• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.423-431
• /
• 2017

This study analyzed the educational background, career, and post-retirement activities of notable bureaucrats employed at Chosun Railway Bureau during the Japanese colonial period in Korea. First, significantly, most railway bureaucrats were of Japanese origin, being specialized in railway operations and adjusted to occupation in a reserved organizational environment for a considerable time period. Second, the Japanese showed explicit eagerness to work at the Chosun Railway, which fitted their ideology of railway bureaucrats. In addition, almost 60% of the bureaucrat population had strong educational experience from Tokyo Imperial University, which is equal to the percentage of graduates from other institutions operating during the Japanese colonial period. Moreover, in the very early period of building the railway system, the demand for specialists was higher than for other jobs and divisions because of the railroad's complex infrastructure, which resulted in high job appointment rates. In a similar sense, based on a strong affiliation of bureaucrats with railways, the number of bureaucrats from Japanese Railway Worker's Bureau was higher initially because of bureaucrats from South Manchurian Railway Company. These changes essentially contributed to alteration of bureaucrats' awareness and created a more positive attitude regarding the Chosun Railway. In the meantime, as opposed to the Taiwan and Manchurian Railways, both Chosun Railway and the Taiwan Railway were operated in compliance with strong bureaucratic traditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.306-314
• /
• 2012

At first, the railway was built mainly for military purposes by Japan. After the annexation by Japan, the Korean railway became a means of colonization for Japan but the railway also promoted modernization. As a new transportation medium, it influenced economic, cultural and social development. Until now, research identifying the properties of the railway in the Japanese colonial period has been insufficient. In particular, microscopic study of the influence of the railway on social change has been insufficient. In this study we investigated the properties of Japanese colonial period railway. This paper will help further to clarify the properties of the railway in the Japanese colonial period.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.151-162
• /
• 2013

This paper presents a comparison of Korean and Manchurian railway system during the Japanese colonial era of Korea. While both railways share the common characteristics of an imperial railway, they revealed several differences. Firstly, the Manchurian railway was likely a private company, although it was operated half privately and half by the government. The Manchurian railway operated like the East Indian Company in India during the English colonial era. On the other hand, the Korean railway was fully operated by the government at a ministry level. While the Korean railway solely concentrated on the railway, the Manchurian railway was involved in regional development and the coal-mining industry as well. Secondly, in contrast to the Korean railway, the Manchurian railway was more lucrative, and was relatively more predominant regarding carriage of freights. Thirdly, railway officers in Korea were elected government bureaucrats, while Manchurian railway officers came from diverse political parties and social strata. After the annexation by the Kwantung Army, the Manchurian railway was mainly influenced by the military. The common characteristic here was that both railways were utilized for military purposes as imperial railways. In partilcular, the Manchurian railway executed military orders directly. Hereafter, through a comparative study between the Japanese and Taiwanese railways, a clear and accurate understanding of the characteristics of the Korean railway during the Japanese era will be revealed.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
• /
• 2001.10a
• /
• pp.139.2-165
• /
• 2001

김대중 대통령은 올해 초 건설교통부 업무보고를 받는 자리에서 "어느 나라에도 철도가 국영화된 나라는 없다"며 "2월까지 철도구조개혁법을 마련하여 올해에는 반드시 철도민영화가 이루어지도록 해야 한다"고 지시했다. 현재의 철도청체제는 관료적 조직이 지니는 경직성과 전문성 부족으로 효율적이지 않기 때문에 획기적인 구조개혁이 필요하다는 것이다. 그리고 철도청의 비효율성을 드러내는 뚜렷한 증거로 최근 3년간 다각적인 경영혁신 노력에도 불구하고 초래된 철도청 운영적자 1998년 3212억원, 1999년 2510억원, 2000년 2500억원을 내세웠다.(중략)