earticle

영어

A fire-fighting service was organized to control fire after the opening of ports. The Gwangju Fire-Fighting Service was organized in 1907 as a private volunteer fire-fighting team in order to be prepared against fires at shops of Japanese people. Fires which broke out in Bonjeongtong, the center of Gwangju, spread over neighboring districts due to fast burning and violent flames. In 1930s, fires frequently broke out even at shops of District 4 and District 5(Soogiokjeong) where many Korean merchants did their business. On October, 1911, as a number of fires broke out in Seomunreung, the Gwangju Veteran's Association organized the Gwangju Public Fire-Fighting Service. Its activities were dominated by Japanese people. However, Korean fire fighters were admitted to the fire-fighting service as fires broke out frequently in shops run by Korean people. As the Gwangju Fire-Fighting Articles were enacted in 1933, its activities were based on them. For the Gwangju Fire-Fighting Service, chief clerks took the lead of each duty and systems instead of department chiefs, which was designed to give the police station chief more power to control the fire-fighting service. However, fund-raising to purchase fire-fighting equipment was not active as local businessmen were not allowed to join the fire-fighting service. As the police station chief had strong power to control the fire-fighting service, it was easy to mobilize the fire-fighting service against anti-Japanese activities including as the March 1 Movement, tenancy disputes and the Gwangju Students' Independence Movement. Executives of the service received retirement allowances, mobilization allowances and rewards as they were mobilized for suppression of anti-Japanese activities and watchout of towns. It indicates that the Gwangju Fire-Fighting Service was based on a government or official system.

한국어

소방조는 개항 이후 화재를 진압하기 위해 결성된 단체이다. 광주소방조는 1907년에 ‘사설의용소방대’로 결성되었는데 일본인들의 점포화재에 대비할 목 적이었다. 광주 중심지인 본정통에서 발생한 화재는 빠른 연소와 거센 화염 으로 인하여 주변으로 연소되었다. 1930년대에 접어들면서 화재는 조선 상인 들이 많은 본정 4·5정목(수기옥정) 점포에서도 화재가 다발하였다. 1911년 10월 서문통에서 화재가 다발하자 재향군인회는 ‘광주공설소방조’ 를 결성하였다. 광주소방조의 활동은 일본인 중심으로 전개되었다. 그러나 1930년대 한국인 점포에 화재가 빈발하면서 한국인 소방수가 가입되었다. 1933년 ‘광주소방조 규약’이 제정되면서 소방조의 활동은 규약에 근거하여 운영되었다. 광주소방조는 여타 소방조에서 두었던 ‘부장’ 대신 실무적인 계 장을 두었다. 이는 경찰서장의 권한을 집중하여 소방조를 통제하기 위함이었 다. 그러나 지역 자산가들이 소방조에 참여하지 못하면서 소방장비 확충에 기부금 후원을 이끌어 내지 못하는 결과를 가져왔다. 경찰서장의 소방조 통제는 3·1만세운동, 소작쟁의, 광주학생운동 등 경찰 보조 활동에 소방조의 동원을 용이하게 하였다. 광주소방조 간부들은 항일시 위 진압과 시가지 경비에 동원된 댓가로 퇴직금, 출동금, 포상에서 우대를 받 았다. 이것은 광주소방조의 官制的 성격을 반영한 것이다.