This study is to analyze the early history of Korea University, focusing on the process of foundation, authorization, education subject, and teachers that school was founded. And this study also is to examine how the society of Korean residents in Jap...
This study is to analyze the early history of Korea University, focusing on the process of foundation, authorization, education subject, and teachers that school was founded. And this study also is to examine how the society of Korean residents in Japan made their effort to establish and how Korea University was acquired legal authorization throughout the moves of the central government, political circles in Japan and the provincial government of Tokyo.
The plan of establishment of university for only Korean residents in Japan was from Choseon United Democratic Front in Japan(在日朝鮮統一民主戰線). Despite demand for higher education institutions from most of compatriots and students who went to Choseon schools(school for Korean residents in Japan), they could not go to Japanese university by a discriminatory policy from the authorities of Japan. But there was higher passion for recovery of ethnic identity what is called the ethnic education against assimilationism into Japan.
Establishment of Korea University was accelerated under a concrete plan that was made by the organization of the pro-North Korean Residents’ League in Japan(Chongryon) in May 1955. A temporary building at the beginning was transferred the new institute buildings in Kodaira City(小平市) on April 10, 1956. It was due to the support of educational expenses from North Korea and the endeavors of Korean residents in Japan. It could start to gather momentum of stability after moving of new building. Besides there was an increase in the number of professional teachers and reorganization of five colleges from 1964.
But after the Korea-Japan Treaty on June 1965, Choseon schools and Korea University were faced with new crisis. In particular the authorities of Japan oppressed Choseon schools by intensification of assimilationism. Primarily, Ministry of Education in Japan sent to two of notifications under the name of vice-minister on December 1965. It was to express strong will that the authorities of Japan would not permit the ethnic education of Korean residents in Japan.
Furthermore, the authorities of Japan pushed a bill 「the foreigner school law」 on March 1966. The main purpose of this bill was to regulate the education of Choseon schools and abolish the school to persist in that the ethnic education of Chongryon-Korean residents in Japan was ‘an anti-Japanese education’ and ‘an anti-Establishment educational system to injure profit and security of Japan’.
To stand against this, school personnel, students of Korea University and Korean residents in Japan enhanced social recognition for their university. And moreover the conscientious intellects and the citizen groups of Japanese society positively cooperated in authorization movement for Korea University. But politically approbation and opposition in the process of authorization of Korea University became to expand an international issue that the Japanese government and the provincial government of Tokyo, the government and nongovernment party, conservativeness and progress, South Korea and Japan, Japan and North Korea, and South Korea and North Korea were opposed to each other.
In spite of opposition by the Korean and Japanese government, Minobe Ryokichi(美濃部亮吉) who was a provincial governor in Tokyo officially authorized Korea University on April 17, 1968 in accordance with the administrative standard, the law of school education, the private institution law on the basis of law concerned. At length, Korea University was able to do education activity legitimately after overcoming conflict and opposition for authorization for a long time.