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영어

This research makes a comparative study of women's modern awakening in Korea and Japan centering around the documents on women's rights, that is Yeo Kewon Tong Mun and “In the Beginning, Woman Was the Sun”. Yeo Kewon Tong Mun, as an feminist activism to change the feudal system and to transform into a modern society, was promulgated on September 1st, 1898. “In the Beginning, Woman Was the Sun”, as an feminist activism to change the good mother and housewife of the Meiji modernization that is the transformation of premodern ideology of the wise mother and good wife, was promulgated on September 11th, 1911. This research has four purposes to understand the similarities and differences of women's modern awakening in Korea and Japan. Firstly, the research aims to explain the various meanings and brings awareness of issues of Yeo Kewon Tong Mun, which was the origin of current feminist movement in Korea. Secondly, it examines the various meanings and brings awareness of issues of “In the Beginning, Woman Was the Sun”, which was the beginning of current feminist movement in Japan. The third, it clarifies distinct characteristics of women’s modern awakening connected with the problems of nation-state and gender between Korea and Japan. Finally, from the contents discussed above it makes a comparative study of women's modern awakening in Korea and Japan. In brief, Modern Korean women’s awakening became prominent under the condition where people tried to overcome feudalism and colonialization and sought enlightenment. While Japanese women’s awakening was formed and developed during the Daisho period, this time was generally known as the heyday of the Empire of Japan.