淸末 元山으로의 미곡 수출과 商務委員 (Rice Exports to Wonsan and the Consuls in the Late Qing Dynasty)

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· 저자명 : 권인용

초록

In 1885, Qing Dynasty's Shanghai merchants sent a significant amount of rice to Wonsan. The purpose and content reflected in the related documents officially received by authorities in both Joseon and Qing Dynasty were the same. This export began at the end of September 1884 to relieve disasters in the Wonsan area, and in early May 1885, rice grains entered Wonsan from the Shanghai area, resulting in great results in disaster aid. Existing related studies based on these documents are also precisely tailored to revealing the story of success in disaster aid. After all, this story can be said to be the narrative of ‘Happy Ending’ that the aid project, which began in the second half of 1884, finally paid off in early May 1885.
The narrative of this disaster aid reflects only a cross-section of facts. The story of the success of aid needs to be reconsidered. First, the consul's intervention was inappropriate. Chen Shutang, the consul general, pointed out Chen Keliang as a merchant in charge of the project. The two were both from the same hometown and from a distant family. Chen Shutang attracted consuls to the project as sharers of the stake. Now, the export of rice to Wonsan has also been linked to the private interests of the consuls. They were both referees and players. This is because other merchants besides Chen Keliang have also entered the rice export business. The risk of ‘conflict of interest’ has always existed. Second, the export of rice to Wonsan was not a one-time disaster relief. It continued after May. Chen Keliang also carried out the second export. By this stage, the justification for disaster aid has completely disappeared. Rather, the possibility of expanding the rice market due to the development of mines in the Yeongheung area emerged. Rice has already been constantly flowing into Wonsan by Japanese merchants as well as other merchants in China. Joseon's grains were also shipped to the market. In the second half of the year, there was even a side effect of temporary oversupply in the export process. Third, this export business has been marked by various twists and turns. Due to the delayed entry date to Wonsan, there was a series of disturbances in which tariffs were paid and refunded. Some of Chen Keliang's second rice transmitted passed the new duty-free deadline again, ending up paying tariffs. In addition, they had to undergo trial and error that caused disruptions by not conducting basic market research on export products.
The export of rice to Wonsan, proposed in the second half of 1884 and realized in the first half of 1885, should not be remembered only as a successful example of aid. When I checked the reality, it was not smooth, and when I looked inside, it was not beautiful. The rice export business process was a series of difficulties. It was not easy to get on track, but the derailed accident continued afterwards. Inevitable tinkering continued until at least the second half of 1885. The involvement of the consuls was also inappropriate. The key was the consul's private greed. They shared a stake in a store run by a specific merchant among merchants from the Qing Dynasty who entered Wonsan. Whether or not the project was operated was directly related to the gains and losses of the consuls. It was difficult to ensure fairness in management and coordination of interests. The consul's attention was always focused on the business of a specific merchant. It was difficult to even find a minimal balance between the pursuit of public interest and self-interest. The transmission of rice to Wonsan, which was carried out through various twists and turns, advocated disaster aid, but it was an export business aimed at commercial interests involving the private desires of the consuls.

영어초록

In 1885, Qing Dynasty's Shanghai merchants sent a significant amount of rice to Wonsan. The purpose and content reflected in the related documents officially received by authorities in both Joseon and Qing Dynasty were the same. This export began at the end of September 1884 to relieve disasters in the Wonsan area, and in early May 1885, rice grains entered Wonsan from the Shanghai area, resulting in great results in disaster aid. Existing related studies based on these documents are also precisely tailored to revealing the story of success in disaster aid. After all, this story can be said to be the narrative of ‘Happy Ending’ that the aid project, which began in the second half of 1884, finally paid off in early May 1885.
The narrative of this disaster aid reflects only a cross-section of facts. The story of the success of aid needs to be reconsidered. First, the consul's intervention was inappropriate. Chen Shutang, the consul general, pointed out Chen Keliang as a merchant in charge of the project. The two were both from the same hometown and from a distant family. Chen Shutang attracted consuls to the project as sharers of the stake. Now, the export of rice to Wonsan has also been linked to the private interests of the consuls. They were both referees and players. This is because other merchants besides Chen Keliang have also entered the rice export business. The risk of ‘conflict of interest’ has always existed. Second, the export of rice to Wonsan was not a one-time disaster relief. It continued after May. Chen Keliang also carried out the second export. By this stage, the justification for disaster aid has completely disappeared. Rather, the possibility of expanding the rice market due to the development of mines in the Yeongheung area emerged. Rice has already been constantly flowing into Wonsan by Japanese merchants as well as other merchants in China. Joseon's grains were also shipped to the market. In the second half of the year, there was even a side effect of temporary oversupply in the export process. Third, this export business has been marked by various twists and turns. Due to the delayed entry date to Wonsan, there was a series of disturbances in which tariffs were paid and refunded. Some of Chen Keliang's second rice transmitted passed the new duty-free deadline again, ending up paying tariffs. In addition, they had to undergo trial and error that caused disruptions by not conducting basic market research on export products.
The export of rice to Wonsan, proposed in the second half of 1884 and realized in the first half of 1885, should not be remembered only as a successful example of aid. When I checked the reality, it was not smooth, and when I looked inside, it was not beautiful. The rice export business process was a series of difficulties. It was not easy to get on track, but the derailed accident continued afterwards. Inevitable tinkering continued until at least the second half of 1885. The involvement of the consuls was also inappropriate. The key was the consul's private greed. They shared a stake in a store run by a specific merchant among merchants from the Qing Dynasty who entered Wonsan. Whether or not the project was operated was directly related to the gains and losses of the consuls. It was difficult to ensure fairness in management and coordination of interests. The consul's attention was always focused on the business of a specific merchant. It was difficult to even find a minimal balance between the pursuit of public interest and self-interest. The transmission of rice to Wonsan, which was carried out through various twists and turns, advocated disaster aid, but it was an export business aimed at commercial interests involving the private desires of the consuls.

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