This study examines the economic crimes in the colonial Korea under the Japanese occupation. Economic crimes increased dramatically in the process of practicing the controlled economic policies under the Japanese wartime mobilization which was maintained from 1938 to 1945. Ultimately, this research investigates the life of colonial Koreans in details by examining the aspects of economic crimes, not as illegal acts simply, but the Korean people’s responses coping with controls of the colonial government. Firstly, the problems are identified in the planning and practices, especially, due to the price and rationing control. Then, discussion is made on the government s economic policies being accepted or rejected by the people engaged in business in the daily life specifically as an important background which had caused economic crimes. The control of the colonial government was not based on the clear and long term plan, and the inefficient and unrealistic control policies caused many difficulties in commercial activities of the people at the time. In fact, the controlled economy system took effect based on the economic loss of the Korean merchants. Together with the control action and punishment of the Japanese colonial government, there was increase in economic crimes. This became the part of life of Korean people which was shown as contradiction of the wartime controlled economy system.