Eulsa Treaty

Infobox Korean name
hangul = 을사 조약
hanja = 乙巳條約
rr = Eulsa joyak
mr = Ŭlsa choyak

The Eulsa Treaty or Japan-Korea Protectorate Treaty was made between the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire on 17 November 1905, influenced by the result of the Russo-Japanese War. The treaty in effect made Korea a protectorate of Japan. This treaty deprived Korea of its diplomatic sovereignty. [http://www.ivynews.kr/news/news_main.html?number=41&code=feature] [http://www.korea.net/news/news/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20080221026&part=109&SearchDay=] [http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2891414] Later in 1910, full annexation of Korea by Japan followed.

History

Following Japan’s victory in the Russo-Japanese War, with its subsequent withdrawal of Russian influence, and the Taft-Katsura Agreement, by which the United States agreed not to interfere with Japan in matters concerning Korea, the Japanese government sought to formalize its sphere of influence over the Korean peninsula.

Delegates of both Empires met in Seoul to resolve differences in matters pertaining to Korea’s future foreign policy; however, with the Korean Imperial palace under occupation by Japanese troops, and the Imperial Japanese Army stationed at strategic locations throughout Korea, the Korean side was at a distinct disadvantage in the discussions. On 17 November 1905, the Korean cabinet signed an agreement that had been prepared by Ito Hirobumi. Per the Agreement, Japan assumed complete responsibility for Korea’s foreign affairs, and all trade through Korean ports was to be placed under Japanese supervision.

The treaty was enacted after it received the signature of five Korean ministers; (who have been reviled by later Korean historians as the "Five Eulsa Traitors"):
*Minister of Education Lee Wan-Yong ( _ko. 이완용;李完用)
*Minister of Army Yi Geun-taek ( _ko. 이근택;李根澤)
*Minister of Interior Yi Ji-yong ( _ko. 이지용;李址鎔)
*Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Je-sun ( _ko. 박제순;朴齊純)
*Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry Gwon Jung-hyeon ( _ko. 권중현;權重顯)

Some officials, including most notably the Emperor Gojong of Korea, did not sign the treaty, which had led Korean historians to dispute the de jure legality of the treaty. The following, including the Emperor, are:
* Emperor Gojong of Korea
* Prime Minister Han Gyu-seol ( _ko. 한규설;韓圭卨)
* Minister of Justice Yi Ha-yeong ( _ko. 이하영;李夏榮)
* Minister of Finance Min Yeong-gi ( _ko. 민영기;閔泳綺) Nevertheless, it took effect immediately.

Gojong sent personal letters to major powers to appeal for their support against the illegal signing [http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200802/200802210015.html Emperor Gojong's Letter to German Kaiser Unearthed] [http://www.korea.net/News/News/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20080221026 Emperor Gojong's letter to German Kaiser discovered] . As of February 21, 2008, 17 of which bearing his imperial seal have been confirmed sent by Gojong, including 7 of which are:
*United Kingdom
*France
*Russia
*Austria-Hungary
*Italy
*Belgium
*Qing China
*Germany [Wilhelm II's letter was personally handwritten by Gojong himself]

Afterwards, in 1907, Korean Emperor Gojong sent three secret emissaries to the second international Hague Peace Convention to protest the unfairness of the Eulsa Treaty. But the great powers of the world refused to allow Korea to take part in this conference.

Not only the Emperor but the other koreans protested against the Treaty. Jo Byeong-se and Mihn Yong-hwan, who were high officials and led resistance against Eulsa treaty, suicided as resistance. Local yangbans and commoners joined righteous armies. They were called Eulsa Euibyeong(을사의병;乙巳義兵) meaning "Righteous army against Eulsa Treaty"

This protest, the lack of the Imperial assent, and the intimidation by Japanese troops during the negotiations have been used by later historians and lawyers to question the legal validity of the treaty, as being signed under duress, though the treaty remained uncontested internationally until Japan's defeat in World War II.

This treaty laid the foundation for the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of 1907 in and subsequent annexation of Korea in 1910.

The Eulsa Treaty and the subsequent unequal treaties between Korea and Japan were mutually declared "already null and void" explicitly by the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea of 1965.

In a joint statement on 23 June 2005, officials of South Korea and North Korea reiterated their stance that the Eulsa treaty be null and void on a claim of coercion by the Japanese.

Name

In the Korean calendar, "eulsa" is the Sexagenary Cycle's 42nd year in which the treaty was signed.

In Japanese, the treaty is known under several names including nihongo|Second Japan-Korean Convention|第二次日韓協約|Dai-niji Nitcho Kyōyaku, nihongo|乙巳保護条約|Isshi Hogo Jōyaku and nihongo|韓国保護条約|Chosen Hogo Jōyaku.

ources

*cite book
last = Beasley
first = W.G.
year = 1991
title = Japanese Imperialism 1894-1945
publisher = Oxford University Press
id = ISBN 0198221681
*cite book
last = Duus
first = Peter
year = 1998
title = The Abacus and the Sword: The Japanese Penetration of Korea, 1895-1910
publisher = University of California Press
location =
id = ISBN 0520213610

References

ee also

*Unequal Treaties
*History of Korea
*History of Japan
*List of Korea-related topics
*Liancourt Rocks