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This paper exposes the wish of the colonial power to secure public authoritythrough the process of installing a public pawnshop(公設質屋) at Kyungsung(京城), finally taking notice of its inborn impasse. The social relationship possessed by theCh’eondangpo(pawnshop; 典當鋪) and Sichiya( Japanese-style pawnshop; 質屋) atKyungsung was never considered in the public welfare service of Chosun, which led to thedirect opposition from the owner of Ch’eondangpo and Sichiya and then to a dispute atthe city council in 1929. Kyungsung city’s efforts to resolve this bore some fruit at the citycouncil in 1931 through ‘alliance’ with Chosun representatives, reaching the agreementthat the public pawnshop should be increased in number. However, this need never materializedproperly throughout the colonial period. In this sense, the public authority of thecolonial power was very weak. Ch’eondangpo and Sichiya were the most typical financial services for the working classin Kyungsung at the colonial period. Both were the same in the frame of operations, suchas conferring about the interest rates and terms of foreclosure from each of association, but with a clear difference in the owner’s ethnic component, distribution area, etc. The colonialpower of the colonial Japanese authorities and Kyungsung city struggled to manage theseCh’eondangpo and Sichiya. At first, they sought for expedient control but the social workon the imperial scale appearing in the 1920’s made them reconsider the existing method ofcontrol. That is, the colonial power made an attempt to deprive both styles of pawnshop ofsocial nature by establishing a public pawnshop. However, the colonial power had difficulty interpreting many social problems surroundingCh’eondangpo and Sichiya in terms of ‘Chosun things.’ Besides, they failed to be quickin taking sole possession of the idea of ‘public interest’ needed for its resolution, either. Inthe meantime, the association as an interest group proceeded to interpret the public benefitin a different way than the colonial power. Such a situation evolved into the aspect ofcollision and alliance among political powers at the city council in 1929 and 1931. Hereworked the colonial power like Kyunsung city, different views between Chosun and Japaneserepresentatives as variables. Though, at last, East Public Pawnshop(東部公益質屋)and West Public Pawnshop(西部公益質屋) were established in December 1929 and December1931, respectively, it was far too short to support the public representative natureheld by the colonial power. This case of Kyungsung well illustrates why the attempt of thecolonial power to secure public authority had to fail inescapably.