한일회담과「제국의식」

Korean-Japan Normalization Talks and Imperial Consciousness: Focused on the conference of the basic relations committee

This article examines the reality of imperial consciousness of Japanese, that were revealed at the conference of the basic relations committee during Korean-Japan normalization talks. More specifically, this article first evaluates the remarks made by Kuboda Kanichiro( 久保田貫一郞 ) in 1953 and Takatsuki Shinichi( 高杉晋一 ) in 1965. Then, by evaluating evidences provided during the process of basic relation agreement, the article will examine how imperial consciousness are conserved without being revealed exteriorly. Imperial consciousness of Japanese consists of cultural and racial discrimination based on the hatred towards Korean, general nationalism of considering Korea as a part of Japan s property and modernization theory of mercifulness by propagation of modern civilization. At the Korean-Japan normalization talks, Korea tried to abolish this imperial consciousness and Japan tried to conserve it.　 Main issues related to imperial consciousness, in Korea s and Japan s point of view, at Basic Relation Committee, are as follows : First, Korea and Japan each insisted on written basic treaty and joint declaration. Because this is not directly related to the imperial consciousness, and with Japan s regard towards domestic problems in Korea, the written form of treaty was relatively agreed upon easily. Second, related to the past relation, the two countries faced confrontation between past liquidation and future orientation. For this issue is directly related to the imperial consciousness, agreement was not agreed upon until they changed the expression of past relationship to historical background. Third, related to the invalidity of Korea annexation relation treaty, the two countries confronted between retroactive invalidity and hereafter invalidity. This directly shows the imperial consciousness and it was especially related to liability issues in practical international law. For this reason, this was not agreed upon easily and also indirect expression such as past relationship could not be used. In the end, it was agreed upon using expressions that could be interpreted in favor of one s own. As a result, the imperial consciousness was not abolished, but conserved. The remarks made by Kuboda Kanichiro and Takatsuki Shinichi frankly show the imperial consciousness and remarks by them are just two of many others. At Basic Relation Committee, Japan compromised formality and Korea compromised contents, which resulted conservation of imperial consciousness which are expressed indirectly and vaguely.