KOREAN INTERVIEWS. g 



Regulative. Co-operations are not hereditary, excepting 

 those connected with the soil, such as mining, brick, tile and 

 pottery kilns, etc. Farm labor is done by freemen and serfs. 

 Serfs are called tributary slaves. The Government pays for its 

 labor. During the times of great depression the Government 

 orders certain work to be done as a relief to the people. Three 

 kinds of public work are done namely, by the Government, by 

 the city, and by the people. For example, the people living near 

 a river embankment may plant trees upon it (usually the willow, 

 pine, or elm). Serfs in government employ work eight hours a 

 day. In the Department of the Interior, and other departments, 

 the king appoints a secretary or head officer, who in turn employs 

 the subordinates. As an illustration of the shameful waste of 

 time, it is customary for a force of employees to work by install- 

 ments : thus, if thirty serfs are employed, ten of these work for 

 three days only, then another lot of ten continues the work for 

 three days, and finally the third set of ten takes up the work for 

 the same time ; thus, each set of ten have a week's vacation fol- 

 lowing three days' work. What wonder that the people are 

 among the poorest on earth ! There are two kinds of serfs, a 

 higher and a lower kind. The higher serfs take their vacation in 

 precisely the same way. The chiefs of departments have under 

 their control not only various clerks, but also serfs who accom- 

 pany the chiefs to their houses, and the chiefs may employ them 

 on their own private work. There are no lawyers. Judges there 

 are, and these are appointed by the king. 



The commercial ways are very low. In some respects the 

 methods are like those of nomadic tribes. Peddlers are called 

 burden merchants, and travel through the country ; if they have 

 means they will buy their food ; if not, they beg. They have no 

 house or home, but with their families are traveling all the time. 

 These people have very severe laws among themselves. Adultery 

 is punished with death. When this crime is detected a letter is 

 circulated among them. Hundreds assemble, and each one strikes 

 the adulteress with a stick or club. They are very kind and 

 polite among themselves. In many respects they resemble our 

 gypsies, but are true Koreans, and are considered the lowest class. 

 There are the other kinds of merchants who have no shops, but 

 assemble in small towns on every fifth day to buy and sell. This 

 is derived from an old Chinese custom. The higher classes of 

 merchants have shops. Pawnbrokers abound, and auctions are 

 common. 



Festivals. The last day of the old year and the first week of 

 the new year are given up to festivities. The fifteenth day of the 

 first month is called the New Moon holiday. A particular kind 

 of food is made at this time, consisting of dates, chestnuts, honey. 



