This study employs annual reports, time-series statistics, and internal training records of the colonial-era Korean Government Railways (KGR) to conduct a quantitative analysis of its labour management practices. It addresses the colonial characteristics associated with Japanese techno-imperialism beyond ethnic discrimination, revealing a dual-pronged labour strategy that adopted a Japanese government employee system to manage middle- and upper-level personnel and directly recruited on-site workers for the lower echelons. This deviates from the low rates of local employment in Western colonies, particularly self-governing British territories or integrated French territories. In contrast, KGR's employment practices demonstrated economic and ethnic inequalities. It predominantly made Koreans on-site labourers, whereas Japanese not only held similar roles, but also occupied upper- and middle-management positions. Worker mobility, particularly among Japanese employees, grew following the outbreak of war between Japan and the USA, leading to the mass external recruitment of Koreans and the expansion of internal education to alleviate labour shortages. Nevertheless, preferential treatment toward Japanese individuals, which had been in relative decline for promotion, wages, and admission rates to training schools, ultimately persisted. Understanding KGR's employment structure shows how colonisation mediated Korea's modernisation and imposed technical limitations on the management of local labour. National technological decolonisation thus required Koreans to further introduce external technologies after the end of Japan's imperial reign.

中文翻译：

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分歧轨道：日本殖民统治下韩国政府铁路的就业和培训体系，1910-45

本研究利用殖民时期韩国政府铁路（KGR）的年度报告、时间序列统计数据和内部培训记录，对其劳动管理实践进行定量分析。它超越了种族歧视，探讨了日本科技帝国主义的殖民特征，揭示了日本政府雇员制度管理中高层人员、直接招聘基层工人的双管齐下的劳工策略。这与西方殖民地，特别是英国自治领土或法国一体化领土的当地就业率较低不同。相比之下，KGR 的就业实践表现出经济和种族不平等。它主要让韩国人担任现场工人，而日本人不仅担任类似的角色，而且还担任中高层管理职位。日美战争爆发后，工人流动性，特别是日本员工的流动性增加，导致韩国人大量外部招聘，并扩大内部教育以缓解劳动力短缺。尽管如此，对日本人的优惠待遇最终仍然存在，在晋升、工资和培训学校入学率方面相对下降。了解 KGR 的就业结构表明殖民如何调节韩国的现代化并对当地劳动力的管理施加技术限制。因此，国家技术非殖民化要求韩国人在日本帝国统治结束后进一步引进外部技术。