The Korean Paekjong under Japanese Rule by Kim Joong-Seop;

Author:Kim, Joong-Seop;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 178212
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group

Conclusion

As a social protest movement, the Hyǒngp'yǒng movement had, to some extent, anticipated the opposition of those who resented their activities. But the social tensions produced by its activities, especially in the southern areas of the country, were deep and wide-ranging. The factors which triggered conflicts fall into two main categories: one was resentment of the Hyǒngp'yǒngsa, its members and supporters for seeking to improve the paekjǒng's status, and the other was conflict of economic interests, especially in the meat trade. The former led to collective attacks led mainly by the ‘narrow-minded conservatives’ who mobilised local residents against the Hyǒngp'yǒngsa. Even though the attackers were generally said to be farmers and labourers, those behind the confrontations were often members of upper-class and influential conservative groups, including officials and people who were in economic conflict with Hyǒngp'yǒngsa members.

The tensions sometimes broke out into physical attacks with widespread destruction of buildings and facilities and assaults on members. Moreover, the targets of the attacks were not only Hyǒngp'yǒngsa activists, but also sympathetic supporters. In responding to the attacks, the Hyǒngp'yǒngsa members first attempted to protect themselves in whatever ways possible. Their main strategies were to mobilise members at local and national levels, on the one hand, and to appeal to the law, on the other. In their responses to confrontations, they received strong support from other social movement activists.

The widespread conflicts were clearly debilitating for the movement, but they also reinforced existing solidarity among the members and contributed to the development and intensification of their activities after the period of open and frequent conflicts. After the reunification of the national leadership and the fuller realisation of their situation brought about by strong opposition, the movement made rapid progress. As we shall see in the following chapter, its membership was to expand and its programmes of action were to develop very significantly.

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