900. However, only 19,000 hwan
worth of the five-nyang silver coin, a standard money
was minted, while more than 3,199,000 hwan or 70
percent were made into cheaper white copper coins. The
over-minting of these coins caused inflation, reduced the
residents to fall into extreme distress, and left the
business situation very badly. At last the Independence
Society protested against its production in June 1898, and
many diplomats from other foreign nations also asked the
government to stop producing white copper coins in
March 1902. As a result, Incheon Mint Bureau suspended
the production of the coin on the first of April.
The Joseon government had to obtain a loan from
First in Korea
67
Japan to improve the monetary system, and designated
Mr. Mazda exclusively to expand the mint facilities. King
Gojong, however, issued an order to move the Mint
Bureau to Yongsan, Seoul, and then the facility expansion
was suspended. King Gojong might have anticipated
opening of the Seoul-Incheon railroad line to improve the
transportation of coins. On the other hand, he might have
acted to protect the right of currency from Japan. King
Gojong's order ended the 9-year history of the Incheon
Mint Bureau.
68
Yeonghwa Hakdang, the First
Western-style Elementary
Educational Institute in
Incheon
The first western-style
elementary educational
institute is Yeonghwa
Hakdang in Incheon.
Jemulpo, an open port,
was the place where the
first Christian church,
especially a methodist
church, was built and
The Early Yeonghwa Hakdang
where the first westernstyle educational institute opened. The reverend
Appenzeller was the person who took the first step on
Incheon to make a methodist church settled down there,
and the reverend Jones(Korean name of Cho Won Si)
appointed as the second pastor of the Naeri Church,
opened the first western-style elementary educational
First in Korea
69
institute in Incheon with a female missionary Margaret
Bengel who became his wife later.
In Jan. 1892, an appointed minister Cho Won Si came
and then a designated missionary Bengel was sent. April
30 right after a missionary Bengel came, she began to
teach a daughter of Kang Jaehyeong, an evangelist at
Naeri Church. This was the beginning of a western
elementary education at this land and the outset of
Yeonghwa girls' school known as the first modern school
in Incheon. Jones and Bengel had got married in the
following year in May 1893. Their sense of mission and
responsibility to engage in missionary work seemed to be
a primary factor to open Yeonghwa school because they
had experiences to teach at Baejae Hakdang and Ehwa
Auditorium of Yeonghwa Hakdang
70
Hakdang respectively.
Because of Korean prejudice toward westerners, there
were no other students for the following 3 years, but in
December 1895, two more female students entered to
make the student body of three. In 1900, 7 students
received modern education. In the main building of Naeri
church, 7 female students got educated in math, English,
Chinese characters, Korean, Bible, Geography, and
Calligraphy for 7 years. Class hours were from 8 am to 4
pm. The starting and ending of each hour was signaled by
ringing a handbell.
In 1902 this school relocated to a new school at Ssarijae
on a land space of 136
and a floor space of 86
with a
donation of 1,000 dollars from an American to build a
school building. At that time, as the number of students
increased up to 47, its size enlarged widely enough to be
called a school. On the basis of the Legal Act for primary
school officially announced in 1895, they started
secondary education by supplementing a few subjects. In
line with the Legal Act for the common school, they
revised subjects and set the school terms to 4 years in
1906. They purchased another site for a school in 1909,
built a two-story building on a land space of 700 ㎡ and
moved in March 30, 1910.
According to Yeonghwa's 70th History, there were,
what is called, school regulations effective from 1895
First in Korea
71
until 1905. The regulations
were about a semester, subjects,
church service attendance,
exams, and disenrollment, and
the visitation for the student.
The visitation rule was very
unique. First, it was not allowed
for students to keep in contact
with male students, to meet
Main Building of Yeonghwa School as a Cultural Asset
alone with a male teacher or to
have visitors on any day
besides Monday.
On the other hand, in 1893 Paster Cho Won Si began
to teach male students in the building of Naeri church. In
1903 Yeonghwa school was officially authorized as a
public school. In 1904 they got a one-story school
building with a donation from an American called Collins
and hang a plate with the name‘Collin's Boys Day
School’
. The first graduates were sent into the world in
1905. In 1907 the building was extended into a two-story
building with additional donation from Collins and
opened a high school. That year, Park Sam Hong who
worked for the good of Naeri church, purchased and
donated trumpets, drums, and rifles for military training
of students, which was to stimulate students' patriotism
because they expected the students to become leaders in
72
restoring national sovereignty. At that time, students'
training in formation must have been a unique scene and
a big exhibition in Incheon.
In 1930, however, Yeonghwa School went into a
decline because of a surge of public schools. The school
struggled to survive after the Korea's independence from
Japan, but the school closed in 1970.
The followings were the graduates from Yeonghwa
Hakdong: Lee Gil Yong who removed Japanese flag on
the uniform of Son Gil jeong, a marathon hero at Berlin
Olympic Games in the paper as a reporter for Dongailbo
Daily Newspaper; Kim Hwal Ran who was the first
female doctor but got criticised after her death for proJapanese contributions; Dr. Seo Eun Suk who was a
pioneer in the field of Children's Education; Kim Ae Ma
who was an educator and a dean of Ewha Girls'
University; Kim Yeong Ui who was a professor and a
musician graduated from Julliard School of Music in the
U.S. and so on.
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Joseon Naval Academy,
Susahaebang-hakdang
In 1893, King Gojong
asked the English consul
about purchasing a warship
from England in order to
found a modern Navy.
Knowing Joseon's poor
national finance, the English
government refused to
supply a warship. Therefore,
Site of Tongjeyeong Hakdang
the Joseon government
decided to model after Chinese naval system, build the
Navy Headquarter, and establish the Navy Command for
the time being.
To begin with, Joseon Customs, managed by Manchu
Dynasty of China, decided to provide financial aid, and
the renovation of old Naval Office and construction of
training field near Gapgot-jin, Ganghwa was able to
proceed. This is Joseon's Susahaebang-hakdang, the first
Joseon Naval Academy.
74
When Jeoseon established the Navy Headquarter, the
Navy Command and the Naval Academy, England was
afraid of losing the vested right in Joseon and showed
interest in the foundation of the modern naval forces. The
English government appointed Hutcheson, a former
Joseon Customs staff, as an English teacher at the Naval
Academy in Ganghwa. England also appointed William
H. Callwell as a military teacher and James Curtis as a
training instructor.
The Naval Academy in Ganghwa opened on October
7, 1983, and 50 naval cadets began their first English
class as cadets in the Academy. Callwell, a captain in the
reserve, as a military teacher and Curtis, a warrant officer,
as a training teacher arrived at the Naval Academy on
April 15, 1894. They taught naval cadets Military Science
and Military Exercises, and Cadets were completely
themselves.
However, the Naval Academy was forcibly closed by
Japan during the Sino-Japanese war in 1895. With
abolition of old naval system on July 15 1895, the Naval
Academy was amalgamated into old army. As a result,
Joseon Susahaebang-hakdang closed without any
graduates.
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Yangmu-ho
Yangmu-ho was
the first warship
purchased by Daehan
Imperial(Joseon)
government in 1903.
After the open
port, Joseon tried to
hold the warship
from various ways,
Gwangje-ho
but it failed at first. In 1903, at last it could purchase one
from Japanese Mitsui company. Yangmu-ho was
originally a transport ship constructed by England and
used by Japanese Navy. The ship, which was changed to
a worship, was equipped with four cannons and four
guns.
Yangmu-ho was 103.8m long and 13m wide with 72
crew members and it arrived at Incheon on April 15,
1903. The first captain was Sin Sunseong, who had
returned home on September 8, 1903, shortly after
76
completing his study in Japan.
The purchase price of Yangmu-ho was
550,000 won and many people criticized
the exorbitant amount of money to buy
the ship in honor of the 50th anniversary
of the reign of King Gojong.
After all, the purchasing price was
discounted to 200,000 won, but the
government couldn't pay even for the
price, and had to get a loan of 5,000 every
Yangmu-ho's captain Sin Sunseong
month with the condition of many
benefits to Mitsui. The ship, however, was reconstructed
into a transport ship to carry the war supplies in
preparation with Russo-Japanese War. Afterwards the
ship was sold for 42,000 won to Japanese Harada
Company at auction in November 1909.
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Iunsa Company, the First
Shipping Company in Korea
Iunsa was the first modern
shipping company managed
by Koreans. The Joseon
government realizing the
importance of the shipping
industry due to foreign ship's
traffic decided to establish
Iunsa company.
Although the port was not
fully equipped, many foreign
ships frequented Jemulpo
The Early Incheon Port
harbor and even a regular
liner used the harbor. Shanghai's Shipping and Trading
Department started the regular liner as early as in 1883.
The department developed the route and started
Namseung-ho once or twice a month on the route among
Shanghai, Janggi, Busan, and Incheon.
The Japanese government under impetus from the
Chinese action sent three ships like naval ship
78
Sukyehwan, Osaka Cooperation
Company's Jinseohwan and the
second Dongbokhwan to Korea on
April 13, 1883. Japan's Sammak
Steam Navigation Company set up a
Incheon agency as a Busan branch in
November 1883, and extended its
shipping route among Sino, Janggi,
Tsushima and Busan to Incheon. The
company gave a monthly postal
service except January in the winter,
and provided passenger services, but
the private arrangement provided by a
Navigation Company's Advertisement
Japanese military boat reduced biweekly mail services to once a month.
After Shanghai's Shipping and Trading Department
decided to discontinue the regular liner, the Mitsubishi's
steamships managed the route exclusively. Mitsubishi
combined with Common Shipping Company and
established the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, and upgraded the
Incheon agency to Incheon branch on October 1, 1885.
As Joseon had no shipping company, foreign countries
like Japan and China controlled the shipping business
exclusively. Thereupon, Min Yeongik, Jeong Byeongha,
U Gyeongseon, etc. organized Iunsa shipping company to
control the coastal trade. This company was established
First in Korea
79
as a private corporation, but in fact it was managed by the
Joseon government. Min Yeongjun was a representative
of the company, and Jo Pilyeong who was a director of
general affairs section in Jeollado and Jeong Byeongha
who was a vice-envoy director of general affairs section
in Milyang took care of the operation, and U
Gyeongseon, an inspector general in Incheon port took
charge of the whole business. The company borrowed
100,000 nyang from Shanghai's Shipping and Trading
Department for its operation, and agreed to repay the loan
with Busan Customs revenue for eight months. The
company started the business with 4 boats; Changyongho, Hyeonik-ho, and the other two boats. Each ship
transported grains collected as taxes. Changyong-ho
transported grains from the Daedong river district, and
Hyeonik-ho from Busan district, and two other ships
collected from Wonsan district.
During the Chinese-Japanese War the Joseon
government could not manage the company, and it
contracted management from Nippon Yusen Kaisha.
According to the contract, Nippon Yusen Kaisha operated
steamboats from Incheon to Gunsan in July of the same
year. After Nippon Yusen Kaisha was forced to cancel the
contract with the emeute of 1884. E. Meyer & Co. took
over the management from the Nippon Yusen Kaisha to
manage and operate the company.
80
Haeseong Nursery
Haeseong Nursery was
operated by 3 nuns from St.
Paul Monastery of France.
Residents near the Nursery
had been cured of running
sores in Jemulpo Nunnery
since Summer of 1984. In
some cases, nuns visited
private houses to treat
patients. When a 4-year old
girl and a 12-year old girl
arrived in the Autumn of
1894 and a 2-year old boy in
the following year came to
the Nunnery, the Incheon
The Early Dapdong Cathedral
Catholic parish church (the
present Dapdong Cathedral) started Haeseong Nursery
for them.
At the early stage of Hyeseong Nursery, nuns gave of
themselves. According to sister Bang Maria who was the
First in Korea
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16th principal of
Haeseong Nursery,
"At the early stage,
the Nursery used to
be training school for
nuns from St. Paul
Monastery.
They
managed to live with
only boiled barley
Meals at the Nersery
and salt, so many nuns fell into a decline or starved to
death."
At the beginning of Haeseong Nursery, nuns served
everything for the children. Sister Bang Maria writes as
follows: "the Nursery used to be a training school for
nuns from St. Paul Monastery. Before working as a
missionary, nuns used to live here for some time, and
they had to work by themselves to prepare their own
meals without any help. They were forced to live with
only boiled barley and salt, and many nuns starved to
death.
When the Nursery had financial problems taking care
of about 40 children in 1920, wealthy persons in this area
such as Park Changhwan, Jeong Chiguk, Kang Seoku, Ju
Myeongji, Lim Wonin, etc. donated 2044 Korean won to
the parish church. However, even after the founding of
the Republic of Korea, the number of orphans did not
82
reduce. A congratulatory address in honor of the
expansion of Haeseong Nursery reads as follows: "After
the restoration of independence, Haeseong Nursery
managed by Dapdong Cathedral have taken care of many
orphans caused by various disasters. We have made
efforts for expansion of facilities and managed to get
donations from all levels of society. As a result, we are
holding a great ceremony for the completion in the
premise on 21 February at 11 a.m." With this address
record about the Nursery, we can find its great roles and
its magnificent functions. Haeseong Nursery moved to
Yonghyeon-dong, Incheon, on May 10, 1975.
First in Korea
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The Open Port Court of Incheon
When Incheon opened its port, the most urgent
problem was a trade business with foreign countries.
Incheon Gamriseo was established to solve this problem.
Incheon Gamriseo was first limited to take care of the
general trade business, but with its reorganization in
1894, its role was enlarged expansively.
On the other hand, the Open Port Court was
established in Incheon in 1896 to deal with the judicial
affairs. The Court was in charge of all juridical affairs
Incheon Gariseo, Court, and Prison
84
with which the local juridical offices such as Gamyeong
and Yusuyeong in Incheon had treated in those days.
Thus, Jurisdiction in Incheon belonged to Incheon
Court, but the head of Inhceon Gamriseo exercised
Jurisdiction practically.
As soon as Incheon Court was established, Kim Gu
was sent to Incheon and imprisoned in the Court. The
Japanese Consul wanted to investigate the case about
Kim Gu's Chiapo Accident, Gukmobosu meaning "to
protect the country." The Japanese Consul thought that
Incheon Court was a suitable place to hear of the case and
the Japanese government exercised the political influence
to do this. As a result, Kim Gu was sent in custody of
Incheon Gwanchalbu (belonging to the prosecutory
authorities under Inhceon Gamriseo) by Japanese
prosecutors and police officers.
First in Korea
85
The First Commercial Advertisement
of the 'Deoksang,' German E. Meyer
Co. & Walter & Co.
It is known that E. Meyer & Co. Walter & Co. located
at Jungang-dong in Incheon was the first company to buy
a commercial advertisement in a newspaper in Korea.
The company published its first commercial ad in
Chinese characters in the fourth issue of the
E. Meyer & Co. Water & Co.
86
Hanseongjubo dated on April 22, 1886. Hanseongsinbo
launched by Kim Yun Sik was followed by
Hanseongjubo whose advertisement was the first one of
commercials by the news media. The original title,
'Deoksang' of the E. Meyer & Co. Walter & Co. was
derived from the Chinese word 'Deoksang' a shortened
word of 'Deokguk-sanghoi' meaning 'the German
Company'. The ad which is sometimes called
"confession" contained the Chinese-style tradition and the
word 'advertisement' arose from the influence of the
Japanese.
The ad reads as, "With E. Meyer & Co. Walter & Co's
opening in Joseon, we want to purchase animal's skins
such as tiger, otter, sable, ermine, cow, horse, fox and
dog; human hair and manes of horse, cow and pig;
animal's tails, horns and claws; clams, turbans, tobaccos,
paper, oak apples, old coins, and so on. Also, we want to
sell the honorable customers and gentlemen and
merchants some things such as alarm clocks, wind bells,
music boxes, amber, glasses, all kinds of lamps, western
buttons, western fabrics, western cloths, as well as dyed
clothes and dyes, western needles, western yarns and
matches from Western countries at a low price."
From this advertisement one can learn what goods
were traded. E. Meyer & Co. Walter & Co. bought animal
skins, tobacco, clams, turbans, etc. from Joseon at a low
First in Korea
87
price, and sold imported
products, such as fabrics and
other artifacts from Western
countries. One can see the
economical and industrial
conditions at that time from this
ad. The ad assured that the
company would not cheat even
children and seniors. The
company knew the power of
advertising and pursued it
through the newspaper. Joseon
people were hooked on their
commercial acumen. Although
E. Meyer & Co. Walter & Co.'s Advertisement
the first advertisement does not
mention quinine, the medication was very popular among
Joseon women even after the Korean war.
E. Meyer & Co. Walter & Co. continued to advertise
its products for seven months until the 23rd issue of July
5. The following year, the company steadily expanded its
business by advertising in the Dongripsinmun about its
Sumatran petroleum trade, Changyong-ho, a cargo ship
serving around Peongyang, Hyeonik-ho serving to
Shanghai.
E. Meyer & Co. Walter & Co. continued to put an
advertisement in Dongripsinmun and the published
88
newspapers, and it was a relatively important advertiser
until the Japanese occupation. Hwang Hyeon lamented
commercial advertising practice in his book,
Maecheonyarok, as follows: "The people's stupidity is
serious! The imported products from Western countries
are merely strange and grotesque ones like silks, watches,
dyes and so on, while the exported things to those
countries are valuable ones in our everyday lives like
rice, bean, skin, gold and silver." The advertisement for
quinine was put more than 600 times in Dongripsinmun.
The most typical advertiser for this medicine was E.
Meyer & Co. Walter & Co. It is estimated that quinine
was famous on the street because it was advertised about
600 times. In that the product was a medicine, we can
imagine that the people at that time suffered from some
illness.
Quinine is an anti-fever medicine for the treatment for
people who felt chilly, suddenly ran fever, showed the
mental disorder, and fell into a delirium and hallucinated.
The exact title was known as quinine, but korean people
called it as 'kinine' because it was called as 'kinine' by
Japanese people. It was also known to taste bitter enough
to use this medicine for the purpose of weaning babies
from breast feeding.
First in Korea
89
Incheon Sinsang Association,
Which Protected the National
Commercial Rights
Gaekjus, commission agents, did business directly
with foreign merchants. Gaekjus were businessmen, and
they managed warehouses in the trading center by
themselves. They also engaged in the business like
lodging, wholesale and moneylending. Gaekju houses in
the open port were established by the regional powerful
merchants, by influential merchants migrating from other
region, or by leading merchants wanting to manage the
business as a side business.
The government encouraged Gaekjus in Incheon port
to keep competitiveness, and took special care of them
while many great western companies were flocking into
Incheon port with various western products. Incheon
Gaekju Association, the first association, was made by
Gaekjus in Incheon, to match with the Japanese
merchants supported by Japan. Although Gaekjus of this
association were semiofficial differently from the
90
traditional merchants,
they were equipped with
sufficient funds for the
modern
commercial
system.
Incheon
Sinsang
Association was first
established in Incheon in
January
1897.
The
Gaekju Association
association had its own
provisions
for
the
commercial system. Its
promoters included Seo
Sangjip, Seo Sangbin,
Park Myeonggyu and the
others. About 50 Gaekjus
took part in establishing
the association. The
Sinsang Association
regional officials and
celebrities supported the association. The purpose of this
association was to raise funds and to restore the national
commercial power from Japan. Inhceon Sinsang
Association got a variety of information in a new-style
business way to meet the rapidly changing situation of
the world.
Concerning the foundation of Incheon Sinsang
First in Korea
91
Association, Seo Byeongseon
records as follows: "Korea have
valued scholars and disregarded
merchants for a long time. As a
result, nobody haven't tried to
start business. It would be
unfortunate that this condition
continued for some time. At the
second year of Geonyang(1896),
Mr Seo Sangjip organized an
association patterned on the
western example in collusion
with the court nobles and
merchants to protect the national
business from foreign merchants.
How could we get our own
Sinsang Company's Bill
benefits from this association?"
Incheon Singsang Association was not just a body for
merchants, but a organization to confront the foreign
merchants.
As Sinsang Association was growing more and more,
Japan established Incheon Rice Exchange and tried to
maintain its exclusive status of rice export. Japan also
organized Incheon Grain Association to cope with
Incheon Sinsang Association. Despite this adverse
confrontation, Incheon Singsan Association tried to
92
protect the national business from the Japanese
merchants. In addition, Sinsang Association supported
the educational institutions by building some schools, and
functioned as a patriotic organization by taking the lead
in the movement for restoration of the national power.
However, Japan practised the policy to erase out the
national association in March 1910, and Incheon Sinsang
Association was finally forced to discontinue its function.
First in Korea
93
A Futures Market, Incheon
Rice and Bean Exchange
Market
The Rice and Bean Exchange Market was opened in
Incheon for the first time.
It was an organization which Japanese Imperialism
had been founded to hold and exploit Korean rice trade.
As rice trade between Korea and Japan was fostered,
Japanese rice merchants tried to advance into Korea, and
Rice and Bean Exchange
94
to hold the foreign rice
transaction and rice mill
industry. The advent
into Korean peninsula
of Japanese merchants,
however, met with
difficulty at first. Rice
export to Japan had
mainly been held by
Korean merchants, and
Incheon Rice and Bean Exchange Market
Incheon's Peddlar Association and New Merchant Society
were fairly active in Korea.
The Japanese merchants tried to establish the Rice and
Bean Exchange Market to reform this condition and to
settle down this problem. At first this Japanese trial didn't
seem to achieve its goal with objection of the other
foreign companies and the Joseon's companies, but 14
Japanese merchants managed to get a permission on the
establishment of the Rice and Bean Exchange Market
with assistance of Japanese commercial chamber in
Incheon on April 1, 1896. The permission had to be
authorized by the Joseon's government, but strangely the
Japanese consulate approved the establishment of the
Rice and Bean Exchange Market in disregard of the
Joseon government. Consequently Incheon Rice and
Bean Exchange Market was opened inside the Japanese
First in Korea
95
settlement (the present
area around Hangdong 5-ga, Jung-dong,
Incheon) with the
exclusive permission
of
the
Japanese
consulate, and started
its operation with the
expenditure of 30,000
Rice and Beans Exchange's Advertisement
won on May 5.
The transaction in
the Rice and Bean Exchange Market was similar to that
of the present Stock Exchange. The Stock Exchange deals
with stocks and bonds, while the Rice and Bean
Exchange market takes care of rice and soybean. The
transaction was divided into over 3 periods and it was a
kind of futures transaction between dealers, and the
transaction of sale and purchase had to be settled down
within one month through the agency permitted by the
Exchange Market.
The agencies were mainly managed by Japanese
people, and unusually Korean people like Yu Gunseong
who managed rice mill in Incheon, Kim Ikhwan who was
a rich person in Gaeseong, Jang Choigeun who was a
great landlord managed other agencies. The Market
opened in morning once a day, and in the evening twice a
96
day, and the transaction was done by the unit of 144 kg(1
seok) on the basis of rice 14400 kg(100 seok) and of
soybean 7200 kg(50 seok). The price was changed
according to that of Osaka's Exchange Market. Once
anyone deposited 1 won per 288 kg(2seok) as the
guaranty money, he could take part in the transaction, and
deal with his own goods by the current price anytime. In
addition, the transaction only by deposit even without the
actual goods could be completed anytime.
The Rice and Bean Exchange Market did great
damage to people in the process of management because
of price manipulation and speculation. Most of Korean
landlords, minor enterprisers and rice and bean owners
left penniless when they concerned themselves in this
market while dreaming of making a big fortune at one
stroke. In addition, establishments such as restaurants,
bars, inns and pleasure-seeking business establishments
like those in Monaco were developed around Incheon
Port. According to One Century in Incheon, "90% among
customers in the Rice and Bean Exchange Market were
Korean people, and they had donated their billions of
won to the Market for 15 years.
When the damage increased, Gaebyeok Magazine
warned people that "Incheon is a breeding-place of
people's squeezing devil" with the title of "Incheon, What
Is the City?"
First in Korea
97
Jaesaeng, a Modern Novel
The Rice and Bean Exchange Market resulted in the
problems like two market's disorganizations in 1898 and
1919 and mass confinement of board members as a result
of the internal crippled operation. Despite of the evil of
Market operation, all areas of the country had been
flooded with applications for establishment of the Rice
and Bean Market since Incheon Rice and Bean Market
was widely known after the Japanese annexation of
Korea.
In the 1920s, the discussion of relocation of Incheon
Rice and Bean Market into Seoul was one of the most
significant social issues. The discussion had been
continued over 10 years since October of 1922, and at
last, Japanese Viceregal announced Joseon Transaction
Act in 1931 that Incheon Rice and Bean Market and
Gyeongseong(Seoul) Spot Transaction Office would be
jointed, which showed the actual defeat of Incheon Rice
and Bean Market
Incheon Rice and Bean Market took over the right of
98
operation to Gyeongseong Spot Transaction Office, was
degraded as a lower branch of Gyeongseong Office,
discontinued its transaction after Chinese and Japanese
War, and then closed with restoration of independence.
▨
Incheon's Rice and Bean Appeared in the Modern
Novel
In the history of Korean literature, Rice and bean at
that time had ever been mentioned in Jaesaeng(Revival)
by Lee Gwangsu in 1924, which was published 13 years
prior to Takryu(Dark Water) by Chae Mansik in 1937.
Jaesaeng was set in Incheon, while Takryu was in
Gunsan.
According to Jaesang, "because the transaction(futures
trading) was going to be done in 210 days, Incheon was
crowded with Rice and Bean marketers at that time. The
street was mopped with marketers for two weeks. They
used to lose their all fortunes of hundreds or thousands of
tons of rice and fields." This novel shows the
contemporary situation through the concrete date like 210
days
Jaesaeng by Chunwon(a pen name of Lee Gwangsu)
depicted the Joseon society after the 1919 Samil
Independence Movement of Korea, and it was the first
novel which showed the stories related with rice and bean
at that time.
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The First Official Telephone
and Toll Line in Korea, and
Telegraph
The first telephone in Korea was installed in 1898. It
was established in Deoksu Palace to make contacts
between the interior of the place and Amun Gate. The
report shows that a superintendent of the outer Amun
Gate used telephone on January 28, 1898 to announce
that "3 English boats will arrive at the port at 3 pm."
Incheon Gamriseo
100 The First in Korea and the Oldest in Incheon
Switchboard by Magneto
The Early Postman
The telephone
at that time was
The Early Operator
called as strange
Chinese names
such as "Daripung," "Deokryulpung," "Deukryulpung,"
"Jeoneogi" or "Eohwatong" and the like.
The first toll line between Seoul and Incheon was set
up on March 20, 1902, with 5 telephone subscribers. In
June of the same year, the operator-assisted circuit was
installed and its first operation started in Incheon Post
Office. In 1904, the dial telephones were installed in front
of Incheon Terminal and the post office. In 1905, the
telephone call service started at first in Incheon Post
Office with a switchboard by magneto and single system,
and it was a wall-mounted telephone made in Erikson
Company.
First in Korea
101
The Centennial History of Korean Telecommunication
describes that the first telephone subscribers were
Daehancheonil Bank's main office and Incheon branch
office of the bank. In 1895, the magnetotelephone set was
installed within the palace, but the first telephone service
at the Incheon Telephone Office started on February 17,
1903 when the toll line between Daehancheonil Bank'
main office and its branch office in Incheon was first
operated.
The telegraph in Incheon Post Office was used among
the general citizens on December 1 1894, which was a
little anterior to the telephone. However, the telegraph in
Korean language was available as late as January 1, 1946.
The Korean, European and Japanese languages were used
in telegraph. According to the statistics of the telegraph
used in 1930, Japanese language by telegraph was used
about 1,000 times as much as Korean or European
languages with 217,703 in Japanese, 2,505 in Korean and
2,505 in the European language.
The Daejungilbo Newspaper dated on January 1,
1946, which was published after the restoration of
independence indicated that the telegraphs by Japanese
language were relatively numerous before and after the
restoration.
Introduction of Baseball Game
in Incheon
Baseball game was introduced to Korea through
Incheon port. Incheon was called a baseball city during
the Japanese colony while the residents were enjoying the
game. According to the Athletic History of Korea, the
The Early Baseball Team
First in Korea
103
first baseball game was introduced by American
missionary Philip L. Gilet. He taught the game rule on
how to hit and strike the ball to members of the Young
Men's Christian Association (YMCA). The first game
was held between the YMCA and German school team
on February 11, 1906. Although there was no official
record, some people say that the first baseball game was
prior to this game, Hujiyama Hujihusa, attending the
Incheon English Evening School between 1895 to 1904
wrote in his diary about a baseball game, a western
hitting ball played in Incheon. In addition, even if there is
a story that Japanese residents around Incheon port
enjoyed the baseball game in the late 1890s, it is close to
a rumor. On the other hand, if Hujiyama's diary was a real
record about introduction of baseball game, baseball
game might be introduced 6 years prior to American
Gilet's introduction in 1905.
According to an article of the daily Daejungilbo on
February 8 in 1947, Baseball Rules and Terms, the first
new rulebook written in Korean was published by the
Incheon Baseball Association. Choi Sangdeok, a director
of the Incheon Baseball Association, wrote this book
regarding official rules of the American Major League.
This book was supposedly inspected by Lee Wonyong
and Lee Gilyong who were great masters of the Korean
Baseball Circle. Unfortunately no copy has survived.
Two Ground-breaking Ceremonies
of Seoul-Incheon Railroad
Leaving for Incheon at 9 am, the train makes a noise
like a thunder, quicks the earth, and belches up black
smoke over the sky.
This is a part of description about the ground-breaking
ceremony of Seoul-Incheon railroad dated on September
19, 1899, of Dongripsinmun. It is known that SeoulIncheon railroad was the first line whose work started in
The Early Incheon Station
First in Korea
105
The Second Ground-breaking Ceremony(Incheon Station)
March, 1897, and was completed on September 18, 1899,
at 9 a.m. The railroad line was 33 km long between
Incheon Station (Jemulpo Station at that time) and
Noryangjin, Seoul. It took 12 hours on foot, 8 hours by
ship, but only one hour by the railroad, which was an
epoch-making event in Korean history.
Japan tried to construct the railroad between Seoul and
Incheon to carry out the Imperialism ambition. The
Joseon government's finances were in a difficult state,
and had no funds to build the railroad line. In the end, the
government had to depend on the foreign funds. Japan,
first of all, gained
permission to build
the railroad from
the government.
Japan had already
been ready to set
up Seoul-Busan
railroad line for its
economic
and
The Railroad Construction Draft
military purpose.
However, American Morse could take the permission
from Japan in March, 1896, because of the public opinion
in Korea after Japanese warriors murdered Queen
Meongseong in 1895. However, Morse was forced to take
the permission over to Japan's Seoul-Incheon Railroad
Association on January 31, 1899, due to both lack of
funds and conflict with a Japanese landlord concerning
the construction site. Japan changed the Association's
name to Seoul-Inhceon Joint Company, and appointed
Sibujawa as a president of the company and started its
construction.
At last the company started to run the temporary train
trial between Incheon and Noryangjin on September 13,
1899. The railroad bridge on the Han river was
constructed in late June, 1900, linking 260ri (about
100km) of 26 districts between Incheon and Seodaemun
First in Korea
107
on July 8,
holding an
opening
ceremony of
a railroad at
Seodaemun
on December
12
of
the
same year.
The First Ground-breaking Ceremony(Ugak-ri)
The train
status in use at that time was as follows:
Classification
embarkation
disembarkation
number of
passengers
volume of
freight(ton)
71,515(persons)
70,387(persons)
86,227(tons)
15,759(tons)
When the line was built, the steam engines ran four
times a day. One train left Incheon at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.,
and the other Noryangjin at 9 a.m and 3 p.m. It took
about an hour and 40 minutes for the train to pass through
the whole line.
The carriage was divided into 3 classes, and the fare of
the first-class available to only foreigners and noblemen
was 1won and 50 jeon, and the second-class fare was 80
jeon available to the national rich men, and the third-class
was 40 jeon to women and common people.
Daehancheonil Bank, the First
National Bank in Korea
After opening the port,
when Japanese people
began to control the
financial circles in Korea,
some Korean people began
to recognize the need the
bank. They argued that
Korea needs the modern
national bank after the
Gabo Reform of 1894. As
Joseon Commercial Bank
a result, Daehancheonil
Bank was established in January, 1899. At that time, the
foundation ideal of Daehancheonil Bank was to circulate
the currency for trade and business, and to develop the
Korean economy by raising the national fund. Anyone
except Korean people couldn't buy and sell stocks of
Daehancheonil Bank, which was intended to keep the
national pride from the foreign countries. Daehancheonil
Bank which meant 'the first bank under the sky' was
First in Korea
109
named from a competitive sense of the Japanese Jeil
Bank, which meant 'the first bank.'
When the foreign financial invasion into Korea
became serious with the establishment of Japanese bank
and the increase of Japanese funds, Daehancheonil Bank
was the first national bank which was established on the
initiative of a Korean powerful merchant class with the
royal permission and the privy purse by King Gojong.
Daehancheonil Bank functioned as a central or royal bank
as well as a general commercial bank because the royal
support for Daehancheonil Bank was direct and powerful.
In May, 1899, Incheon branch of Daehancheonil Bank
was established. It was the first one among bank's
branches, which was in charge of the local tax of the
areas around Incheon. During the period when most of
the banks failed to take care of their original tasks,
Daehancheonil Bank carried out its functions properly
and made an effort for raising the national funds.
After the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, the
Korean national financial system was reorganized by the
Japanese colonial policy. Banks in Incheon were
amalgamated into Joseon Commercial Bank established
by Japan, and Incheon branch of Daehancheonil Bank
also became one of Commercial Bank's branches in
March, 1912.
Sinhak-wolbo, the Advent of
the Monthly Theological
Magazine
Sinhak-wolbo is the first theological magazine which
was founded in December of 1900. It is also the first
church magazine which was published in Korean words
by Methodist Church. In other words, this was the first
The Cover of Sinhak-wolbo
First in Korea
111
Christian monthly magazine, through which the history
and theory of Korean church between 1900s and 1910s
could be observed.
Minister George Heber Johns took charge of editing
this magazine. Living in Incheon, he managed Sinhakwolbo, a monthly magazine, in Incheon. He argued that
the purpose and intent of the magazine publication was as
follows:
"This monthly magazine was published to satisfy
some demands appeared in the whole missionary
magazines, some demands for the basic theological
knowledge. The whole contents related with theology
should be written in Korean... The number of very
prominent and inquiring preachers from the mainland is
increasing around here. The text must be given to them so
that they can understand and make use of the general
theology, the church history, hermeneutics, and the
pastoral theology."
First of all, Sinhak-wolbo focuses on "training
preachers in Korea." This monthly magazine was used
variously enough to adopt itself as a text in Theological
Class, which had been a short-term theology course for
the purpose of cultivating the preachers shortly after
1900.
The Cannon Salute System, the
Sound of the Cannon Echoed
around the Port
It is recorded that Joseon forces started to construct a
battery on the submit of Wolmido island on August 14,
1901, and completed its construction on September 6. A
wall of 90 feet long and 6 feet high was set up on the
summit, and 3 or 4 holes of half-moon shaped embrasure
Wolmi-do
First in Korea
113
were made on the wall. Two field cannons on wheels
were installed inside the wall. According to the order
which Choi Yeongha, a deputy of the Foreign Minister,
sent to Incheon Gamri Ha Sangjun, "Report to each
foreign consul that the cannons fired solutes as a response
of salute fires of the foreign warships." This salute system
was to announce the arriving and departing signals to the
foreign worships, but it was abolished in 1905.
Modern Indentured Emigrants
to Hawaii
121 emigrants including Christians of Naeri Church
left Incheon Port by Kenkay, an emigration steamship, on
December 22, 1902. This was a start of the official
emigration in Korea.
The emigration was opened with conclusion a
The Galic, the Early Immigration Ship
First in Korea
115
Korean Immigrants
emigration treaty between the Joseon government and
Charles R. Bishop, a chairman of Sugar Cane Cultivation
Committee, in 1902. At that time Hawaii faced the
increase of wage caused by lack of labor forces. Allen
who used to be as an American consul reported this
situation to King Gojong and suggested the emigration to
Hawaii aggressively after he had consulted the emigration
issue with Sugar Cane Cultivation Committee in
Honolulu, Hawaii.
Having Fixed the emigration to Hawaii, the
government set up Suminwon, Ministry of Culture and
Tourism, appointed Min Young Hwan as a chief, and
made him administer the emigration and overseas trip. In
addition, it also appointed David W. Desshler as a
manager, who was going to collect laborers and dispatch
them to Hawaii. Desshler was only a port personnel of
Dongyang Mine Company, but the American consul
Allen introduced him into taking care of collecting the
emigrants for labor forces.
Desshler established Dongseo Development Company
in Incheon, and set up its branches in Seoul and port
cities like Busan, Wonsan and the like. He called
managers in each branch, and made them collect
emigrants. A method of collection of emigrants was done
with propaganda activities in the areas like stations,
churches, foreign consulates, etc.
Dongseo Development Company put an advertisement
in Hwangseong-sinmun newspaper to promote the
emigration applicants many times, and many people
actually applied for
collection offered. The
advertisement was put
in
the
way
that
Suminwon took the
place of the American
government.
In spite of this
advertisement, the
Advertisement for Collecting Immigrants
First in Korea
117
company had to persuade many people because of lack of
applicants by various means. American consul Allen and
Minister Jones of Naeri Church participated in the
emigrant collection movement actively. Minister Jones
encouraged his adherents to recommend their associates
to the Hawaii emigration, and then he went into
persuasion in person by himself on the street.
At last, 121 emigrants left Jemulpo Port in Incheon on
December 22, 1902, for the first time in Korea. The first
emigrants got some money in the name of boarding
charges and resettlement funds. The total 7,200 emigrants
had sailed from Jemulpo Port until the emigration was
prohibited in 1905.
The first emigrants consisted of male and female
Christians, wharf labors, and farmers, most of whom
were collected in Incheon. 20 people of the first
emigrants dropped out of the trip because of germ
carriage when they arrived in Kobe and had medical
examination, and then only 101 people transferred to
Gaelic, an American Steamship, and arrived at an outer
port of Honolulu on January 13, 1903. 4 people, however,
had to return home again because they turned out to
contract eye disease. In the long run, 97 people finally set
foot on Hawaii.
The First Lighthouse on
Palmi _ do, Which Lit on the
Dark Ocean
In 1901, Japan demanded "the renovation of every
port and the establishment of the lighthouse and the reef
marks" on the basis of the commercial treaty contracted
between Korea and Japan at the time of the opening port.
Palmi-do
First in Korea
119
In 1902, Customs Lighthouse Construction Office was
established in Incheon, and in May of the same year, the
lighthouses in Palmido island and Sowolmido island
started its construction, and then they were completed in
June, 1903, with the establishment of the reef marks.
These were the first lighthouses lighting on the dark
ocean.
Palmi-do Lighthouse
From Glass production on a
Small Scale to Establishment
of Plate Glass Factory
The first glass excavated in Korean Peninsula
originated from the beginning of the second century B.C.
After that time, the glass had been produced over the
period of Three States through the Joseon Dynasty. The
glass production, however, was limited to everyday
Korean Plate Glass Factory
First in Korea
121
affairs, so the glass could not be used as building
materials as what it is now. The glass even in the Western
countries could be used as construction materials as late
as the Industrial Revolution.
The first plan in 1900 to build the modern style glass
factory was not realized, but in 1902 after two years, the
first glass factory, Gukripjejoseo(National Manufactory),
was built by Lee Yongik. The factory was equipped with
facilities for bottle glass under Russian engineers'
assistance, but it had to be closed from Russo_Japanese
War in 1904. After all, Incheon had the first glass factory,
Japanese Kuno Glass Manufactory, which was built in
Songwol-dong, Incheon, in March of 1928. After that
time, Incheon Glass Manufactory opened in Manseokdong in April of 1928, and made glass articles like
medicine bottles, candy bottles, fish bowls, and the like,
and exported them ever to China as well as downtown
area and Chungcheong province.
Although the first glass manufactory was not built in
Incheon, the first plate glass factory was constructed in
Incheon. The plate glass factory was completed on
September 30 of 1958, 20 months after its construction
was began with funds of 364,8000 dollars and 0.6 billion
and 2 million Korean hwans on February 14, 1957. The
plate glass is made after a mold was formed and it rolled
materials.
Sun-dried Saltpans and "Incheon's
Salty (Hardhearted) Water"
Map of Juan Saltpan
Sin Taebeom in his Fun in Eating and Living
mentioned about salt production in Incheon as follows:
"Some people say that 'Incheon is salty,' which also
First in Korea
123
Juan Saltpan(1905)
means the hardhearted people in Incheon.' It is generally
known that Incheon was famous for various kinds of salt
like Kimchi salt, soy source salt, fine salt and the others
for 50 years from the late 1910s to 1960s. At that time,
Incheon's specialty was always salt, and today Incheon
never produces any salt. Incheon introduced the modern
sun-dried salt and started the first sun-dried saltpan in
Korea.
For about 50 years, saltpans in Incheon produced half
of the whole salt and Incheon also imported salt from
Shantung, China, for 20 years since the 1920s. In
addition, Incheon had many salt manufactories
exclusively to make fine salt and met the salt
consumption all over the country."
Juan Saltpan in Inhceon was the first saltpan
constructed in 1907, and it started experimently with
about an acre of sun-dried saltpan on September 23,
1907. Many government officials including Lee Wanyong
were interested in the saltpan, and Juan saltpan was
expanded over 3 periods. The gross area in the first
period(1908~1911) was just 264,000 pyeong, but its size
in the second period(1917~1918) was expanded to
636,000 pyeong with the expansion of 372,000 pyeong.
Also, in the third period, 900,000 pyeong of Namdong
saltpan was established in 1921 and 1,725,000 pyeong in
Gunja saltpan was constructed in March 1925, and the
gross area of Juan saltpan grew up to 3,262,200 pyeong.
Salt produced in Gunja and Namdong was sent to
Incheon by sea, and salt produced in Juan was transferred
to Juan station warehouse where salt was sold by order.
First in Korea
125
Sanggyewolbo, a Monthly
Commercial Publication, and
Incheon's Korean Board of
Trade
In October, 1885, Japanese merchants organized
Japanese Board of Commerce in Incheon Port to increase
their commercial power. Changing its name into
Incheon Board of Commerce
'Japanese Board of
Trade,' it published its
monthly magazine, The
Monthly Review of
Japanese Board of
Trade, which detailed
statistics and comments
about commercial and
industrial conditions,
board's records, prices
of
commodities,
finance, production and
Periodicals from Incheon Board of Commerce
export and the others.
As the Japanese merchants expanded their powers
through their monthly magazine, Joseon's merchants also
established 'Korean Board of Trade' in Incheon in July of
1905, and began to publish the monthly magazine on
May 11, 1912. This magazine was Sanggyewolbo
estimated as the first Commercial Publication in Incheon.
This initial issue of Sanggyewolbo shows the following
records about the board's proceeding and process:
"During the proceeding, we decided to publish the
monthly magazine to report the conditions of Korean
commercial circles.
The participants were four of Choi Eungsam, Gang
Haewon, Son Seongchil, and Kim Songok.... Choi
First in Korea
127
Eungsam explained about the need of the monthly
publication of Korean Board of Trade as that of Japanese
Board of Trade to inform the commercial circles of the
economic conditions. Gang Haewon who had also felt the
need of the publication announced that he would check
over 20 pages of printing expenses, and all of them
approved of his opinion."
However, Korean Board of Trade was amalgamated
into Japanese Board of Trade by the government-general
on July 15, 1915, and Sanggyewolbo was forced to
discontinue the publication of the magazine with its 36th
issue on April 15, 1915.
The Incheon Port Equipped
with the Only Lock Gate in
Korea
Incheon port was the only one equipped with the lock
gate in Korea. At first Incheon port could perform its
basic function as a port after constructing the stone work
in Hang-dong area between 1884 and 1895 for ships to
enter the port even at full tide. This rudimentary stone
work was done by making the wharf at the natural point.
In 1893, a long stone embankment for the port was
constructed along the area of the present Hotel Paradise,
Incheon Dock
First in Korea
129
The Floodgate
and two lighthouses were built at the end of Sowolmi-do
island and at the west side of Palmi-do island, and
wooden marks to announce the lighthouses were made on
the ocean. These were merely the basic facilities but the
port could carry out its function by making ships move its
course between the front of Incheon customs and Mapo.
In 1906 when each port(10 ports including Incheon
port) began its new construction work for transformation
of the port into a modern one, Incheon got to hold a
present feature as a port. The lock gate which was made
to balance sea levels of the opposite sides was built for
ships to pass the course. The first lock gate in Incheon
was completed in the present pier 1 on June 11 of 1911.
The lock gate cost 5,560,000 won to build in October of
1918, allowing 5 ships of 4,500 tones to stay at the same
time in this harbor. The gate was a type of double steal
gates, so the ships could pass the course at any high tide.
In addition, the extension work of the port which was
begun in April of 1929 was accomplished in March of
1935 by purchasing about 20 acres(27,000 pyeong)
between Sa-do of the west and Bun-do gate of the east
with funds of 1,250,000 won, securing 200 space to allow
ships of 2,000 tons to stay here, and bringing into the
facilities of road and railroad around Incheon.
First in Korea
131
Wolmi_do's Public Hot Seawater
Bath
One of the most interesting attractions in Incheon is
Wolmi-do. Wolmi-do seen from the top of Jayu Park is
located to the right of inner port of watergate-style dock,
and it was circled by a thick forest. Wolmi-do was wellknown to the world as a tourist resort. Some people are
familiar with Wolmi_do, while they are not aware of
Wolmi-do's Public Hot Weawater Bath
Incheon. This island has been a symbol of Incheon for
over 100 years. One of the features in Wolmi_do was a
public hot seawater bath which heats sea water to take a
bath. This public bath was first developed in Incheon.
Japan constructed a beltway around Wolmi _ do,
planted cherry trees and pine trees around a beltway, and
designated Wolmi_do as a scenic area in 1918. The dock
built in the inner port in 1918 could block the rapid water
from the Han river. In addition, with the construction of
dock, Wolmi _ do which could go only by boat was
available by car through 2-lane bank road. As the dock
was constructed and National Railroad Administration
introduced Wolmi _ do's public hot seawater bath to
develop this island as a tourist resort, this small island of
4 km circumstance was known to the public.
Wolmi _ do was by fay the highest resort among
attractions like Songdowon in Wonsan and Haeundae in
Busan. In Spring, Wolmi _ do is crowded with many
visitors enjoying the cherry blossoms and in Summer
many swimmers enjoying swimming in the beach. During
the cherry season, National Railroad Administration used
to operate the special flower train. In addition, private
enterprises took part of developing Wolmi_do and built a
great swimming pool on the beach and a Japanese saloon
called Yonggung_gak which seemed to be afloat on water
while flooding.
First in Korea
133
Around 1935, Bin Hotel, a three-story building, was
built and many tourists stopped at this hotel. Wolmi_do
was in prosperity for 20 years until Japan was defeated in
the war. After the restoration of independence, some
managers took over the resort facilities, and some
significant people organized Wolmi_do Tour Company
and tried to restore the old glory of Wolmi_do. However,
it remained barren with the Korean War and it was used
as a U.S military base, and later a national naval base. At
the present, it opens as a resting place for the citizens.
Incheon Burip(local) Library,
a Free Reading Space
Incheon Burip(local) Library
opened on January 6, 1922. It was
first among local libraries in Korea.
The library was originally a
building for E. Meyer & Co. Walter
Co.'s dormitory. When Germany
was defeated in World War I, the
building was put up at auction
because of an enemy property and
Incheon city authority purchased it,
and offered it to the residents as a
library.
Incheon Burip(Local) Library
At the time the library opened, the books were no
more than 900 volumes. The library, however, had a
significance as the first local library. The books increased
to 5,351 and were used by 25,349 people in 1930. Joseon
Ilbo newspaper on December 23, 1931 recorded data of
readers and reading materials as follows:
"Among readers in November were 1,856 people in all
First in Korea
135
among whom were 636 Japanese people and 1,220
Korean people, and this means an average 74 people a
day, which shows that 169 readers were reduced as
compared with the previous year. The readers were
composed of 223 students, 12 company employees, 6
public officials, 55 businessmen, and 485 unemployed
and the others. Light readings like a complete set and
magazines in the library were popular among them, and
literary works and Korean books read well.
The Joseon Boy Scouting
Party, Playing the Bugle and
the Drum
The Scouting Party is similar to the western Boy
Scout. It originated from the Scouting Party starting in
Seoul in 1922. The object of the party was to train the
useful human beings to serve the society, the nation and
the world by making boys hold good natures and strong
bodies.
Epworth Young Men's League in 1897 was organized
Nari Boy Scouting Party
First in Korea
137
Nari Band
by Naeri Church, but it was dispersed compulsorily by
Japan in 1906 because of its patriotic movement.
However it was reorganized in 1908, and then Epworth
Men's and Women's Leagues were combined, and they
were unified into Youth Association in 1923.
After that, Naeri Church organized the Boy Scouting
Party on June 1, 1925. This party was the first scouting
party formed by church, and 4 years anterior to that of
Jeongdong Church in Seoul in 1929. In addition, it was
even 30 years anterior to the first school's scouting party
in Changyeong Elementary School in 1955. Naeri's Boy
Scouting Party used to march on the street with a drum
and fife band while 'playing the bugle and the drum' to
promote Epworth League's anti-smoking and anti-alcohol
campaign.
However, it was also dispersed compulsorily in
September, 1937, but the Rebuilding Committee for the
Incheon Boy Scout was organized on February 10, 1946,
and made an effort to set up it earlier than the same
committee of Seoul dated on March 1.
First in Korea
139
Incheon Metropolitan City
Museum, the First Public
Museum in Korea
During
the
Japanese
colonialization, the local
government office (located at
the old private building for E.
Meyer & Co. Walter & Co.)
and the Japanese collectors
were possessing many cultural
assets. With the restoration of
independence, intellectuals in
City Museum
Incheon tried to prevent the
cultural assets from being sent to Japan, and expressed
sympathy with the construction of the museum for
cultural assets. Under this circumstance, Lee
Gyeongseong, who later became the first curator of the
Incheon City Museum, made an effort to build the new
museum in Incheon. He graduated from the arts
department in Waseda University, Japan, under the
support of Uhyeon
Ko Yuseop, when he
was 27 years old. He
expressed
his
ambition to establish
the museum to Choi
Seungman, a head of
the enlightenment
department of the
American
government
forces
in
The Old Museum
September 1945, and
at last he got a permission from American Lieutenant
Hompel to construct the museum at the site of the local
government office. In October 1945, Lee Gyeongseong
was appointed as a curator of the museum, officially
started to renovate the building of the local government
office, and tried to secure the cultural assets to store in
the new museum. To begin with, he lent 19 pieces of
cultural assets from the National Museum, 60 pieces from
the Folk Museum. In addition, he secured various relics
keeping in customs warehouse with the active support of
American Lieutenant Hompel. He could also collect
Buddhist images and temple bells from the Japanese arms
factory in Bupyeong. Some supporters even contributed
relics or funds to the museum. As a result, when the
First in Korea
141
museum was ready to open, the museum could collect
346 pieces of relics. At last the museum opened as the
first public museum in Korea on April 1, 1946,
After opening the museum with donation of support of
all social standings, Incheon Museum came to hold more
and more relics including the stone buddhist statue
donated from Kim Juseung living in Seoul On May 10,
1947. A research group for the historical remains, led by
Lee Gyeongseong, visited to Gyeongju on May 26.
However, the museum, the old private building for E.
Meyer & Co. Walter & Co., was demolished by
bombardment from a warship of U.N forces during
Incheon landing operation, and the historical monument
of Jungsimseong castle was destroyed. Incheon City
Museum closed for 2 years and 10 months of the war.
Later it moved to the building of Jemulpo Club at #11
Songhak-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu, on April 1, 1953, when was
the 7th anniversary of the museum. Incheon city museum
made explorations and survey actively after 1956,
collecting many relics such as a stone arrowhead around
dolmen in front of Sami, Juan-dong; a bronze ware, a
porcelain and 2 arrowhead from Goryeochong, Gyochonri, Sinjam-myeon, Daedeok-gun, Chungnam; a stone
ware from Hakik dolmen around Hakik-dong.
Also, Dr. Kim Wonyong of the national museum and
Lee Gyeongseong who transferred to his position as a
curator of Ehwa Girls' University Museum tried to collect
various remains, discovering Yonghyeong-dong old tomb
and Juan dolmen, surveying the old king's tomb in
Yeonsu-dong, exploring Bongilsaji and Manilsaji,
investigated Cheongryangsaji, and finding dolmen in
Unnam-dong, Yeongjongdo.
One of the greatest achievements led by Incheon City
Museum was to find a kiln site of celadon porcelain in
Gyeongseo-dong through four times of exploration from
November 15, 1965, to May 7, 1966, and it was
designated as Cultural Property of Korea No. 211.
The present Incheon Metropolitan City Museum is
located within premise of the Memorial Hall for the
Incheon Landing Operation at # 525 Okryeon-dong,
Nam-gu, and it was built on December 20, 1989, and
opened on May 4, 1990.
First in Korea
143
The Oldest in Incheon
The Westerners' Records
about Incheon's People
Jemulpo Seen by Westerners
What was the record about the open port of Inheon
written by westerners? How was it preserved?
The Western Powers noticed the significance of five
islands around Ongjin Peninsula on the west sea as
fishing grounds and key points. With the Western Powers
eastward expansion in the early 19 century, England , first
of
all,
made
its
appearance in Korea
and recognized the
value of five islands
and Ongjin Peninsula.
To begin with,
Basil Hall, a Naval
official of the East
India Company, got
Socheong-do by Foreigners
to Baekryeong-do
with "various missions" from his homeland. In his
Account of a Voyage of Discovery to the West Coast of
Corea, Hall recorded interesting facts about five islands
in the west sea of Korea.
Basil Hall and Colonel Murry Maxwell, an
Ambassador to China, had an important mission to make
a survey of the coast of Baekryeong-do and a group of
islands around 124° 46、east longitude and 37° 50、north
latitude. These islands were written Sir James Hall's
Group in English sea map. James Hall, a father of Basil
Hall exploring Baekryeong-do island, was a head of
Edinburgh Royal Academy as a geographer. Five islands
in the west sea were also known to the world as "Hall's
Islands."
When Hall and his party landed on the island, they
saw about 40 houses made by reeds and clay, and
Oldest in Incheon
147
barbarians with brown-colored and grim faces. This was
the first impression on Baekryeong-do and its residents.
Hall who got to this island by way of China recorded that
women living on this island had a regular-size foot
differently from that of Chinese women because he had
known about the Chinese 'foot-binding.'
The people on Baekryeong-do wanted Hall and his
party to leave their island as soon as possible, so some
residents sent a signal of farewell, shaking the boat-like
paper to windward. Hall left the island after exploring the
coastal area of the island and Jeju-do and collecting
Korean vocabulary for about 10 days.
According to an uncertain story, when Hall incidently
met Napoleon on Saint Helena on the way to England and
told him about Jeoseon which never invaded into other
country despite its rich history, Napoleon responded as
follows: "Is there such a nation in the world?", and "when
I unify the world, I want to go there."
Incheon, a Place Where Soccer
Was Introduced
Incheon was a place where soccer was introduced by
English people from a birthplace of soccer. A soccer was
introduced to Incheon by being held soccer event in
Incheon. When English Flying Fish, a warship, arrived at
Inhcheon port in 1882, English seamen landed at the
Incheon Port temporarily and played soccer by
The Soccer Game
Oldest in Incheon
149
themselves. This event was the first soccer game in
Korea.
Before English seamen returned to their ship, they left
their soccer ball to Korean boys which would be the first
soccer ball in Korea. The boys at that time perhaps played
soccer in Korea.
However, it would be a pity that there was no record
about this game in Incheon. Some people say that English
seamen enjoyed their soccer game on the Uteogol ground
far away from the beach, However, it might be a
inordinate guess in spite of the treaty of amity between
Korea and England on May 1, 1882, because Uteogol
was only a basin of Eungbong-san at that time. The sport
arena in Uteogol was not open until October 1, 1921,
after the ground was leveled.
Quarantine for the Prevention
of the Infectious Disease
The
regulation
for
the
prevention of infectious disease
in Joseon's commercial districts
came into effect on July 8, 1880.
The
first
quarantine
was
established in May, 1886 when
Cholera broke out, and the first
quarantine regulation for ships
became effective at that time.
Every foreign settlement also
officially
announced
Article about Quarantine
the
quarantine regulation by a joint resolution and it became
effective in July 1987, which was the origin of port
quarantine.
As pest broke out in Manchuria in 1910, the regulation
for port quarantine became effective, and after the
accident, Incheon Quarantine around the west coast of
Wolmi-do was established on March 17, 1911.
Cows exported from Incheon Port after October 1,
Oldest in Incheon
151
1926, began to be quarantined. Formerly the quarantine
was done only in Busan Port, but the maritime inspection
became effective also in Nampo Port, Wonsan Port, and
Seongjin Port as well as in Incheon.
Police Organizations
As Japanese Consulate was established in Incheon, the
first police station was built in 1882 as its affiliated
organization. This was the first organization among the
modern Japanese police systems in Incheon. In March,
1910, the marine department was installed in the police
station, and the marine department came to hold its
branch office in Hang-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon after April,
1911.
Incheon Police Station
Oldest in Incheon
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The Fire Station,a Very Careful
Organization even in the
Extinguished Fire
The fire-fighting facility and organization in Incheon
started with a request of the establishment of fire-fighting
team by the Japanese residents on November 18, 1884.
The Japanese residents demanded that the police station
control the team. In February of 1889, the fire-fighting
regulation was reformed and the fire-fighting team
The Fire Station
increased the number of team by 60. And then the private
team got to be the public one again to increase the
number by 100 on July 18, 1896. In July of 1906, the
fire-fighting equipment was reformed, some water tanks
were built around the city, and the fire-fighters were
taken their roll calls every Spring and Autumn.
In October of 1910, 9 fire-fighters were first recruited
and trained in public, and in August of 1911, Korean
standing fire-fighters were collected and arranged at two
fire stations. At that time there was no fire-fighting
equipment in the Joseon's settlements. In September of
1913, Jeong Chiguk, Jeong Yeonghwa, Jang Naeheung,
Seo Sangbin and the others raised 420 won(Korean
money) to establish the fire station for standing firefighters and to arrange the fire-fighting equipment around
#890 Oi-ri(around the present Gyeong-dong) where
Korean people had lived. There were the standing firefighters and the preliminary fire-fighters who were
volunteers in the Fire Station. After few months of that
time, the decoration event of Incheon Fire Station
happened to be held.
Oldest in Incheon
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Powder Magazine
The first powder magazine
in Incheon was one which
was built by E. Meyer & Co.
Walter & Co. This power
magazine was established on
the rock in Okryeon-dong,
Yeonsu-gu in December of
Powder Magazine
1889 for the purpose of
excavating gold in Unsan mine and the others. After that,
American Townsend & Co. built also another power
magazine around foreign settlement in Incheon port in
1900 and managed its business as an agency of English
Noble Powder, and it was expanded as a greatest
company in Jeoseon. Townsend & Co. got to hold a big
magazine of 163㎡ and a small one of 81㎡ which
amounted to the total 244㎡, while E. Meyer & Co.
Walter & Co. had a magazine of only 116㎡
Incheon Printshop, the
Beginning of Type Printing
Gonan, a Japanese,
established Incheon
Printshop to lead off the
type printing business
in Jungang-dong in
Autumn of 1889, which
was the origin of the
printing business in
The Type Printer
Korea. As a matter of course, the printshop was born in
Incheon as a open port through which the western culture
was introduced. Especially, Incheon, a trading port,
needed the printer for merchants and craftsmen.
It is recorded that Incheon Printshop made profits for
some time, but nene owners of the shop were all
Japanese.
Oldest in Incheon
157
Dr. Landis, Yakdaein(a Great
Man of Medicine), and the
Western-style Hospital
According to Incheon
Sajeong, a course of
Incheon history, published
in 1892, "the visitors to
Incheon could see the
great church with a red
tiled roof on the hill at the
back of the center of the
St. Luck Hospital
city." It was Incheon
Naedong Church located at #3 Nae-dong, Jung-gu,
Incheon, and it belonged to Daehan Anglican Church.
The peak of Eungbong-san hill south of the church
was called 'Yakdaein-san, or Yakdaei-san,' which means
the great man of medicine. Yakdaein was named in honor
of E. B. Landis, a doctor of Saint Luke Hospital, a
hospital in affiliation of the Anglican Church. His title
called as Yakdaein shows how Korean people respected
his medical activities and how wonderful his treatment
Landis and Christians
Doctors and Nurses
was to the people.
St. Luke Hospital opening on October 10, 1890, under
the support of the Anglican Church, was the first modern
hospital in Incheon. The residents of Jemulpo (Incheon)
called St. Luke Hospital as Yakdaein Hospital. Thus, Dr.
Landis, a noted doctor, was the subject of honor among
residents. Many people around the area as well as the
residents went to this hospital to undergo medical
treatment from him because of lack of the medical
facilities in Korea.
Dr. Landis was born in Pennsylvania on December 18,
1865, and took a doctorate in medical science in 1888.
While on duty in Lancaster Hospital, he was influenced
by the movement of supporting the missionary work and
moved to the nursing home belonging to Anglican
Church. After having met Bishop Corfe, he decided to
settle down in Incheon on September 29, 1890.
Oldest in Incheon
159
He purchased a house at the foot of Anglican Church,
and used it as a consultation house and started to examine
the patients around him. According to the statistics about
Dr. Landis's medical treatment, he took care of 3,394
patients in 1892, and treated 4,464 outpatients in 1894.
He showed his affection on Korean people by setting
up the sign board written in "Nakseonsi Hospital"
meaning "a sweet hospital offering a good deed" instead
of "Saint Luke Hospital, because he thought that "Saint
Luke" did not have any meaning to Korean people at that
time.
Dr. Landis, a bachelor, overworked over and over. As
a result, he was attacked by typhoid, and died of the
illness at the age of 32, on April 16, 1898. Foreign
countries during the funeral put out a flag at half-mast to
regret his death. He lies buried at the foreign cemetery at
Cheonghak-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon.
The Soy Sauce and the
Soybean Paste as Side Dishes
The man who first made and sold the soy sauce and
the soybean paste in Incheon was Japanese Iwaei. After
the private production, Japanese Soy Sauce Corporation
made it possible to produce soy sauce on a large scale in
November, 1896. The dragon brand's soy sauce produced
by Noda Soy Sauce Corporation and the 高(a Chinese
word meaning high quality) brand's soy sauce made by
Takaski Soy Sauce Company had enough high quality to
Company Brands and Advertisement
Oldest in Incheon
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export 448 seok to Japan and 120 seok to
China and Manchuria in 1930.
The soy sauce was made from bean and
wheat which were Korean main produces,
and Hwanghaedo province was famous for
their superior goods. Chinese-produced bay
salt and refined salt could be purchased
easily on a cheap price in Incheon, and as a
result, Incheon was considered as a proper
place to produce the soy sauce. For example,
the soy sauce produced in Incheon was 2030 jeon higher than that made in Tokyo on
Noda Soy Sauce Advertisement
the base price of 5 yen because of the high quality.
As soy sauce made in Korea was noted for its flavor,
Homare brand's soybean paste which was produced in
Incheon branch office of Noda Soy Sauce Corporation
gained public popularity because Homare brand's
soybean paste could be separated properly and it was
holding the unchanging taste.
The demand for Homare soybean paste was increasing
more and more. The productivity amounted to 2,000
gwan a day, and about 350,000 gwan was produced in
1930. It was consumed in Korea and also it was exported
to Manchuria, China, Japan as well as Joseon. Homare
soybean was also 20-30 jeon higher than others because
of its good quality.
Incheon Gyeongseong Gyeokjusangbo a
Special Which was Published Every Other
Week, and Daehan Ilbo Which was
Published with Korean and Chinese
Writing
Newspaper had to keep a
widely
various
class
and
guarantee a basic freedom of
speech to carry out its function as
an organ of public opinion.
Incheon was not equipped with its
organ of public opinion even after
opening the port. During this dark
age, Japanese newspapers were
representing their own benefits
and supporting the policy for
Japanese invasion of Korea.
Under this condition, Incheon
Gyeongseong Gyeokjusangbo
Newspaper was published by
Joseon Sinbo Newspaper
Oldest in Incheon
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Jemulpo Company on January 28 of 1890, which was the
first newspaper in Incheon.
However, this newspaper was written in Japanese for
Japanese people and by Japanese people twice a month.
After its name was changed into Joseon Sunbo on
September 1, 1891, it was published three times a month
and when it was again renamed into Joseon Sinbo, it was
published every week.
This newspaper was mainly news about trade and
business around Inchon and Gyeongseong. Private group
managed it, but with assistance of Japanese government.
As a result it was associated with Japanese policy with
Korea or Japanese settlement. This truth
revealed itself by the fact that the
newspaper published a special during
the emeute on July 23 of 1894, when
Japanese soldiers invaded Gyeongbuk
Palace. It was the first special in Korea,
and detailed the whole accident.
Anybody could easily guess that it was
written for Japanese policy.
Daehan Ilbo was the first newspaper
with Korean and Chinese Writing. The
newspaper which was published first on
March 10 of 1904 was thought of as a
newspaper for commercial benefits of
The Extra Edition of Joseon Sinbo
local residents. However, it could not represent the
benefits of Joseon's people because it was published by
Japanese people. The newspaper moved to Gyeongseong
with the last issue of December 1, 1904.
The first newspaper of Joseon was generally regarded
as Hangseong Sunbo. Joseon Government established a
printing house called Bakmunguk within Tongriamun(the
board of trade) for the publishing business on August 17
of 1883, purchased the printing machine and paper from
Japan, and published Hangseong Sunbo on October 30,
1883. Although it was a kind of official gazette, it was
known as a pioneer of modern Korean newspaper. This
newspaper was discontinued in 14 months after it was
first published because the public invaded the newspaper
as a secondary effect of the emeute of December 4, 1884
and burned the building. After that, Dongripsinmun
newspaper for Joseon's benefits was made on April 7,
1896, and Joseon really opened the age of newspaper
publication.
Oldest in Incheon
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The Manufacture of Rice Wine
and Bottled Liquor
Okayama, a Japanese, was the first person that had
brewed the rice wine in Incheon. As he reasoned that he
could not make profits from providing Japanese people
with the rice wine exported from Japan by the excessive
shipping charge, he began to brew the rice wine from the
sufficient rice in Incheon in September 1892,
The Rice Wine Brewery
Daedong Brewery Association
After that time, Hukami, another Japanese, made
brewery and tried to provide Japanese residents with the
rice wine in 1897, but his wine was not popular to
Japanese residents because it did not come up to Japanese
rice wine in taste and the container to brew the wine was
coarse in quality. However, the quality of the rice wine
was improved gradually, and around 1908 seven
breweries in Incheon were thriving.
In Incheon at the beginning of 1920s, there were
24,000 native residents and 13,000 Japanese residents,
and there were 14 breweries possessed by Korean and 7
Oldest in Incheon
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breweries by Japanese. According to One Century in
Incheon, "many breweries appeared in various parts of
the city around 1920. There were 14 breweries, from
corporate businesses such as Daedong Brewery
Association, Yeonghwa Brewery Association, Incheon
Brewery Association and the like, to private businesses
such as Daeil Brewery, Kim Huigwan Brewery,
Yeongchun Brewery, Sinchang Brewery, Soseong
Brewery, Daehwa Brewery, Gyerim Brewery and the like.
Under this circumstance, Choi Seungu was one of the
most prominent figures in the brewery business. He
originally made good money by managing lodgings for
peddlers, established Daedong Brewery Association in
Oi-ri, the present Gyeong-dong, began to brew both
coarse liquor and rice wines. He renovated the
conventional facilities of the old brewery, developed
brand-new liquor, and made a great fortune in the
brewery business. He introduced the Japanese-style filter
to develop the clearer wine or liquor and made a great hit.
In addition, His Daedong Brewery Association produced
bottled rice wine and became a top brewery business.
Sin Taebeom and Go Il detailed the bottled rice wine
at the same time, but surprisingly in his Incheon
Seokgeum, Go il argued that Choi Seungu used
preservative to brew his bottled rice wine, and then he
reported the following: "I still remember Yeonghwa
Joil Brewery Company
Brewery Association which was famous for
Yongdongchutang, its speciality, and Daedong Brewery
Association which developed 'Songro' a bottled wine
through the Japanese-style filter, Incheon Brewery
Association and Daehwa Brewery Association which
were known to everyone with their large transaction."
"Daedong Brewery Association which succeeded in
turning the coarse rice wine into the clear strained wine
by using preservatives moved its business into Choi
Eungsam's(Choi Seungu's rename) house around
Songrim-dong from the area in back of Gwangtong-sa
and tried to reconstruct its business, but it was driven out
of business due to the untimely conditions. Nevertheless,
it made an epoch in improving the quality of rice wine in
Joseon.
Oldest in Incheon
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It is wondered whether Choi Seungu used harmful
preservatives to the public, and whether his new rice wine
created by this preservatives contributed to the
improvement of the rice wine, but at that time the true
was that the rumors were abroad.
In the meantime, the first mechanical Soju(distilled
liquor) brewery company which was called 'Joil brewery
company was established in Korea in October, 1919. The
Soju named as Geumgangpyo along with Geumganghak
in Cheongju province was in the limelight in Sakhalin as
well as all over the country. Geumgangpyo Soju whose
materials were made by mixtures of wheat and millet
with Taiwan syrup was comparably reasonable. Its annual
production amounted to 22,400 seok. Pot of the volume
of 1 mal, or 1 mal and 5 doi was used as a container for
the rice wine. Beer-type barrel capable of containing 6
mal was used for mass transaction and the price of 1 mal
and 5 doi was approximately 9 won at that time.
Soju called as 'Goryeopyo' was well-known for its
scent. First of all, it is reported that Choi Seungu, a
founder of Daedong Brewery Association, surpassed
others even in capacity of manufacturing Soju. When Joil
Brewery which was managed by a Japanese made
'Geumgang' Soju and it made a great success, Choi
Seungu received impetus from it, built a new modern
factory around the present Dongbu Police Station in
Songrim-dong in 1928, and released Sosu named as
'Daedong.' Daedong Soju seemed to show its prosperity
for some time until the distribution system was
introduced by war at the end of 1930s. In the end, his
brewery was closed at the last stage of war. It was once
acknowledged that Choi Seungu brewery was one among
the top 5 breweries with Kim Huigwan's brewery in
Incheon including Japanese 3 ones.
According to the Don-a ilbo(Dong-a daily newspaper)
dated on August 20 of 1927, Incheon had its brewing
laboratory for analyzing the brewing water and the raw
materials in its office. From this report, it might be
estimated that Incheon was related with the first brewage
in Korea.
Oldest in Incheon
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The Modern Permanent
Market
Since 1895, a Mr. Jung had sold some fish caught in
the sea near Incheon to peddlers or passers-by in market,
or in outdoor market. In 1902 after that, the fish market
was set up in the present Sinpo Fish Market. Japanese
market as a rival arose across from the market in 1905.
On the basis of Market Regulation in June, 1927, the
price standardization and the sanitary facilities came into
Fish Market
The Public Permanent Market
effect for consumer's convenience, and this market grew
as a division public market.
After 1905, as the number of Chinese tenant farmers
in Incheon increased more and more, the pedlar's market
began to settle down around the market in 1907.
Consequently, the regulations against the illegal
transportation and food sanitation were set up. The
compulsory control of migratory pedlars on May 1, 1912,
made them move their market place into the area which
the tenant farmers and vegetable pedlars rented
cooperatively, and as a result, they came to form a
market.
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Enforcement of Rickshaw
Business Regulation
A rickshaw modeled on the
western wagon was made in 1869 by
three Japanese persons including
Wasen who lived in Tokyo. Rickshaw
business started in Japan from 1870,
but in Korea, the business started with
10
rickshaws
in
1894
when
Hanayama introduced it.
According to the Incheonbusa, the
rickshaw business regulation in
Incheon was issued first in Korea on
March 12, 1895, followed by Masan
Rickshaw
Director Office in 1908. The issue of
regulation was also prior to the act by Seoul Police
Administration Office to control rickshaw business
around Seoul and Gyeonggi Province on August 15,
1895.
Because Incheon was a gate to contact about every
civilized culture of western countries, a rickshaw was
first likely to appear in Incheon and as a result, the
regulation regarding the rickshaw would be first issued in
Incheon.
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The Traditional
Soap Manufacturer
There
used
to
be
a
soap
manufacturer in Incheon around
August, 1895, but the size of the
manufacturer was indefinite. The first
systematic soap manufacturer was
Aegyeong Company at Songwoldong in October, 1912, established
with funds of 300,000 won.
Soap made by Aegyeong sold to
all areas of country including
Gyeongin area(60%), Daejeon and
Daegu area(20%), Mokpo and
Gunsan
area(15%),
and
the
Aegyeong Company's Advertisement
others(5%).
Main ingredients of soap included coconut milk, beef
tallow (domestic product), hardened bean oil (Dalian's
product), hardened oil (fish oil), cottonseed oil, pine resin
(American product), caustic soda (English or American
product), castor oil and the like.
The Control Regulation
against the Lodging Business
The control regulation against the
lodging business was effective in 1898,
but the exact date was indefinite. The
Incheon Review after Opening the Port,
shows that lodging business in Incheon
had a large practice at that time as the
following:
"Daebul Hotel accommodated only
the Western and Japanese people, but as
the number of Japanese people
increased, Japanese style lodges were in
need of them. Sujin inn in Gwan-dong,
Hwaok
inn
in
Jungang-dong,
Cheonggang Inn's Advertisement
Cheonggang inn in Gwan-dong, Gukok inn in Bukseongdong and the others settled for Japanese people in
Incheon."
"Many Korean people such as customers, agents and
scamps around the Rice Exchange Market began to
gather together. The lodging businesses, restaurants and
Oldest in Incheon
177
entertainment spots attracted these people to spend
money, and then stimulated the public to do so. 'Yeogwan'
which means the Japanese inn was introduced on the
street where there used to be only lodgings and
restaurants. Yonggang inn in Yong-dong, Gyeongin inn
and Yeonan inn in Nae-dong and the others were arisen
from place to place, and then many taverns across from
Chukhyeon Station and along the wharf took their places.
The word 'Yeogwan' or the Japanese inn might be arisen
in Incheon.
The First Private School,
Jenyeong School
Jenyeong School was not established for the religious
or public purpose, but it was the first private school
established by a civilian. Yeonghwa-hakdang was the
first elementary institute while Jenyeong School was the
first private one in western style in Incheon.
Under the influence of Ilsin private Institute in
Incheon Common Public School
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During the Class
Dogjeong-ri, Daso-myeong which was built by landlords
in Incheon, Seo Sangbin felt the need of training of
modern Science and English to improve the Korean
academic quality. As a result he founded Jenyeong
School, and devoted himself to educating the rising
generation in this school. Incheon Seokgeum detailed the
school.
According to this book, Seo Sangbin who was a
president of Incheon Sinsang Company, the former body
of Paddler's Organization, established a private school
after Russo-Japanese War. He was aware that Incheon
was an international port city and an industrial city as a
gate to Seoul but there were no schools to teach young
people modern Science and English. He managed to set
up the school of about 100㎡(30 peong) around Kang
Eungwon Brewery in Incheon with assistance of Kim
Jeonggon who had taken part in salvaging of Variak, a
Russian sunken ship, and had made great money.
At that time, there were about 30 Korean excellent
officials from Incheon Foreign School who were working
for English accountants of Incheon Customs. These
officials on shifts taught the students English. Among
instructors were Jang Gibin who was Dr. Jang Myeon's
father, Lee Hakin and Lee Yongin brothers, etc. Seo
Byeonghui as a head teacher taught students General
Theology and Seo Byeongyeop who had held also the
post of a vice-principal of public foreign school was in
charge of Religious Affairs for students. Many
government officials including Lee Jaegon who was
academic minister in Korean government were present at
the opening ceremony of the school. After the Japanese
victory of Russo-Japanese War, students were forced to
learn Japanese instead of English, and then English class
was prohibited in Jengyeong School and replaced with
Japanese class. Likewise, The Public Foreign School was
Oldest in Incheon
181
renamed as the Public Japanese School. Kim Yunjeong
who was Incheon Customs supervisor of the day was
concurrently appointed as a principal of the school.
Seo Sangbin from Incheon secured a government
position of Jinsa of Seonggyungwan (the current
Education Ministry) and then became a head officer of
Bunaemyeon, Incheon, after opening a port. He
established Incheon Sinsang Association which was the
first organization for merchants and the former body of
the current Chamber of Commerce and Industry with Seo
Sang Jip, who was Incheon Customs supervisor. He
worked as an actual president of Sinsang Association.
When many foreign merchants made rush for Incheon
Port with the port opening, he tried to protect the profits
of the national merchants and arouse national
consciousness.
Tobacco Manufacture
Tobacco is likely to be
introduced into Korea from
Japan. It was first called
'Namcho,', a southern plant,
meaning a plant passed from
the southern plants such as
Dongrae and Ulsan as shown
lyrics in Dambaguni Taryeong,
a tobacco song, or it was known
'Yocho.' meaning a strange
plant.
There was no record about
the tobacco manufacturers in
Various Kinds of Cigarettes
Incheon, but it is generally said
that there were two hypotheses; one of them was that
tobacco was made by the British-American Joint Tobacco
Company, and the other hypothesis was that 'Hero' brand
tobacco was imported from Shanghai, China and its
branch was established in Chinese Settlement in Incheon
in March, 1908.
Oldest in Incheon
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According to another record, Greek Bandlus had
established Dongyang Tobacco Comapny in Sa-dong,
Jung-gu, Incheon, in 1901, but cheap tobacco from
foreign countries forced the company to close. After that,
American Hamilton, a manager of the company, took
over it, named it as Chemulpo Tobacco Co., and
produced tobacco brands called as Hongdopae, Sanho,
Ppoppi. The company is said to maintain in Incheon until
the sale of tobacco was a government monopoly by
Monopolistic Law in 1921, although this was not clear.
Sin Taebeom during his lifetime stated that he had seen a
signboard written as Chemulpo Tobacco Co. on the brick
warehouse building under the hill at the back of Paradise
Hotel until the middle of the 1980s.
The Japanese merchants first sold western tobacco to
people, and they imported tobacco from Japan. The
tobacco made from Mokchonhyangyeon Company in
Tokyo was specially popular to Korean people in the
1900s. According to the newspaper at that time, the sale
in a great quantity by the tobacco truck often
discontinued because of the rain, but the following day,
Hiyaro brand tobacco could be only purchased by
drawing lots because of its high demand. The branch of
this company was also established in Incheon.
Quality Examination for Milk
According to the
History of Incheon
Division,
Seoul's
veterinarian carried out
quality examination for
milk twice a month,
which was the first milk
examination conducted
in Incheon.
After the opening of
Newspaper Article about Milk
a port, Incheon had
many foreigners. Naturally it seems that Incheon
produced much milk for the foreigners coming and going
by ship at times. According to the article of Maeilsinbo
newspaper dated on July 18 of 1913, "The amount of
extraction for 6 months from January to June in Incheon
was 94 seok and 5 du and 2 seung and 9 hap from 509
milk cows in 4 extraction offices. The price was average
7 jeon per 1 hap.
Oldest in Incheon
185
Watering on the Street
There
was
a
watering on the street
with the request of
residents in March,
1903, which was the
first watering by the
public institution. At
that time, the street
might be full of dust.
Dongailbo newspaper
dated on April 4 of
Watering Car
1924 under the subtitle of "Incheon Street Sprinkler"
reported that "it began to water the street starting 22nd as
the trial run was conducted and the pumping system was
ready."
Warehousing Business in the
City of the Distribution Industry
Incheon Branch of Hangseong Common Warehousing
Co. was established in 1905, which was the first
warehousing business in Incheon.
After
Hanseong
Warehousing
Co.
Mommon
merged
Cheonil Bank and changed its
name to Joseon Commercial
Bank, and then Incheon branch
of the company was controlled
Warehouses
by Jeseon Commercial Bank. Thus the Bank managed the
warehouse on the sidelines of banking business.
As the dock and the floodgate in Incheon were
completed on October, 1918, and more and more
domestic and foreign ships came into and left the port,
warehousing business was thriving. For example, Incheon
Warehousing Company started in 1919 with loan of 50
million won, and it paid off all the money in two months
after it opened.
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187
The Predecessors of Chilseong
Cider
A Korea comedian once said
"you can't drink any cider off
Incheon without cup." The soft
drink industry in Incheon started
with Incheon Soda Manufacture in
February 1905, when Japanese
Hirayama Manufacture opened.
Japanese Unokichi set up Ramune
Soda Manufacture in Incheon in
May, 1910. Two manufacturers
used American manufacturing
Star High Cola's Advertisement
machines equipped with the
generators of 5 horse power. The
businesses flourished as the soft drink market was being
expanded nationwide. Ramune produced 4,500 boxes of
cider and 54,000 dozens of lemonade in 1929.
Incheon Soda Manufacture produced star brand soft
drink and Ramune Soda Manufacture, lion brand and
health brand soft drink.
New Star's Advertisement
Incheon Soda Manufacture continued to produce star
brand cider, but gave up its business due to the loss, and
later it was amalgamated into Seoul Chilseong Cider.
Oldest in Incheon
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Electricity, Flashed over Incheon
The electricity in Incheon started with
the completion of Incheon Electricity
Corporation established by a joint
investment of 39 foreigners in June 1905.
This Corporation which was built with
funds of 125,00 won got a patent from the
council of Incheon City in 1906 and its
operation started at 2-ga, Songwol-dong,
which is now the site of the present Incheon
branch
of
Korea
Electric
Power
Corporation. Two direct current generators
Inhceon Electricity Company's Advertisement
and the thermal power generation created
100 Kw of electric capacity.
One month after starting its operation Incheon
Electricity Corporation showed signs of prosperity as
rapidly as to install about 1,000 lights in a month and
about 18,000 lights in two month, but the Corporation
was forced to take over its operation to Japanese
Ilhanwasa Electricity Corporation at the price of 225,000
won because of lack of funds. Japanese Ilhanwasa
Electricity Corporation was renamed Gyeongseong
Electricity Corporation in 1915, and Incheon power plant
was discontinued in June 1922, and the electric power
around Incheon was transmitted from the power plant in
Yongsan, Seoul.
In 1931, 8943 houses used 30,883 lights which would
make 61,122 lights when the electric power was
converted at 10 candlepower. 158 houses used the electric
power for other purposes, and 199 generators which
could create 2719 horsepower were installed, and they
were used by rice mills, iron works, printing businesses,
milling industries, cotton industries, beverage makers and
the others.
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191
The Sound of Midday Gun
Startles People
The firing of midday gun was a kind of time signal
which made people know the time of the day. Incheon
port had many foreigners for trade and business at that
time, and they could know the exact time by the sound of
midday gun. As they had few watches, there were also
many problems in the trial time at the court.
At first Japanese people asked the time signal by the
midday gun of Japanese Cheonghui ship at anchor in
Incheon port at noon every Saturday and to want
acceptance from Japanese Navy Department, but there is
no record about firing of midday at that time.
According to the record, the first two or three firing
for the time signal happened on February 7, 1906, and the
midday gun notified the time every noon from February
9. The sound of midday gun got off at 11 o'clock of
Korean time corresponding to 12 o'clock of Tokyo time.
The first midday gun in Japan was fired in Wakayamahan
on July 12 of 1891, while the first fire of the gun in Korea
broke out in Geumcheongyo, Seoul, in June of 1884.
The Siren Tower
Oldest in Incheon
193
According to Incheon Seokgeum, the report of the
midday gun in Incheon is as follows.
"Around 1908, Japanese residents in Incheon asked
Incheon observatory for the time signal, but there was not
any sound instruments in Incheon like siren for the time
signal. The observatory thought that the time signal by
the gun for them would be effective and economical. The
first gun firing for the time signal on the hill of
Eungbonghyeon(the current Jayu Park) would be done
without live shells to let people know the midday time.
The gun was old one which was used in Russo-Japanese
War and could not be useful any longer. It could be used
to announce the time signal, but it was like out-of-dated
toy which was worked by firing silk tree with gunpowder.
About 40 years ago, the midday gun was not working.
The fire should have been on time, but it didn't. Many
people talked about the accident and it was the talk of the
town. The official of the midday gun was only an
unskillful employee, but not an expert. At that time, they
were waiting to fire this gun, but on time the gun was
misfired. Kato, as a gunner for midday, tried it over and
over and at last the gun was fired when he put a spit with
his hands into the muzzle of the gun. He was thrown into
the air and he had a great accident. Although the time was
behind time, the midday gun was fired. He was known to
everyone by this accident. He lost all left fingers and left
only his two right fingers. The present pawnbroker in
Hwapyeong-dong is Kato, the gunner at that time, but at
the moment many people don't know that he was a wellknown gunner."
The discussion about abolition of the midday gun was
started in December of 1923 because the Incheon
authority could not meet the expenses of the fire. The
total expenses amounted to 1,103 Korean won but the
authority could raise at most 1,000 Korean won. But the
midday gun kept from that time on because of the fact
that it held out for the city's privacy.
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Hyeopryulsa Theater and
Aegwan Theater
It is assumed that the first theater in Incheon was
Hyeopryulsa Theater. They also think the theater opened
in Incheon in 1895. If this was true, the theater would be
opened 7 years prior to Seoul Hyeopryulsa theater.
However, there is no record about this.
According to the Open Port and the History Western-
Pyogwan Theater
style Building, "American Reverend Jones
stated that there were two theaters in Incheon
toward the beginning of the 1900s." Although
the opening year of Incheon Hyeopryulsa
theater was not clear, "there was a theater
called as Hyeopryulsa which was managed
by Jeong Chiguk, a man of means in Incheon.
Hyeopryulsa was a former of the present
Aegwan Theater and was located at a singlestory warehouse built during the SinoJapanese War.
According to Incheon Seokgeum, "Jeong
Chiguk was a wheat-gluten vendor with a
pigtail. He moved from Busan to Incheon and
made a great fortune. He could speak
Japanese well and he managed a business in
collision with the Japanese people at that time
when few could speak Japanese. He built a
brick building in Yong-dong, and the first
theater called Hyeopryulsa opened. At that
time, a troupe of strolling players and a party
of exorcism were leading the entertainment
circle. Among the performances were the
Park Cheomji puppet show, the Heungbu and
Nolbu play, the tumbling and the tightrope
feat, the shoulder riding, the Buddhist dance,
Aegwan Theater
Oldest in Incheon
197
and the wish song. Hyeopryulsa offered a stage to
perform these entertainments
We can guess that Jeong Chiguk named his own
theater as the same Hyeopryulsa as that of Seoul,
according to the record of Incheon Seokgeum. However,
Hwangseongsinmun Newspaper mentioned that he was
not in Incheon but in Busan until February 1899. The
truth, therefore, is that the theater did not open until 1899.
Another record shows that the first theater in Incheon
was Incheonjwa. Incheonjwa was a kind of the wooden
single-story banquet hall built at the site of
Dadabimojawon(the present Inseong Girls' Middle
School) which was located at Songhak-dong 2-ga, Junggu. Later this theater, however, was used as a place of
amusement for Japanese people but did not last for a long
time.
The Formation of Mt.
Munhak-san's Catchment Area
for Drinking Water and Water
Service Project
After the Russo-Japanese War, the urgent problem in
the Japanese settlement in Incheon was that the drinking
water was insufficient as immigrants increased rapidly.
Accordingly, leader Tomita of the Japanese settlement
Noryangjin Catchment Area
Oldest in Incheon
199
Sudoguk-san Water Reservoir
held a meeting for the establishment of water service in
February, 1905, and announced the plan for formation of
catchment area on Munhak-san 6 km away from the
settlement. It was estimated that the catchment project
would be for 14,000 residents with 10 gallons for each
person a day. However, the project was not effective
because the water capacity was so small.
In August of the year, Nakajima, a Japanese doctor of
engineering, made a survey for establishing the water
facility and laid Gyeong-in(Seoul and Incheon) water
plan to supply water in Yongsan area of Seoul and in
Incheon by building catchment in Noryangjin on Han
river or in Ttuk-seom island. The Joseon government
decided on waterworks in June of the following year as it
200The First in Korea and the Oldest in Incheon
was planned, but it had difficulty because of lack of the
national fund. As a result, as security of customs revenue,
the government made a loan of 10 million at Japanese
Heungeop bank, organized newly the the Waterworks
Bureau, and set up the waterwork in November. The
work was completed in September of 1910, and the water
service started on December 1, 1910.
Although the water service started also in
Yeongdeungpo of Seoul on December 24, 1914, which
was 4 years posterior to that of incheon.
Oldest in Incheon
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The Tidal Power Project
Japanese Imperialism explored the possibilities for the
tidal power on the coast around Incheon Port in 1912.
Especially, the Joseon government-general conducted a
survey of the tidal energy power by the difference
between low and high tide around Ganghwa-do island
and it recognized that the island had the potential
possibility for the energy power, but the project was not
conducted at all.
Incheon Port
Ham Made in Incheon
Ham is made by heating and boiling the salted pork.
Ham originally indicates the thigh flesh of pork served as
a dish.
Ham in Incheon was first manufactured by Japanese
Takahashi in Songrim-dong, in September 1915, and it
was labeled as Incheon Ham. One year after that time,
Japanese Noguchi built the ham factory, which brought a
Slaughter House
Oldest in Incheon
203
great success with the war
boom of the World War I,
following by the construction
of Japanese Matsuo' ham
factory in Incheon in 1922.
It is said that ham produced
in Incheon was superior to that
Pig Raising
in Japan in its taste and
quality. The output of ham in Incheon in 1932 was over
70,000 lbs (31,752 kg), and Incheon ham was popular in
the areas like China, Siberia, and each city in Japan
beyond the regional consumption as well-known local
products.
A 14 or15 month-old pig was most pertinent to
materials for ham. The traders, however, had some
trouble purchasing such a pork because 7 or 8 month-old
pigs were being offered for sale in the market. As a result,
small-scale ham businesses went in the red, and only
Matsuo maintained its manufacture until 1932.
Gyeongjehwa Shoes (Economic
Shoes) and Rubber Shoes
It is recorded that Lee Hayeong, a
minister of Justice, set up the factory for
rubber shoes in seoul, in 1919, when they
were away from our real lives at the
present. The first shoes produced by Lee
Hayeong's factory were used by King
Sunjong in 1922. Thereafter, Jungang
Commercial and Industrial Company by
Newspaper Article about Gyeongjehwa Shoes
Kim Seongsu, Bando Rubber Company
by Go Junghui in 1921, and Star-brand Rubber Shoes by
Kim Yeonsu in 1922 were built nationwide. The first
pioneer rubber shoes were obviously made in Incheon.
Beginning in the 20th century, as leather shoes were
getting popular to the public, a shoe store called
Samseongtae opened in Gyeong-dong, Incheon. A pair of
leather shoes was expensive enough to get three bags of
rice, but Lee Seongwon, an owner of Samseongtae, tried
to produce cheap shoes in a good quality, which the
public could easily afford to buy. As a result,
Oldest in Incheon
205
Gyeongjehwa
shoes
were
created with bottom made of
leather and the top of cloth. The
shoes were comparatively
cheap, practical and comfortable
as well as suitable even to
Korean socks.
On the other hand, An
Rubber Shoes
Giyeong managing a grocery
store in Incheon in 1918 happened to meet a Japanese
shoe manufacturer and see Japanese rubber shoes called
Homohwa. Nobody paid attention to these shoes in Seoul,
but he hit upon an excellent idea. To begin with, he
ordered the Japanese manufacturer for two kinds of
custom-built shoes, one of which was Japanese-style
unoiled leather shoes and the other was Gyeongjehwastyle shoes. When the shoes were sent to him from Japan,
they gained public favor in Korea. The first popular shoes
made in Incheon resulted from Lee Seongwon's wit and
An Giyeong's creative mind.
Later Lee Hayeong established Daeryukgomu, his
own business. He was a powerful courtier who possessed
a considerable land and a wonderful villa, but
unfortunately his business did not lasted for long.
Hanyong Club and Day
Students Commuted by Train
from Incheon to Seoul
The train operation from Incheon to Seoul started
around 1910. The population of Incheon at this time was
over 30,000, but there was only one school, Incheon
Commercial School. Therefore, many students wanted to
Hanyong Club
Oldest in Incheon
207
enter the schools in Seoul by
train with the opening of the
line, and it took about 50
minutes for the Incheon's
students to get to Seoul by
train. A pass for the students
cost only 1won 50 jeon a
month, and 3 won for three
months. In addition, Korean
high educational concerns
Newspaper Article about Hanyoung Club
encouraged the students to
commute from Incheon to Seoul.
With opening the port in 1883, the immigrants to
Incheon wanted their descendants to enter the modern
schools in Seoul and to learn the new knowledge because
they had been aware that inn's keepers, merchants and the
others made their fortune through the new knowledge and
skill with introduction of the Western institutions.
Many students commuted from Incheon to Seoul at the
beginning of 1910s. Among them were Go Yuseop, Gal
Honggi, Cho Jinman, Im Yeonggyun, Hong Ipyo, Choi
Yeongeok, Jang Daejin, Gang Heungseok, Jin Jonghyeok,
Pak Taeseong, Seo Jeongik, Im Jongseong, Im Jeongrok,
Lee Sangtae, Lee Sangyong, Lee Geuknam, Go Il, Han
Maneok, Pak Chilbok, Lee Inhak, Gang Sinhyeok, Lee
Bido, Lee Dae Geun, Sim Uigyun, Cha Taeyeol, Lee
Hyeongsik, So Huiryeon, Choi Bonggi and the others.
Some students behind them were Sin Taebeom, Lee
Yuseon, Bae Inbok, Jang Yeongsun, Pak Gapbong, Choi
Sampung, Gang Geuk, Kim Dongseok, Lee Seokbeom,
Pak Yeomjin and the others. The first president of day
students between Seoul and Incheon was Gwak Sanghun.
Seo Eunju, a daughter of Administer Seo Sangjip and Lee
Dora were girl students who caught the public interests.
According to the Maeilsinbo newspaper dated on
November 13, 1919, day students organized Hanyong
Club to train their mind and body by playing baseball and
football. In fact, the organization of Hanyong Club
originated from day students' social gathering. Go Il, a
member of this gathering, recorded that "the gathering, a
former Hanyong Club, was a kind of sports club, but it
developed the campaign for liberation of the nation
through literary works." He continued to explain that
"leaders of this gathering which was established last
Spring were taken up on a charge of agitation in the
national movement."
Hanyong Club was related closely to the baseball
game. When the first national match was held at Uteogol,
three Korean teams and seven Japanese teams took part in
the match where Hanyong Club and Japanese Dongjigun
team advanced to the baseball fanals. While Hanyong
Club was getting the lead in the game by 6 to 5 and was
Oldest in Incheon
209
defending in the condition of two outs of the last inning
with the runner on the third base, the game tied score by
6 to 6 by the judge's unfair decision. At that time, the
spectators were driven into the diamond and this
happening was followed by the heavy protest till late at
night.
Incheon, Mecca of Korean
Labor Movement
The sustainable labor movement in Incheon of Japan's
colonial rule of Korea was caused by Korean economic
and geographical conditions as well as the Japanese
oppression over Korean economy. Incheon had more
laborers than any other region after opening the port. In
addition, Incheon was located near Seoul and many
Rice Shipping in Incheon Port
Oldest in Incheon
211
Japanese people lived
around
Incheon.
Especially, Japanese
merchants exploited
Korean economy, and
as a result, the residents
in Incheon recognized
and began to complain
this condition.
Labor of Joseon's People
After
the
port
opened, the labor movement in Incheon broke out
sporadically. When Incheon branch of Joseon Labor
Mutual Aid Association, a kind of labor organization,
was established, the residents felt the need of the
systematic movement.
Joseon Labor Mutual Aid Association, however,
focused on the mutual aid with Japan and the
enlightening of the residents, and pursued the friendly
activities. Under the circumstance, Incheon Labor Union
was founded in 1924, and started to show the labor
movement against Japanese Imperialism and businesses.
Incheon Labor Union which had its origin from
Incheon Soseong Labor Association tried to expand its
forces and protect the laborer's right. Consequently many
associations for the laborers are arisen in most of the
industries, and the number of the associations amounted
to about 10 at the end
of 1920s. Among the
typical
industry
associations
were
Rice Mill Laborer
Union(foundation
year was unknown),
Incheon Press Laberor
Union(organized in
Jabiwon, a dormitory of Laborers
June, 1924), Incheon
Bean Curd Dealer Union(organized on December 29,
1924), Incheon Iron Worker Union(organized on January
11, 1925), Incheon Youth Laborer Union(organized on
October 25, 1926), Incheon Laborer Friendship
Society(organized on September 28, 1926), Incheon
Wood Worker Union(organized on November 15, 1925),
Dressmaking Laborer Union(organized on June 24, 1928)
and so on.
Rice Meal Laborer Union was more active than any
other organization. Incheon Port, which had exported rice
to Japan, had many rice mill laborers and the rice was a
leading item of 80% in Incheon economy. In spite of this
condition, the rice mill laborers's lives were miserable.
Especially the workers for singling out rice in a good
quality had to work 10 hours a day without any holiday,
and the pay was no more than 35 Jeon Korean money. To
Oldest in Incheon
213
make them more miserable, the introduction of new
machinery prevented them from maintaining their work.
The comtemporary newspaper described this condition
at that time as "Rice mill takes workers' blood and tear."
Naturally the miserable workers's lives and Japanese
management's oppression led to the group behavior, and
then a labor dispute broke out in Japanese rice mills like
Kato rice mill and Rikidake rice mill, and spread to
Korean rice mill which Ju Meonggi owned. Thus the
labor dispute throughout the area at that time continued.
Labor movements in 1920s were led by laborers of the
rice mill industry. The residents encouraged the labor
movement in Incheon because they felt the Japanese
oppression. However Japanese appeasement and
suppression policy made the movement divided against
itself before and after 1928. The labor movement in the
rice mill industry in the first half of the 1920s began to
fall away with Japanese strong oppression. On the other
hand, the wharf laborers struggled to recover their rights
and Incheon port was a mecca of the labor movement.
This was due to the fact that Japanese Imperialism
strengthened its exploitation in Incheon port to bring
about war and the laborers were active men.
The most typical labor movement in Incheon was a
general strike by Incheon wharf workers in June, 1935.
The movement was caused by wage trouble which made
laborers miserable under the poor pay policy of Japanese
capitalists. Laborers censured the Japanese upper
managers, attacked the disrupters, and confronted and
protested the police. Laborers in Incheon match factory
also started another major movement in 1930s.
When the labor movement by laborers in Incheon
match factory which was begun from the end of 1920s
accomplished its goal in 1931, the labors in Geumgokdong factory and Songrim-dong factory started their
strikes in 1932. The police took compulsory measures to
break up the workers for fear that the movement could
spread to rice mill laborers, and after two weeks the
workers were forced to return to work.
However, the movement has its significance in that it
is the first general strike in the same industry. The labor
movement was one which in the underground protested
against Japanese Imperialism at the end of Japan's
colonial rule of Korea. Even after the restoration of
independence, the labor movement in Incheon played a
major role in the center of the labor movements.
Oldest in Incheon
215
An Academy for Bookkeeping
and Abacus Calculation
Yu Changho, an
instructor of judo, who
was leading labor
movement, set up the
commercial academy
for bookkeeping and
abacus calculation on
the second floor of his
Abacus Calculation Contest
own judo academy
building in Yulmok-
dong with support of some landlords. This academy was
established to meet an increasing human resources
wanting to work for businesses. This grew to Donsan
Middle School and later to Donsan High School.
Resting Places for Workers, a
Common Lodging House and
an Employment Agency
It was reported that the first common lodging house
for laborers was established at #58 Yulmok-dong,
Incheon on August 1, 1920. Maeilsinbo newspaper dated
the day recorded "the completion of a common lodging
house for Incheon workers." This building was equipped
with 25 underfloor-heating rooms, two barracks, and one
The Common Lodging House
Oldest in Incheon
217
restroom, and it was capable of 50 people. The purpose of
the establishment was "to help houseless people offer a
sleeping place." The lodging charge was only 5 jeon and
a meal was 15 jeon, Some jobs were introduced to them,
and sometimes they were educated at night classes.
The History of Incheon Division indicated that the
division employment agency was built on August 5,
1921, and this was managed as a lodging house, which
was a kind social welfare facility established and
operated by Incheon Division.
The Public Stadium
The first Incheon public stadium was built in Uteogol
which was located at the basin downwards and south of
the Incheon Observatory, at the site of the present
Jemulpo High School. This stadium was formed into the
shape of straw basket opened towards the east, and it was
built through leveling ground by Incheon in October,
1920. Japan decided to construct this stadium when Japan
Uteogol Public Statium
Oldest in Incheon
219
reasoned that the Japanese policy by iron hand was forced
to change into the appeasement policy such as the
permission of the newspaper publication and the social
organization to put down the native complaint after the
1919 Independence Movement of Korea. At that time,
Incheon Division Middle School, a former of Incheon
Middle School, took over to Korea from Japan, but this
school was closed by the school leveling policy, but at the
present the Jemulpo High School was occupied at the
site. The Incheon Public Stadium was relocated at the
present site in Dowon-dong after the period of 15 years at
the former site.
The Advent of a Woman
Telephone Operator
Gyeongseong Post Office appointed
Korean women as telephone operators
who could speak Japanese well and
graduated from the general school
around 1920. The applicants required to
have a clear and cheerful voice, and a
height of minimum of 4 cheok and 7
chon(143 cm). They also had to pass the
examinations like Korean, Arithmetics,
Writing and an aptitude test. The
average ages of the operators were
between 15 and 18, and their busiest
duty was from 11am until 2pm. They
could earn 30-40won a month after 5 or
6years of working experience. The
working hours were from 9:30 until
4:30, had to work overtime every three
Operators
days. There were 40 operators in the Central Telephone
Office in Gwanhwamun branch, 11 among whom were
Oldest in Incheon
221
Korean women.
On the other hand, Incheon Post Office also needed a
telephone operator, and Miss Yu Seongae from Yeonghwa
School got the position by passing the exam.
Burip(local) Public Bath
A sweating bathroom had been already established in
Gyeong-dong and Geumgok-dong, but the Burip public
baths like Seotang bath in Gyeong-dong and Buyeong
bath in Hwasu-dong were first built in 1923. According
to Incheon Hyangtoji, Pyeongyang had only the Burip
public bath, and then Incheon also managed the Burip
public bath.
Burip(local) Pulic Bath
Oldest in Incheon
223
After that time, the number of public bathes increased
to 18 in all, and 12 among them were managed by
Japanese, and 5 by Korean, and one by Chinese. The
admission fee of public bath was much less than that of
private bath.
According to Maeilsinbo Newspaper dated on
November 11, 1923, "The Seotang bath under the
construction at #188 Oi-ri, Incheon, was completed, and
for 8 days after the completion, the citizens were able to
use it for free of charge."
In Maeilsinbo dated on August 7, 1918, there were
articles about the public baths, which recorded that "a fire
came near to breaking out while the bath water was being
heated, and the police was sent to put out a fire."
In 1949, Incheon Health and Welfare Association
asked the Post Office for 1 million won to renovate the
Burip public bath. A plan to make a well for bath was
ready and the residents showed great expectations on this
construction.
Barbers and Beauty Artists
The advertisement for
barbershops in Incheon
was put up in Mansebo
magazine dated on March
21, 1907, in a way of the
joint advertisement with
barber shops in Seoul.
Jongri barbershop in the
Incheon settlement was a
place which gave beauty
The Old Barbershop's Advertisement
arts and hair washing to customers. The beauty aids for
hair wahsing were exported from Amercia, and the
advertisement said that "the aids put life into hairs,"
which was similar to today's advertisement.
The barber was required to pass the regular
examination and gain a permission, even though he was
engaging in the business at that time. Expecially, Korean
people would have trouble applying for and passing the
examination. Therefore, according to Dongailbo
Newspaper dated on February 19, 1924, Jemulpo Young
Oldest in Incheon
225
Men's Association gave lessons to
barber business associates who failed
to pass the examination.
Who was the first beauty artist?
Although there was no exact record
about this, Incheon Seokgeum
indicated that "Ms. Sim Myeongsuk, a
beauty artist, who was a daughter of
landlord Sim Neungdeok, and a sister
of the present Peace Legation was
managing the first beauty salon in
Incheon. This lady was a famous
The Barbershop
beauty even in Japan as well as in
Incheon. When Modern Nippon Magazine held the
beauty contest, she won the third prize. Many men
proposed to her, but Mr. Pak Jeonggyu, a young noble,
managed to marry her. He was an honest and gentle man
and kept away from smoking and drinking. According to
Incheon Landscape after Opening the Port, "Daedong
beauty salon in Gyeongdong began to offer permanent
waves to customers at the end of 1930s." This beauty
salon was considered as Sim Myeongsuk's.
The first formal permission for the beauty academy in
Incheon was granted by Incheon Beauty Academy in
October, 1949. According to Jungangilbo newspaper
dated on October 16, 1949, it was said that the first
principal of Incheon Beauty academy was Ms. Yeom
Gwanbun who had a profound knowledge of beauty art.
The first academy in Korea was Gyeongseong Beauty
Academy in Seoul which opened in November 1928. At
that time, the beauty salon was so expensive that the
public couldn't go there, and main customers were
gisaengs, middle-class ladies, female teachers and the
others. However, women in the various class came to be
customers while short hairs were in fashion among girl
students in Ehwa School in the 1930s.
Oldest in Incheon
227
Coffee Shops
The first coffee shop in Incheon might have
been Paroma Coffee shop by Park Jeonghwa who
was a owner of Munundang, a stationary of office
and school supplies in Gyeong-dong, Jung-gu,
Incheon.
According to Landscape after the Open Port,
the owner of Mundundang was well-known as a
dandy around Incheon. He opened Paroma at the
place of the old commercial bank near the
Coffee Shop's Advertisement
crossroads of Ssarijae, in which high building was
located at the present. Paroma Coffee Shop excited the
residents and attracted many people at that time.
Although there were a few coffee shops like Mexico(in
Jongro), Kakadu(in Gwanhun-dong), Nakrang(in
Sogong-dong) in Seoul, Paroma coffee shop which was
estimated in about about 1930s, was greatly popular to
people.
After that time, newspaper put an article about some
coffee shops such as Mirak, Mimosa, Oasis, Gohyang,
and Haengbok Hanggu. The article supposedly was a
kind of advertisement which was written wonderfully
enough to attract people. Mirak was introduced as
'romantic house for crickets', Mimosa as 'shop for an
Academy prizewinning movie' which reminds people a
movie studio, Oasis as 'Caravan who quenches her thirst'
and 'the place in which modern samaritan lady carries
coffee', and Gohyang as "Beethoven's 10th Symphony".
Oldest in Incheon
229
Ice Factories
Imgyeom store start to manufacture ice for fish
markets at Imgyeom reclaimed land of Bukseong-dong
since 1931.
As the factory produced ice in Incheon, the public
could easily get ice. Maeilsinbo recoreded at that time
that "ice sells like hot cakes in the hot season of Summer.
Twenty tons of ice sold a day in Incheon, which was a
new record." There was also an article that ice was out of
stock because of a
good haul of fish. It
had been already
planned to extend the
ice factory on July 1,
1937, as ice was
needed more and
more for industry or
household.
Ice machine was
popular to the public
as much as there were
Ice's Advertisement
Imgyeom Reclaimed Land
ice stores every corner of the country. Sinyeoseong, or
New Woman, indicated that ice manufacture in Incheon
was older than its record.
Oldest in Incheon
231
The Largest Industrial City
The background that Incheon was the largest city in
the country dated from the policy to wage a war planned
by Japanese imperialism after the end of 1930s.
Originally, Incheon was a city which was slow in
progress because of lack of natural raw materials and
labor forces. Although Incheon opened its port by foreign
oppression early at the end of the nineteenth century, it
was limited to the local economy of manufacturing the
simple articles for the Japanese exploitation. This
conditions were continued until the middle of the
Dongyang Textile Company
Daehan Flour Mill
Japanese occupation.
After the Japanese Imperialism spied out the Korean
Peninsula in 1910, it thought of Korea as a source of
supply and a market of products, and prevented Korea
from developing its own industry. The Japanese
Imperialism integrated Korean commercial and industrial
policies, and announced the Joseon's Company Act in
December, 1910. Although the Act was required to get
permission from governor-general to set up the new
company or branch office in Korea, its real purpose was
to limit the construction of the modern industrial facility
in Korean Peninsula.
This Japanese policy for controlling industrialization
Oldest in Incheon
233
in Korea and encouraging natives' consumption began to
change after the beginning of 1920s. Japan abolished the
Joseon's Company Act which had hampered Korean
industrial development. The reason that the Act was
abolished was caused by Japanese policy which moved
Japanese idle money into Korean peninsula because the
Japanese government at that time wanted to overcome the
Japanese recession. However, the Japanese idle money
was limited to only the land investment guaranteeing high
profits. Consequently, the construction of modern factory
was dull even at this time.
At the beginning of 1930s, Incheon had no more than
60-70 factories, and the output which was produced in 12
rice mills in Incheon occupied 80-90% of the total
industrial productivities. This fact shows that
industrialization in Incheon was dull at that time.
However, a great change began to appear in the industrial
structure in Incheon when the Japanese aggressive wars
like the Manchurian Incident in 1931 and the Japanese
invasion of Chinese mainland in 1937 came in earnest.
Incheon was chosen as Japanese supply base because of
its proper conditions of location for the war. While the
first dock was set up and the Gyeong-in railroad line was
brought into play, Incheon was transfigured into the key
point of transportation and the center of distribution.
After the middle of 1930s, a series of the construction
of large-scale factories continued and Japanese big
businesses began to make inroads in Incheon. Japanese
war plants got settled in the whole area of Hakik-dong
and Yonghyeon-dong as well as in Songhyeon-dong,
Hwasu-dong, and in a reclaimed area of Manseok-dong
which had been traditional industrial areas. In addition,
Incheon was developed into the center of industrialization
while Bupyeong in Incheon was formed as a industrial
complex for arms factory.
Including Incheon branch of Dongyang Textile
Company starting in 1934, Incheon at that time came to
have Incheon branch of Japan Flour Mill in 1935, Joseon
Timber in 1936, Joseon Steel in 1937, Japan Automobile
in 1937, Joseon Machine Factory in 1938, Joseon Biserial
Metal in 1940, Joseon Steel Industry in 1940 and Joseon
Chemistry, Joseon Chemical Fertilizer, Illip Production,
Kuksan Automobile, the first and second and third arms
factory and the like after 1941.
With the continuous operation of the big businesses,
the number of employees raise from 6,247 in 1936 to
10,039 in 1939, and the production increased almost six
times over three years from 52.29 million won in 1936 to
346.54 million won in 1939. First of all, grocery
businesses as basic industries and supporting industries
for war, and machine and metal businesses showed their
prominent success.
Oldest in Incheon
235
Naengmyeon, Haejang_guk,
and Chutang_Dishes
Standardized in Incheon
Haejang_guk, Chutang and Naengmyeon were among
the native dishes of Incheon, At least, these dishes were
Incheon's native ones
until in the 1930s
when the Incheon Rice
Exchange Market was
closed and the war
footing started. The
Naengmyeon
various records show these facts.
Many strangers began to gather together in Incheon in
the 1910s, which was caused by the port construction and
the exchange market. The very dishes offered to these
strangers were Haejang-guk, Chutang and
Naengmyeon. The restaurants were thriving as
the population increased, and grew into the
great public food service industry. In addition,
Incheon was called "a city of a pioneer of
Chutang
good taste" as the dishes
were known to everyone.
The reason that Incheon
was famous for these dishes
was various materials. From
the beginning of the opening
port, Incheon had many
Westerners and Japanese, and
Haejang-guk
they enjoyed beef. Many
ships needed much beef for their crew. Haejang-guk was
made from cow bones which were residual products of
this beef. It tasted pleasant and refreshing when these
bones with the outer leaves of cabbage were boiled with
soybean paste all through the night.
Mudfish were in plenty supply in any stream in
Incheon, so Chutang cooked from mudfish was thriving
in Inchoen. Bodies of mudfish were cooked with beef, the
small intestines of cattle and various ingredients, and this
dish was specially popular to the port workers.
Incheon Naengmyeong was also one of the typical
dishes of Incheon. Naengmyeong house was signed its
house with a fringed paper on the post, and the delivery
boys with dishes on their shoulders were known to
everyone. In addition, dishes in Naengmyeon house were
delivered even to Jongno, Seoul.
Although these ordinary dishes as Naengmyeon,
Oldest in Incheon
237
Chutang and Haejang-guk found in any place in Korea
were very simple and common, they began to be
standardized and be known to everyone from the
restaurants in Incheon.
In addition, the food service restaurant of Incheon was
the first one in Korea, which was 10 years earlier than
those of Seoul which took place after the Joseon
Exposition in 1925.
Husks of Grain, Fuel Developed
in Incheon
Well-to-do houses or stores such as restaurants or
taverns used oak or pine trees as fuels, and there was a
firewood market on the Moraetmal beach under the
Threshing Grains
Oldest in Incheon
239
Incheon Girls' Commercial High School, making the
firewood transit from other areas more easily. Paddlers
went there to sell the pine twigs or leaves. However,
people gradually started to use husks of grain coming out
of rice-hulling mills to heat the underfloor-heating rooms.
Some frugal households used husks blown with the
bellows for cooking. Husks of grain as fuels developed in
Incheon were comparatively cheap.
As shown in Inceon Landscape after the Open Port,
the mill business in Incheon showed signs of prosperity
as a trading center and an export port in the 1920s and
1930s, but husks were thrown away into the west sea.
After that, people came to use husks of grain as fuel.
Incheon Expanding Bedbugs
throughout the Nation
Once there was a
dishonorable episode
that "Incheon expanded
Bedbugs throughout the
nation, but now people
think of this episode as
an interesting story.
At the beginning of
the 20th century, our
housing condition was
A Small Cottage and a Bedbug
related with soil on the
ground, while it is now broken off soil. Soil could be seen
in all the corners, for example, in front or back of alley, at
the back of the yard, under or upper part of floor, the
bottom of kitchen. As people lived with soil on the
ground, all kinds of bugs such flies in the air and ants on
the ground were familiar with people. There were also
many parasites depending on people. Especially, bedbugs
as well as lice, fleas and mosquitoes were harmful to
Oldest in Incheon
241
people. Incheon was notorious for them as much as
people from other regions expressed complaints, and
some people said that Chinese office in Inhceon was a
home of them. A Bedbug, a reddish brown bug of 2mmsize, would hide in a crack of house or furniture during
the daytime, and suck the blood of people in group at
night. If people was bitten by a bedbug, they would have
a bad night. However, it was fortunate that bedbugs were
active only in summer season. Seeing a round bedbug
enjoying human's blood, you can guess how much blood
it sucked. While Napoleon was pleased to think of the
birth of the brave French soldiers through the night scene
in Paris, we had some trouble in growing bedbugs
through our blood. At that time, we were forced to live in
group in small houses standing roof to roof. As a result,
the number of bedbugs was increasing like a flame and
our blood grew dry. Inceon Landscape after the Open
Port describes that this tragedy came to an end with
introduction of insecticide at the beginning of the 1970s.
Chicken Raising in the School
Mailsinbo
newspaper dated
on
May
25,
1915, published
a interesting and
strange article, in
which Incheon
Common Pulbic
School, a former of the present
Changyeong Elementary School,
made students raise chickens to
train the poultry farming. Joseon
Poultry Association showed high
interest about this article which
was the talk of the town. The
chickens for training were breeds
A Hen and Chicks
called 'Gojing,' or 'Reguhon," and this training practice
for making the students raise chicken was known as the
first one which was done among the common schools in
Korea.
Oldest in Incheon
243
The Private Taxi Company
Taxi business in Incheon was monopolized by
Japanese people until the restoration of independence.
After restoration of independence, Ji Eunyeong who was
president of Singheung Motor Company at Gwan-dong 2ga got the first driver's license for managing taxi. After
that there were only two taxi companies in Incheon
including Incheon Motor Transportation Company.
According to the article on April 25, 1947 in Daejungilbo
newspaper, Singheung Motor Company started its taxi
business with capital of 10,000,000 won. The company
purchased deluxe cars and had a plan to induce the
wedding car, which shows a large practice of taxi
business of the day.
A Local Taxi
Munyetap, a Literary Magazine
For five years after the
restoration of independence,
that is, from the restoration
until the Korean War, there
were
vigorous
literary
activities in Incheon. Among
literary men were poets like
Kim Chayeong, Bae Incheol.
Kim Chayeong published
Munyetap, a literary magazine,
after the restoration. Although
it made as a mimeograph copy,
it was the first literary coterie
magazine. He held the first
meeting for the literary men in
Chanyeong-dong, on August
Various Kinds of Megazine
15, 1945., and Song Junho,
Kim Chayeong, U Bongjun, Sin Yeongsun, Han Jaehong,
Yun Gihong and the others took part in the meeting. New
Culture Association was organized by them and
Oldest in Incheon
245
Munyetap was born in this place. However, the
association was dissolved as Incheon Literary Men's
Union, another leftist organization, was being organized.
Bae Incheol was a outstanding poet whose poem, 'The
Poem for Black People,' came into the spotlight. He
graduated from the department of English Literature from
the University of Japan, and had been working as an
interpreter in the American military unit. He purchased
the famous tavern in October 1945, and even set up a
signboard written as 'The Literary House.' In addition, he
established 'New Artist Association, at which many
literary men including Oh Janghwan, Seo Jeongju, and
Kim Gwangyun and the others. Oh Janghwan and Seo
Jeogju among them used to show up their appearances,
more often than not, around Keunumul Street, Yongdong, Incheon.
Incheon has yet to hold its literary background until
the 1920s. The literary activity was limited in three little
literary magazines.
Seupjaksidae, a literary magazine, was founded by Jin
Uchon(Jin Jongheok) and the magazine released three
publication until the third issue. It was thought to be the
first magazine in Incheon. Even famous writers like Eom
Heungseop in Seoul had written for this magazine. Also,
Kim Doin who was a news reporter but wanted to be a
literary man founded Wolmi, a literary magazine. Uh
Bongjun published his magazine,Aisaenghwal in the
1930s, and he shared his literary career with Park
Mokwol, a promising poet, and Park Hwamok, a writer of
juvenile stories. Among the most noted literary figures at
that time were Hyeon Deok, a writer of Namsaengi, and
Ham Sedeok who had entered into the literary circle in
the 1940s.
Oldest in Incheon
247
Edited and Reviewed by Kang, Duk Woo & Kang, Ok Yeob
(Professional Committed Directors at the Historical and Cultural
Research Archive in the Historical Data Office, Incheon Metropolitan City)
Supervised by Lee, Duk Hee(An Associate Member of Center for Korean
Studies of University of Hawaii)
Translated by Yoon, In Sup(A Professor of Inha Technical College) & Kim,
Misun(A Professor of Defense Language Institute Foreign Language
Center of Monterey, California)

TheFirst in Koreaand theOldest in Incheon

Transcription

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