Study on Spatial Changes in a Designated myeon under Japanese Colonial Rule : focusing on Gongju-myeon, Gongju-gun

To study the spatial changes in Gongju-myeon, a designated myeon during the Japanese colonial period, this research utilized land registers and cadastral maps. The spatial transformation of Gongju-myeon was analyzed using three indicators—land use(i.e., land category changes), parcel division and consolidation, and land ownership—across three time points: 1912, 1931, and 1945. In terms of land use, although residential lots accounted for 68% of parcels in 1912, fields made up the largest portion by area, occupying 44%. The most common type of land category conversion was from fields to residential lots, followed by conversions to roads. Parcel divisions, which illustrate the urbanization process, frequently occurred in Bonjeong and Ukjeong, the central areas of Gongju-myeon, especially during road expansion projects. Consolidations took place primarily during the establishment and expansion of schools and prisons. Although Koreans owned the majority of land in Gongju-myeon overall, Japanese individuals owned a significant amount of land in the central areas of Bonjeong and Ukjeong. The spatial changes in Gongju-myeon were notably influenced by the relocation of the Chungcheongnam-do provincial government office to Daejeon-eup in 1932.