Expositions were events where various agricultural, commercial, and industrial products were exhibited, sold, advertised, and evaluated, with the goal of improving products and advancing industry. After the first exhibition was held in England in 1851, various industrial and “imperial” expositions were held all over the world. Japan joined in holding several large expositions in Korea since it took the Great Han Empire as a colony. The Joseon Exposition was one of these, and was held at Gyeongbokgung (palace) in September, 1929. If the Korean Products Exhibition, held on the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of colonial rule, 1915, was intended to advertise Japanese rule inside and outside of Korea, in contrast, the Joseon Exposition placed a priority on industrial promotion. The Government-General hosted the Joseon Exposition to attract Japanese investment in Korean industries by demonstrating to Japanese on the mainland the good record of Japanese rule over 20 years. At the same time, the exposition was an opportunity for the colonizers to educate the population about the empire’s “civilized” rule. For this, the Government-General used various methods to increase the number of Korean visitors to the expositions. By hosting expositions in Korea, the Japanese Empire aimed to demonstrate its “industry” and “empire”.
- View of the exposition at Gyeongbokgung (palace) seen from Samgaksan
- Lighting decorations on Namdaemun (gate)
- Opening ceremony at Geunjeongjeon (hall)
- Opening ceremony of the Joseon Exposition
- Kaninnomiya of the Japanese royal family visiting the exposition
- Gwanghwamun, the main gate to the Joseon Exposition
- Entrance to the exposition
- Exhibition venue seen from Gwanghwamun (gate)
- Southern section of commerce
- Rice section
- Northern section of industries
- Social economic section
- Education, arts and crafts section
- Judicial, sanitation and police affairs section
- Traffic, civil engineering and architecture section
- Section for machines and electricity
- Special section for the Ministry of Railroad
- Tokyo section
- Navy and Army sections
- Exhibition seen from the road in front of the Navy section
- Scene around the Sakhalin and Hokkaido sections
- Kyushu section
- Reference section for Manchuria and Mongolia
- Taiwan section
- Special section for Gyeongsangnam-do (province)
- Special section for Chungcheongnam-do (province)
- Special section for Chungcheongbuk-do (province)
- Special sections for Gangwon-do (province) and Gyeonggi-do (province)
- Special section for Hamgyeongnam-do (province)
- Special section for Hamgyeongbuk-do (province)
- Special sections for Hwanghae-do (province) and Gyeongsangbuk-do (province)
- Special section for Pyeongannam-do (province)
- Special section for Pyeonganbuk-do (province)
- Special section for Jeollanam-do (province)
- Special section for Jeollabuk-do (province)
- Music hall seen from Gyeonghoeru (pavilion)
- Performances by Naval band and by court musicians for the Yi royal family at the Music hall
- Amusement facilities for children
- Entertainment hall
- 『Gisaeng』 (Korean female entertainers) performance at the entertainment hall
- Strength contest between a Czech woman and a cow
- Chinese circus and Korean tightrope walkers at the outdoor stage
- Costume parade (October 30)