본 연구는 <한성신보>를 비롯한 재조일본인 역사학의 특징인 개국론·조선독립론 관점의 ‘한국근대사’ 서술이 당시 한국의 역사서술과 어떤 유사점과 차이점이 있는지 총체적으로 분석하고자 하였다. 이와 같은 문제의식에 따라 먼저 1890년대 <한성신보>를 중심으로 재조일본인의 역사서술에 관해 분석을 시도했다. 그 결과 1890년대 이후 재조일본인 역사서술이 개국론과 조선독립론이라는 일정한 경향이 있음을 알 수 있었고 그러한 경향은 당대사 즉, ‘한국근대사’에 대한 인식체계를 확립하는 역할을 했다. 이 흐름은 갑오개혁기 관찬 역사서의 ‘한국근대사’ 서술과 대한제국기 "대한역대사략"에서 연속 혹은 단절되는 모습을 보였다. 즉, 일본의 영향력 아래 진행된 갑오개혁기 역사교과서에는 개국론 중심의 역사인식이 정초되고 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 그러나 여러 상황상 일본에 의한 ‘자주독립론’의 역사인식은 정립되지 않았다. 이는 대한제국기로 들어서면 다시 변하게 된다. 요컨대 1899년에 편찬된 "대한역대사략"에서는 조일수호조규와 조미수호조약이 각국의 요청에 의해서 이루어진 것으로 기술하고 있으며, 일본에 의한 개국과 조선독립론의 서술은 일체 보이지 않았던 것이다. 이는 "대한역대사략"이 대한제국의 통치권이 강화되던 시점인 1899년에 편찬되었기 때문으로 보인다. 통감부기로 넘어가면 그 양상은 또 일변한다. "동국사략"의 경우 일본의 역사서에 투영된 인식을 일부 수정·비판하고 있지만, 큰 틀에서는 개국과 일본에 의한 조선독립이라는 관점을 취하고 있다는 점에서 <한성신보>와 재조일본인 역사서술의 흐름을 계승하고 있다. 이후 발행된 "초등대한역사" 등의 초등교과서에 나타난 ‘한국근대사’像은 대체로 개국론과 조선독립론의 틀을 벗어나지 않는 선에서 거의 유사하게 기술되어 있다.

This study attempted to comprehensively analyze what similarities and differences existed in the descriptions of the “modern history of Korea” from the viewpoint of the theory of national opening and the theory of independence of Joseon (from the influence of China), which are the characteristics of the historical studies by the Japanese scholars in colonial Korea, including the descriptions in “Hanseong Shinbo”. In line with this consciousness of the problem, this study first tried to analyze the historical narratives of the Japanese in colonial Korea in the 1890s, focusing on those in “Hanseong Shinbo”. As a result, it was found that there was a certain tendency of the theory of national opening and the theory of independence of Joseon in their historical narratives since the 1890s, and such tendency played a role in establishing a system of recognition for the contemporary history, that is, the “modern history of Korea”. This trend had been continuous or disconnected in the descriptions of the “modern history of Korea” in history books during the Gab-O Reformation period and the book ????The Records of Korean History (大韓歷代史略)???? which was issued during the period of Korean Empire. In other words, the historical recognition centered on the theory of national opening was being established in the history textbooks of the Gab-O Reformation period under the influence of Japan. However, due to various circumstances, the historical recognition of “the theory of independence of Joseon by Japan” had not been established. It changed again during the Korean Empire. “The Records of Korean History”, which was issued in 1899, described that ‘Korean-Japanese Treaty’, or ‘Kanghwa Treaty’ (1876), and the ‘Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation’ or ‘Joseon-United States Treaty of 1882’ were made at the request of each country, and there were no descriptions of the theory of national opening and Joseon independence by Japan. This seems to be by the reason that this book was compiled in 1899, when the Korean Empire's sovereignty was being strengthened. The pattern changed completely during the period of Residency-General. ????Dongguk History (東國史略)????, which was issued in 1906, took over the tendency of historical descriptions of “Hanseong Shinbo” and the Japanese scholars in colonial Korea in that it takes the view of national opening and Joseon independence by Japan in a large framework, even though it partially revised and criticized the perception projected in Japanese history books. The images of “modern history of Korea” appearing in elementary school textbooks which were published afterwards such as “The Korean History Book for Elementary School (初等大韓歷史)” were described in similar ways, without deviating from the framework of the theory of national opening and the theory of Joseon independence.