Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to prove that both Korean and Japanese ‘Manchuquo Networks’ played a critical role in implementing so-called Japan's ‘reparation business’ in Korea. The term, Japan's ‘reparation business,' is used because Japanese businesses as well as Japanese government, were the largest beneficiaries for Japan's reparation for its invasion and colonization in Korea and other Asian nations before and during the Second World War. A series of the bilateral negotiations over their diplomatic normalization frequently halted because of difficult definition and estimation of Korea's right of claim for Japan's colonization in Korea. Therefore, importance of unofficial negotiations largely increased. Members of Japan's ‘Manchuquo Networks,’ such as Nobusuke Kishi, Kazuo Yatsugi and Yoshio Kodama played a critical role in coordinating unofficial meetings with the Park, Chung-hee administration. They actively involved in this type of condonations because they could expect to be rewarded by Japan's ‘reparation business’ to be implemented in Korea after the two nations' diplomatic normalization and because they had already experienced to be rewarded through the ‘reparation business’ implemented in other Asian nations, such as Philippines, Indonesia and South Vietnam. In order for Japanese businesses to win business opportunities in Korea, those business personnel who belonged to ‘Manchuquo Network’ actively involved in lobbying activities for members of Park, Chung-hee administration. Japan's ‘reparation business’ in Korea gave a huge impact on Park, Chung-hee administration. The Park administration obtained more than 800 million US dollar of foreign investment from Japan, which was essential for Korea to construct industrial infrastructure. It would be true that the ‘reparation business’ contributed to constructing infrastructure, which was essential for Korea's national development; however, it also brought about corruption among the administration at the same time. This corruption occurred because each project were handled by contracts ad libitum. Therefore, Japanese businesses needed to lobby members of the administration in order to win business opportunities in Korea.