COMMERCE. Until the opening of the treaty ports Korean trade was almost exclusively with China, and carried on chiefly at the Korean Gate in Manchuria, where the tribute-bearing mission to Peking passed through Fung-hwang Ch'ing. The eight seaports now open are Che mulpo (or Inchon), Fusan, Wiinsan (better known by its Japanese name, Gensan), Chinampo, Mokpo, Kunsan. Masampo. and Song-chin. and there is a Russian trading centre at KyOng- (or Kyeng-) holing in latitude 42° 4' 1.. and longi tude 12S° 14' E. The most important of the treaty ports is Chemulpo, situated on the western coast 26 miles by rail from Seoul. It is rapidly increasing in importance, and has steam connec tion with Japan. Shanghai. and Vladivostock. The inland city of Ping-yang is also considered open. The total value of the trade of the open ports amounted in 1900 to $10.1$5.$24; made up of imports $5.454,770, and exports $4.
7ni.o.54. not including gold. $1.816.500. In the total value of the trade was 514.019.551, in cluding the export of gold $2,4$6.6',.9, and the importation of 10,963.200 pounds of rice (on account of the famine in that year). The chief imports are piece goods (chietle for Japanese use). kerosene, almost entirely from the United States (12.463,631 gallons). tobacco (chiefly cigarettes). metals, railway plant. etc. The chief exports are rice (none in 19n1). beans. cowhides, ginseng ($770,S69 in 19001. copper. gold, cattle and live stock, sea•slug„s, nut-galls. whaleflesh and blubber, dried fish, and tallow.
The vessels entering port numbered 4972 (983,309 tons), mostly Japanese. Seven of the eight ports have direct communication with Japan. See heading Topography.