북한의 민간상업 통제정책과 상인층의 대응(1945∼1950)

Control Policies of Private Commerce and Reactions of Merchants in North Korea(1945∼1950)

Merchants have been recognized to be dishonest persons. Drastic criticisms against them have been continuing up to this day. Of course essence of commerce that can make a large income with only circulation of goods rather than production is focus of criticism against merchants. Those criticisms came to the climax at the same time with the ascent of socialistic movement. A view of merchants in North Korea aiming for a socialistic state was not also differ from above. North Korea strengthened control of private commerce and merchants like an ally, Soviet Russia. Ultimate purpose of control policies of private commerce in North Korea was sweeping of merchants exploiting people. Alternative of private commerce was consumer s cooperative society commerce. Consumer s cooperative society was expected to be contributed public welfare. Therefore North Korea concentrated on supports of consumer s cooperative society with oppressing merchants. Reactions of merchants against commerce policies of the authorities drove both to strained relation. Hence troubles between state and merchants had a tendency to increase. Those phenomena display a dynamic side in North Korea regarded as uniform and oppressive system since liberation. In spite of suppression policies of private commerce by state, merchants did not shrink away. They disturbed commerce policies of state with seeking after exit for living. Diverse illegal behaviors by merchants promoted growth of private commerce through outflow of enormous commodities into markets. For example smugglers crossing the 38th parallel supplied huge commodities produced in South Korea for merchants. The authorities could hardly control smugglings near the 38th parallel. Moreover merchants gained an advantage over in sale competition with consumer s cooperative society. Finally commerce policies of North Korea were not successful.