The Formation and Dissolution of Local Banks Operated by Koreans during the Colonial Period : Focusing on the Establishment and Operation of the Bukseon Commercial Bank

This study aims to examine the concrete realities of the Bukseon Commercial Bank, which was established in Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province, in 1918. As the only Korean-run regional bank in the Bukseon (northern Hamgyong) area, the bank played a significant role in the local economy. This research explores the regional and economic background of the bank’s establishment, the composition and social network of its founders and executives, the structure of deposits and loans, profit rates, and the primary user base. The findings reveal that the bank operated within the network of local Korean merchant organizations such as the Hamhung Industrial Research Association and the Hamhung Chamber of Commerce. Its leadership comprised elites from both the political and business circles of Hamhung. Although the bank was managed stably for a time, it encountered a crisis in the 1930s due to internal conflicts among executives, misconduct, and intervention by the Government-General of Korea. Consequently, in 1933, it was merged into the Joseon Commercial Bank, marking the disappearance of Korean-run banks in the Bukseon region. This merger weakened the economic foundation of Korean residents, while simultaneously expanding Japanese influence.