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In Korean history, the Japanese Colonial Period (Iljeong Sidae (일정 시대; 日政時代; "Japanese Government Period") or Ilje Sidae (일제 시대; 日帝時代; "Japanese Imperial Period") in Korean) describes the period from 1910 to 1945, when Korea (at that time called Chosun) was a Japanese colony. Some suggest that the word "colony" does not apply to Korea, because of Japan's efforts to modernize Korea at the cost of the lives of some Japanese. They would argue that Japanese colonial policy compared favourably with, for example, the British attitude to India or Africa.

In 1910 Japan annexed Korea by Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty. Korea continued to be a Japanese colony until Japan's surrender to the Allied Forces on 15 August 1945.

During the colonial rule Koreans were deprived of many rights, including freedom of assembly and association, free speech and an independent press. A Japanese school system was introduced, which led to increase the number of Korean who could receive oppotunities to study at school. Actually, Korean native language could spread widely under the Japanese system.(Around the end of the war subjects such as Korean history and language were dropped in favour of their Japanese equivalents.)

Modern Transport and communication networks were established across the nation. This facilitated Japanese commerce. Koreans were barred from engaging in similar activities. Many farmers were stripped of the land they were farming on during the ownership registration process. This was due to the Korean landowners dumping them. Joint ownership as it was common in Korea at the time was not recognized by Japan and this lead into dispute as to why people lost their land. Koreans tend to blame the colonial rulers for this while the reportedly ruthless actions of the landowners in order to protect their interests throughout the occupation suggest otherwise.

After the former Korean emperor Gojong had died, anti-Japanese rallies took place nationwide on 1 March 1919 (the March 1st (Samil) Movement). A declaration of independence was read in Seoul. It is estimated that 2 million people took part in these rallies. The protests turned into a violent uprising which was suppressed by the colonial rulers: according to Japanese records, 8437 were arrested, 553 killed and 1409 wounded. Korean records by the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, on the other hand, state that an estimated 47,000 were arrested, 7,500 killed and 16,000 wounded. The credibility of the Korean records is disputed (eg. the number of arrested people is very high - the number reported by the Japanese exceeds the occupancy limit of the prisons in Korea).

As a consequence Japan's iron rule was softened. A constabulary force replaced the gendarmerie and partial freedom was given to the press. The Japanese were blamed for oppression and continuous exploitation of Korea's resources while, in fact, a major factor for poverty was high interest rates pressed on farmers by Korean landowners. As a by-product of the colonization Korea was industrialized, the average lifetime expectation rose from 26 years to 42 years (1945) and the population increased twofold.

Continued anti-Japanese rallies, such as the nationwide uprising of students in November 1929, led to the reinstating of military rule in 1931. After the outbreaks of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937 and World War II Japan attempted to wipe out Korea as a nation. Worship at Japanese Shinto shrines was made compulsory. The school curriculum was radically modified to reflect the changed policies. Korean people were given an opportunity to adopt Japanese names whilst the celebration of Korean culture was suppressed. The study of Korean history was banned at university. Hundreds of thousands of able-bodied Koreans were drafted to work in Japanese mines and factories under the formal procedure. Many Korean men,as well as the Japanese, were forced to join the Japanese military.

A self-professed "Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea" was established during the Colonial Period in Shanghai. On December 11, 1941 the organization declared war on Japan, even though it was not widely recognized as a legitimate government. It fought with its Korean Restoration Army alongside the Allied Forces. While the "Provisional Government" had largely nationalist (that is, anti-Communist) sympathies, pro-Communist resistance fighters attacked from China, Manchuria, and Russia.

Seven days after the sundering of the friendship Pact, Soviet tanks invaded Korea from Siberia, meeting little to no resistance. Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces on 15 August 1945, ending 35 years of formal colonial rule. US forces under General Hodge, would not arrive to southern part of Korea until September 8th. Colonel Dean Rusk proposed splitting Korea at the 38th parallel at an emergency US meeting to determine spheres of influence during this time.

See also

• List of Japanese governors-general in Korea
• History of Korea
• Imperialism in Asia
• Japanese Empire
• List of Korea-related topics

• Korean history