In 1904, when the Japan was convinced of their victory over the Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese people rushed in Korea and expanded their residential areas around Seoul. Between the year 1908 and 1910, Japanese population in Seoul increased by one and a half times each year and reached more than thirty thousands by 1910. As the number of Japanese people increased, areas around Namdaemoon, Hoihyundong, Myungdong, Chungmuro-3ga were getting crowded with the Japanese. They further expanded their residence toward the east and the west area of Hansung such as Namdaemoon-ro, Taepyung-ro, Uijoo-ro, and Hangang-ro, and also to the southern part of Seoul such as Kwangheemoon and Jangchungdong. The Japanese residential areas were found all over the Seoul areas by 1910. It was noteworthy that a lot of Japanese people gathered around Yongsan area about this time. They began to move to Old Yongsan area at the end of 1890s, but then the numbers were negligible. In 1908, Korea the Headquarter of Japanese troops in Korea and the Headquarter of Korea Railroad moved to Yongsan and it stimulated Japanese people to move to this area. Eventually, a new area called New Yongsan was formed by the Japanese. As we followed the increase and the decrease of the Japanese population in Seoul since 1904, we found that the opening Seoul to foreigners. Sino-Japanese War, and Russo-Japanese War have been important factors for the Japanese settlement in Seoul. It suggested that the Japanese movement to Seoul was motivated by political and military reasons rather than by economic reasons. The colonialization of Seoul by the Japanese has already been started after the Russo-Japanese War. It is not surprising therefore that the process of urbanization of Seoul could not be separated from the process of colonialization.

In 1904, when the Japan was convinced of their victory over the Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese people rushed in Korea and expanded their residential areas around Seoul. Between the year 1908 and 1910, Japanese population in Seoul increased by one and a half times each year and reached more than thirty thousands by 1910. As the number of Japanese people increased, areas around Namdaemoon, Hoihyundong, Myungdong, Chungmuro-3ga were getting crowded with the Japanese. They further expanded their residence toward the east and the west area of Hansung such as Namdaemoon-ro, Taepyung-ro, Uijoo-ro, and Hangang-ro, and also to the southern part of Seoul such as Kwangheemoon and Jangchungdong. The Japanese residential areas were found all over the Seoul areas by 1910. It was noteworthy that a lot of Japanese people gathered around Yongsan area about this time. They began to move to Old Yongsan area at the end of 1890s, but then the numbers were negligible. In 1908, Korea the Headquarter of Japanese troops in Korea and the Headquarter of Korea Railroad moved to Yongsan and it stimulated Japanese people to move to this area. Eventually, a new area called New Yongsan was formed by the Japanese. As we followed the increase and the decrease of the Japanese population in Seoul since 1904, we found that the opening Seoul to foreigners. Sino-Japanese War, and Russo-Japanese War have been important factors for the Japanese settlement in Seoul. It suggested that the Japanese movement to Seoul was motivated by political and military reasons rather than by economic reasons. The colonialization of Seoul by the Japanese has already been started after the Russo-Japanese War. It is not surprising therefore that the process of urbanization of Seoul could not be separated from the process of colonialization.

, , , , , ,

Japanese residential areas, Seoul, the Russo-Japanese War, New Yongsan, Old Yongsan