Abolition of the status system , the former
Yangban and a commoner using the same
speech level with each other. Following the collapse of the
Gabo government proclaiming the abolition of the status system, the loyalists’ cabinet was formed in 1896. The new cabinet, which became the Kwangmu government after the establishment of the Korean Empire, introduced systematic measures for abolishing the traditional class system. One of these was the new household registration system, reflecting the goals of formal
social equality, which was implemented by the loyalists’ cabinet. Whereas the old registration system signified household members according to their hierarchical social status, the new system called for an occupation. Although most Koreans by that time had surnames and even
bongwan (clan name), a substantial number of
cheonmin (low caste commoners), which mostly consisted of
serfs and slaves, and
untouchables, still did not. According to the new system, they were then required to fill in the blanks for surname in order to be registered as constituting separate households. Instead of creating their own family name, some cheonmins appropriated their masters’ surnames, while others simply took the most common surname and its bongwan in the local area. Along with this example, activists within and outside the Korean government had based their visions of a new relationship between the government and people through the concept of citizenship, employing the term
Inmin (people), and later,
Kukmin (citizen).
Finance In 1897, the
cadastral survey project was launched by the Kwangmu government, aimed at modernizing the
landownership system. In order to apply Western surveying methods, U.S. surveyors were hired. After the survey, a property title “Jigye”, showing the exact dimension of the land, were to be issued by the authorities. That reform was closely tied to reforms on the land tax system, which was conducted under the leadership of
Yi Yong-ik, who also carried out monetary reforms in Korea. The project was interrupted due to the
Russo-Japanese War of 1904 and 1905, after surveys were finished on about two-thirds of the entire land.
Infrastructure During this period, modern urban
infrastructure was built by the Kwangmu government. In 1898, the Gwangmu Emperor authorized the creation of
joint ventures with American businessmen. In consequence,
Hanseong Electric Company, operating a public electrical lighting network and an electric
streetcar system was founded. Seoul Fresh Spring Water Company had an American connection as well. In 1902, six years after the first introduction of the telephone in Korea, the first long-distance public phone was installed.
Industries , capital city of the Korean Empire in 1905, showing contrast between tradition and modernity During the Kwangmu period, the industrial promotion policy was also conducted by the Korean government. It gave support to found technical and industrial schools. In that time, along with modernized weaving factories which were established to meet demand for
textiles on the domestic market, technological innovations in the field of weaving industry occurred in Korea. For instance, spinning and weaving machines were made for producing
silk, so as to be substituted for high-cost machines from abroad.
Education After
Gojong proclaimed a new education law, elementary schools were established by the government. Along with these modern
public schools, a number of Western-style schools, consisting of elementary and/or
secondary education section(s), were established by Western missionaries.During the Kwangmu period, modern secondary schools were opened by the Korean government as well, along with private secondary schools established by rich Korean civilians or Korean modern intellectuals. And several years later, modern
higher education was first introduced to Korea: In 1904, the
Jejungwon(Severance Hospital) in Seoul, added Severance Hospital Medical School and the attached School of Nursing. In 1905,
Bosung College was established under Yi Yong-ik, Chief of the Imperial Treasury: the Commerce Department and the Law Department were the first two departments of the college. The Soongsil Academy, started at
Pyongyang in 1897, had opened a college in 1905 and was authorized as the
Soongsil University by the Korean government in 1907. Under the Education Ordinance of 1911 issued by Japanese
Governor-General of Korea, however, these institutions lost its college status. During the period 1885–1910, a total of 796 schools, from elementary to college levels, were established and maintained by Western missionaries. This is a significant number in that it comprised about 35% of the entire number of formal schools (2,250) in the Korean Empire.
Health care system Itō Hirobumi. The modern
health care system in Korea had been formed for about 30 years since the country was opened to foreigners in 1876. Most of the system had been achieved during the Kwangmu Reform period directed by the emperor and his followers. The new system consisted of three sectors: public health, medical care, and monitoring of private practitioners and drug-sellers. The Sanitary Board was set to provide systematic public health care such as
vaccination,
sanitation and
quarantine and the police were created to enforce many sanitary affairs. Hospitals for Western medicine were established in the medical care sector. Licensing for herbal doctors and pharmacists was taken in order to control the quality of private practitioners. ==See also==