Real Estate Auctions and Japanese Landowners in the Seoul Jongnogu Area during Japanese Colonial Rule

This study investigates the relationship between the real estate auction system under Japanese rule and land ownership by Japanese individuals, focusing on Japanese landowners in the Jongnogu area. The Ganghwa-do Treaty of 1885, officially allowed the Japanese to reside in Seoul, but according to the residence agreement, they were not allowed to enter the area north of Cheonggyecheon. However, at the time of compulsory annexation, 4.1%(94,578坪) of the total land in the current Jongnogu area was already converted into Japanese private property, increasing to 7.3% around 1915 and 11.4% around 1925. Land acquisition methods include trading, inheritance and gift, and public ownership, public sale, auction, and exchange, but it is impossible to grasp all of the Japanese' land acquisition methods. Because it has been a long time and it is a private record. However, regarding auctions, there is a “real estate auction announcement” published in the daily newspaper at the time, so it is possible to identify cases of land acquisition through auctions. The real estate auction system in Korea was introduced in 1912 with the implementation of the Korean Civil Command and was stipulated by the Japanese Civil Procedure Act. The real estate auction announcement of the Gyeongseong District Court was posted in three daily newspapers for over 20 years from January 16, 1924 to March 5, 1944. The number of auctions in the Jongnogu area was 2,892 land and 2,326 buildings such as houses, a total of 5,218 cases. There were 291 Japanese auction applicants, and a total of 3,011 real estate applications were made. Of the 291 people, 74(25.4%) owned land in the current Jongnogu area around 1925, or were identified as former owners in the documents on property claims after liberation. About 20% of the property they owned was acquired by auction. Among the 74 people, 59 people were engaged in the loan business, pawnshop and Housing Leasing businesses(47.5%). Twenty-four people(40.7%) were engaged in general merchandise, gun dealer, timber merchant, agriculture and business of prostitution, and seven(11.9%) were former public officials, including police, court staff, and railway company employees.