_Mineral Resources_—Mineral resources of Korea are varied and rather
extensive, but with a few exceptions are of low grade. There is a
large deposit—over one billion metric tons—of low grade (35 per cent
magnetic) iron ore at Musan in Northeastern Korea which the Japanese
mined extensively before and during the war. Capacities are said to
have been developed for the production of over 800,000 tons of pig
iron and 350,000 tons of steel annually, but operations were possible
only by large imports of bituminous coal from Manchuria and Japan.
In both North and South Korea, gold and copper were also mined, the
latter as an adjunct of the former, and some lead and zinc, and a
large quantity of graphite, the latter, however, of low quality.
There is enough developed tungsten production in South Korea to make
it an important export commodity.
_Industries_—The prospects for Korean industry, even in the event
of early unification, are not bright. Before 1931 Japan exploited
Korea primarily as a source of raw materials, rice and cheap labor.
Thereafter Korea became Japan’s bridgehead to the Asiatic mainland,
and with Manchuria, was developed as the mainland portion of
Japan’s war potential. By 1938 there were 7,000 factories, mostly
small, employing 183,000 workers, principally in the production
of chemicals, textiles and processed foods. Main industrial
concentrations were in the north, near hydroelectric power plants
and the larger mineral deposits. This rather impressive industrial
plant was not damaged by bombing, but it would be a mistake to assume
therefore that Korea possesses a ready-made industrial plant which
could quickly be turned to full and efficient peacetime operations.
Production, at perhaps 20 per cent of capacity, was restored after
the occupation, but output has dwindled as stocks of raw materials
have been exhausted, and as machinery has stopped functioning
for lack of spare parts and competent maintenance and operating
personnel. The dearth of competent administrative supervisory and
technical personnel, practically all of whom were formerly Japanese
and are now evacuated, is the outstanding deficiency in Korean
industries, power, and transportation systems. The unification of
North and South Korea would make some of the required raw materials
available, and spare parts may eventually be obtainable from Japan,
but the serious deficiency of competent personnel is an unresolved
problem.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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