• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.761-778
• /
• 2009

This study investigates and proves the historical facts about the confidential land survey on Korean peninsula made by Japanese intelligence officers at the end of Chosun Dynasty. Under the command of general staff office of Japanese army, the military officers produced several maps through road map measurements and visual measurements. Although previous literature indicated road map measurements on Korea were originally implemented from 1885, this study confirms that road map measurements were initiated in 1882 by a lieutenant Isobayashi. Reflecting secret map making procedures, the individual military intelligence officers had specialized roles for swift information collection and map production.