Directory_and_Chronicle_1934 — Page 386

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CHOSEN-SEOUL

minating in the opening of the Imperial University in Seoul in 1928. In the way of communications, much has been done in providing telegraphic and telephonic communication on modern lines, and highways now connect village with village and town with town, the best roads being in the South. A net- work of railways around the country is steadily moving towards completion. First class roads are 24 feet wide, connecting the capital with the provincial governments, second class roads are 18 feet wide, and run between the pro- vincial governments and the ports and prefectural magistracies. The total length of roads at the end of March, 1932, was 15,530 miles (first class, 2,016; second class, 5,924 miles; 3rd class 7,590 miles, cart tracks are not included in this last figure). The total length of railways at the beginning of 1933 was 1,964 miles of Government Railway and 708 miles of private. (Fusan- Antung, 590 miles: Keijo-Kainei, 520 miles: Taiden-Mokpo, 160 miles: etc.). Waterworks have been provided by the Government in Seoul and at 28 other places. The total population of Korea at the beginning of January, 1932, was 20,262,958, of whom 19,710,168 were Korean, 514,666 were Japanese and 38,124 were foreigners (including Chinese).

KEIJO (SEOUL)

The old city of Han-yang, better known to foreigners as Keijo (Japanese) or Seoul (the native term for capital), lies in 37 deg. 30 min. N. lat., and 127 deg. 4 min. E. long., and is situated almost in the centre of the province of Keiki (Kyeng-ki), on the north side and about thirty-five miles from the mouth of the river Han, which, since the inclusion of the suburb of Ryuzan within the city limits, has become its southern boundary. Formerly the city was surrounded by crenelated walls of varying height, averaging about twenty feet, with arched stone bridges spanning the water-course. The crumbling remains of these walls still cling picturesquely to the hills at various points outside the city, and two of the largest gates, the South Big Gate (Nandaimon) and the East Big Gate (To- daimon) have been preserved as monuments in situ. The modern city has overflowed to the river for over two miles beyond Nandaimon, Seoul Station, the Severance Medical Missionary Hospital and an increasingly busy section of the town lying south of this former boundary. The old city was divided into two nearly equal portions by a long main Street (the modern Shoro), running east and west, the King's Palace and more important public build- ings being situated in the northern half, which was divided into east and west quarters by a road intersecting the main street at right-angles, the point of intersection being marked by a pavilion, the Chong Kak ("Bell Kiosk"), containing a large bell, about seven feet high. This spot was re- garded as the centre of the city, and from it a further road bore off to the south and south-west, leading to the Nandaimon. All these roads have been widened and improved, the present Nandaimon-dori being a fine highway nearly 120 feet wide. The principal thoroughfare of the city now is the great Taihei-dori, running from the Nandaimon northward to the palatial build- ings of the Government-General, situated in front of the old Imperial Palace. This thoroughfare intersects Shoro somewhat to the west of the old centre, and to the south of and parallel to Shoro another wide thoroughfare has been driven from in front of the City Office on the Taihei-dori eastwards (Kogane- machi). About midway between this Kogane-machi and the South Gate along the Nandaimon-dori there is a fine square, where stand the Central Post Office, the Dai Ichi Ginko, the great Mitsukoshi Department Store and other im- portant buildings. This is the Japanese shopping centre, many of the important Japanese firms of grocers, caterers, etc., having branches in and