colony · Korea and Japan

Korea under Japanese rule

1910 CE – 1945 CE · capital Keijo (Seoul)

Korea's thirty-five years as a Japanese colony, a period of harsh rule, forced assimilation and uneven modernisation that still shapes relations in East Asia.

Origins

After making the Korean Empire a protectorate in 1905, Japan formally annexed Korea by treaty in August 1910. A Government-General headed by a governor-general, always a senior army or navy officer, was established at Keijo, the Japanese name for Seoul.

Rule and society

Early rule relied on military police; a land survey transferred much land to the colonial state and Japanese companies. The nationwide March First Movement of 1919 was suppressed, but Governor-General Saito Makoto then allowed limited press and associations. Railways, ports and northern heavy industry grew to serve Japan. From the late 1930s Koreans were forced to worship at Shinto shrines and adopt Japanese names, and many were conscripted for labour, military service and sexual slavery.

Decline and legacy

Japan's surrender on 15 August 1945 ended colonial rule. Korea was divided at the 38th parallel between Soviet and American occupation, leading to two Korean states in 1948.

Lineage

Korean Empire 1897 CE – 1910 CEKorea under Japanese ruleSoviet Civil Administration 1945 CE – 1948 CE United States Army Military Government in Korea 1945 CE – 1948 CE People's Republic of Korea 1945 CE – 1946 CE

Connections (1)

Korea under Japanese rule was a colony of Empire of Japan1910 CE – 1945 CE

More states of Korea and Japan →

Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Korea under Japanese rule. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/korea-under-japanese-rule
MLA: “Korea under Japanese rule.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/korea-under-japanese-rule. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Korea under Japanese rule.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/korea-under-japanese-rule.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Korea under Japanese rule’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/korea-under-japanese-rule (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻