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Change of Agricultural Experiment Organization and Agricultural Technocrat In USArmy Military Government in South Korea

Songsoon Lee 1

1고려대학교

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ABSTRACT

This study explores the agricultural technocratic organizations of Korea during the U.S. Military rule and the Korean technocrats’ initial conflict and subsequent compliance with the U.S. Military rule. The US Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK) adopted Joseon Government General’s Agricultural Experiment Stations system as it was but lowered the Stations’ technocrats staff level by more than three ranks, which causedthe technocrats’ opposition and resistance. The USAMGIK established Agricultural Improvement Service in Dec.1947 to deviate from top-down agricultural technocracy of the colonial period. Agricultural Improvement Service was separated from the Agricultural Department to initiate research and educational projects to increase agricultural productivity and encourage democratic practices in agricultural businesses. However, systematic limitations and volatile political landscape hampered their progress. Korea Agricultural Association, a government-sponsored agricultural organization, attempted to transform into a democratic agricultural organization but failed as its bureaucratic nature became stronger. The Head of Agricultural Department during the US Military rule was Lee Hoon- Koo. The first Chief of Bureau of Agicultural Production was Hyun Kun, who studied abroad in the United States. Lee Hoon-Koo and Hyun Kun together supported the establishment of anti-Communism, capitalistic nation promoted by the United States, while deviating from authoritarian bureaucracy and implementing ‘democratic’ agricultural administration. But such plan did not realize. The first Chief of Agricultural Experiment Stations Keh Ung-Sang proposed that the training system to develop practical administrative skills and confidence as Korean administrators. But due to the lack of communication and conflict with the USAMGIK, Keh was laid off in six months. The successor Kim Ho-Jik conformed to and cooperated with the USAMGIK but Agricultural Experiment Stations staggered.

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* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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