Biological Living Standards of Korea during the Port-Opening Period, 1876–1910

Duol Kim and Heejin Park

The Journal of Economic History, 2021, vol. 81, issue 2, 549-576

Abstract: After several hundred years of a closed-door policy, Korea finally opened its ports in 1876. Historians have traditionally claimed that the port-opening was coerced by foreign countries, deteriorated the Korean economy, and led to Korea becoming a colony. We examined this view by measuring biological living standards and find the opposite. The height of the male Hangryu Deceased, who died on the street but whose bodies were not claimed, increased by 1.1 cm from the 1880s to the 1910s. This also implies that free trade rather than new institutions might matter more for economic growth during the colonial era.

Date: 2021
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