1929년 조선박람회 경성협찬회 연구

국문 초록 (Abstract)

1920년대 들어서 조선총독부는 조선의 농업중심 정책 전환을 강조했다. 조선이 나아가야 할 방향을 논의한 결과 일본본국·총독부·재조일본인 등 각계 입장이 상이했다. 그들 중 조선의 산업화·공업화를 절감하는 부류가 있었고, 그들의 추진으로 실행된 것이 박람회였다. 박람회를 통해 상품을 홍보하여, 일본 자본을 조선에 유치하려는 의도였다. 그 의도대로 총독부는 지역별·품목별 공진회 및 박람회를 개최하였다.
1929년 조선박람회에서는 총독부 산업정책 방침이 농업에서 공업으로 전환되고 있다는 점을 여실히 보여주었다. 박람회는 총독부 식민산업정책 아래 조선물산협회와 조선공업협회의 적극적인 주창으로 개최되었다. 박람회 개최가 결정됨과 동시에 경성을 포함하여 각 지역별 협찬회가 조직되었다. 협찬회는 박람회 개최에 필요한 제반 사항을 준비할 목적으로 만들어졌고, 특히 경성협찬회는 추진 주체로써 박람회 전반을 운영·진행했다. 경성협찬회는 조선 고유문화와 총독부 통치 실적을 선전하고 이를 통해 조선 개발진보를 장려하겠다고 언급했다.
조선박람회는 1929년 9월 12일부터 10월 31일까지 약 50일 동안 경성에서 개최되었다. 박람회 직영관은 총독부에서 신축했으며 특설관은 협찬회 주관이었다. 특설관 물품 전시에 참여한 일본 기업들은 협찬회 회원과 일치했고 그 기업들은 기간산업에 종사하고 있었다. 박람회에 참여한 회사들은 자본 증자와 극심한 경제공황에서 벗어나기 위해 조선을 택했다. 이렇게 회사 차원의 이익을 목적으로 참여했으며 그들은 총독부 산업진흥 정책에 충실히 부합했다.
박람회에서 활약한 인물들을 분석한 결과 대개 발기인, 임원, 기부자가 서로 중복되고 있었다. 그들 대부분 총독부 관리 또는 일본과 조선에서 상업활동을 했던 회사의 임원 및 대주주들이었다.
또한 박람회 참여자들 대다수 경성협찬회 회원들이었다. 박람회장 구조 및 배치를 보면 그 연관성을 파악할 수 있는데 場 내 특설관의 면적과 규모는 회원 활동과 비례했다. 그들은 포상수여식에서도 상패를 받았는데 총독부가 장려한 산업에 속하거나 많은 금액의 기부금을 각출했다는 공통점이 있다.
1929년 조선 박람회가 조선인에게 미친 영향은 컸다. 박람회와 연관이 있거나 반응을 보인 조선인들은 자본가들, 소상공인들, 지식인들로 구분 할 수 있다. 먼저 자본가의 경우, 방직·양조 분야는 일본자본 침투로 위협 받고 있었다. 방직분야는 일본 자본과 경쟁할 수 없었기 때문에 박람회에 참여하지 않았고 동아일보를 통해 물산장려운동을 적극 추진했다.
양조분야는 총독부의 양조정책에 지속적으로 저항하고 있었기 때문에 박람회에 참여할 수 없었다. 반면 고무분야에서만 일본 자본과 대등하게 경쟁하는 구도로 박람회에 참여하고 있었다. 이처럼 조선 기업은 박람회 참여가 어려웠기 때문에 부정적 입장을 가졌다.
그 외 조선 지식인들 및 소상공인들에게도 조선박람회는 부정적 인식의 대상이었다. 지식인들은 언론을 통해 박람회가 조선인을 위한 것이 아닌 일본인을 위한 것이라 비판했다. 소상공인들 역시 박람회로 인한 경제적 손실을 호소했다. 따라서 박람회는 조선인들의 이익 증진 및 발전을 위한 것이 아닌 오직 총독부와 일본 기업의 실익을 위한 것이었다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This paper intends to analyze and investigate the Gyeongseong Sponsorship Association, the organization that opened the Chosun Exhibition in 1929. As such, this paper will examinine the context, intent and characteristics of the Association’s foundation as well as survey the participating members of the group and their intended purposes of their participation.
Beginning with the 1920s, the Japanese Government General of Korea was constantly concerned with the development of Chosun industrial policy. Likewise, Chosun’s domestic powers were debating whether to maintain the existing agricultural structure or adopt new industrial ventures.
Amidst such debate, the Chosun Exhibition of 1929 was opened with the enthusiastic sponsorship of the Chosun Production Association and the Chosun Industrial Association. As soon as the holding of the exhibition was confirmed, regional associations such as the Gyeongseong Sponsorship Association were promptly organized for the purpose of preparing the various circumstances necessary for the exhibition. In particular, the Gyeongseong Sponsorship Association was the main proponent of the exhibition and therefore was essentially tasked with operating and managing the event.
According to the Gyeongseong Sponsorship Association, the Chosun Exhibition was intended to demonstrate the native culture of Chosun while advertising the achievement of the Government General’s 20 year regime and thus promote the progressive development of Chosun. However, reviewing the structure and character of the Association members and the companies participating in the exhibition clearly illuminates the direction and intention of the Government General’s industrial policies.
After completing preparations that were ordered by the Government General and carried out by the Gyeongseong Sponsorship Association, The Chosun Exhibition was opened in Gyeongseong for roughly 50 days from September 12 1929 to October 31. The main exhibition site was newly constructed by the Government General while the special exhibits were supervised by the Association. The majority of businesses that contributed the goods for special exhibits were Japanese companies with membership in the Association and they were by and large aiming for the basic industries that form the underpinnings of an industrial society.
As most of the participating businesses could be categorized as small or large capital companies, for the most part they either chose to participate with the hopes of increasing their capital or they viewed Chosun as a solution to their own financial straits. Though they generally participated with the intent of increasing individual profits, these aims conflated dutifully with the Government General’s plan of promoting industrialization.
The key agents of the Exhibition mostly overlapped in their roles of promoters, executives and donors. Most such figures were identified as active Government General administrators or executives of established Japanese companies seeking to expand their enterprises into Chosun.
Furthermore, the majority of the Exhibition participants were members of the Association, the dynamics of which were reflected in the structure and arrangment of the Exhibition site itself. The scale of the special exhibits by a member was correspondent to the extent of that member’s activities in the Association. In short, more prominent members were given more space and attention. Moreover, the award ceremony that marked the end of the exhibition generally awarded honors to members who were involved in the General Government’s favored industries or who had made lavish donations. These tendencies clearly demonstrate the objectives behind the General Government’s campaign for industrialization.
The influence and impact of the Chosun Exhibition were felt long after its close. Chosun citizens associated with or respondent to the Exhibition generally included capitalists, small business founders, and intellectuals. At the time, Chosun’s chief industries of textiles and distillery were foundering due to interference from Japanese capital. The textile industry was struggling with the prospect of competing with the Japanese and did not participate in the Exhibition in favor of pushing a local product promotion movement spearheaded by The Dong-A Ilbo. The distillery industry was virtually prohibited from participating in the Exhibition as it was embroiled in constant resistance against the Government General’s distillery regulations. Meanwhile the rubber industry was exclusively involved in an equitable competition structure with the Japanese and thus able to participate in the Exhibition. As such, most Chosun industries were unable to participate in the Exhibition by virtue of being denied the proper opportunities to participate. Therefore it was natural that they developed a negative stance on the Exhibition.
The Exhibition was received negatively amongst Chosun intellectuals and small businesses as well. Intellectuals throughout the media criticized the Exhibition as being exclusively beneficial for the Japanese with no benefit to the Chosun people. Chosun’s small businesses suffered economic losses and various disadvantages in the aftermath of the Exhibition.
In this vein, the Exhibition did not demonstrate any intent of developing Chosun or providing profit for the Chosun people, only the purpose of strengthening the Japanese agenda and position within Chosun. Ultimately, the Chosun Exhibition was Chosun in name only as a misnomer attached to a forum for building and developing Japanese profit.