Japan-Korea annexation treaty of 1910

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The Japan-Korea annexation treaty of 1910 was a forced contract between the Empire of Japan and the Empire of Korea , which dissolved the Empire of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and became a colony under the name Chosŏn (Japanese Chōsen ) in the Japanese Empire integrated.

history

From the second half of the 19th century at the latest, the Joseon Empire came between the lines of conflict of the Japanese Empire, the Empire of the Chinese Qing Dynasty and the Russian Empire . Weaknesses in the monarchy made Joseon the "plaything" of the neighboring powers and to some extent also of the western countries, beginning with the Treaty of Ganghwado , in which the then King Gojong accepted a treaty with Japan in 1876 due to a previously staged military aggression by Japan against Joseon, which established the sovereignty of Joseon, but at the same time forced it to open further seaports for trade with Japan, and allowed the Japanese Empire to explore and map the coasts of Joseon. In the next few years, more contracts with Japan followed, which allowed the Japanese Empire to have more and more political influence over Joseon. In November 1905, Joseon was declared a protectorate of Japan with the Eulsa Treaty and a Japanese general resident was appointed to Joseon under Gojong's son, Emperor Sunjong . This treaty was a forerunner of the annexation treaty.

On May 30, 1910, the Japanese general and previous Minister of War Terauchi Masatake was appointed general resident for Joseon after Ito Hirobumi had resigned, who had already spoken out in favor of annexing Joseon due to a lack of popular support.

Terauchi Masatake accelerated negotiations with the Joseon government and, from July 23, 1910, negotiated the annexation treaty with the Japan-friendly Prime Minister Yi Wan-yong ( 이완용 ) in Seoul . The annexation treaty was approved by the cabinet of the Joseon government on August 18, signed by Prime Minister Yi Wan-yong and Japanese President-General Terauchi Masatake on August 22, and announced by the Japanese Foreign Ministry on August 29, 1910.

The annexation treaty (translation)

The proclamation

Notwithstanding the serious and arduous work of reforms in the administration of Korea, in which the governments of Japan and Korea have been engaged for more than four years since the conclusion of the 1905 Agreement, the existing system of government in this country has not fully proven itself in the duty to to maintain public order and calm; and moreover, the spirit of suspicion and deception dominates the whole peninsula.

In order to maintain peace and stability in Korea, to promote the prosperity and well-being of Koreans, while ensuring the safety and tranquility of foreign residents, it has been made abundantly clear that fundamental changes are absolutely necessary in the current government regime. The governments of Japan and Korea, convinced of the urgent need to introduce reforms that meet the needs of the situation and offer sufficient guarantees for the future, have, with the consent of His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan and His Majesty the Emperor of Korea, through their agents, passed a treaty providing for the full annexation of Korea to the Empire of Japan. Because of this important legal act, which will take effect upon its promulgation on August 29, 1910, the Imperial Government of Japan will assume all government and administration of Korea, and you hereby declare that foreigner affairs and foreign trade with Korea will be governed by the following rules should be:

The contract

His Majesty the Emperor of Japan and His Majesty the Emperor of Korea envision the special and close relationships between their respective countries in a desire to promote the common wealth of the two nations and to ensure lasting peace in the Far East , and are convinced that these goals can best be achieved through the annexation of Korea to the Empire of Japan, have chosen to conclude a treaty on such annexation and, for this purpose, have appointed them as their plenipotentiaries, which are to be said for His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, Viscount Terauchi Masatake, Resident-General, and on behalf of His Majesty, the Emperor of Korea, Yi Wan-Yong, Prime Minister, who in joint conference and consultation approved the following articles:

  • Article 1. His Majesty the Emperor of Korea makes the full and permanent cession of all sovereign rights over all of Korea to His Majesty the Emperor of Japan.
  • Article 2. His Majesty the Emperor of Japan accepts the assignment mentioned in the previous article and consents to the full annexation of Korea to the Empire of Japan.
  • Article 3. His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan, shall give to Her Majesties the Emperor and Ex-Emperor, and His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince of Korea, and their companions and heirs to such titles, dignity and honor as are appropriate to their respective ranks, grant and ensure sufficient annual grants for the receipt of such titles, dignity and honors.
  • Article 4. His Majesty the Emperor of Japan will also grant appropriate honor and treatment and the means necessary for the maintenance of such honor and treatment to members of the Imperial House of Korea and their heirs not mentioned in the previous article, grant.
  • Article 5. His Majesty the Emperor of Japan will grant political and monetary subsidies to those Koreans who are considered such special recognition for their meritorious services.
  • Article 6. As a result of the aforementioned annexation, the Japanese government takes over the entire government and administration of Korea and undertakes to ensure the full protection of the people and property of Koreans and to promote the prosperity of all in compliance with the laws applicable there .
  • Article 7. The Government of Japan will, as circumstances permit, employ in the Japanese civil service in Korea those Koreans who loyally and in good faith accept the new regime and who are appropriately qualified for the service.
  • Article 8. This treaty, approved by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan and His Majesty the Emperor of Korea, is effective as soon as it is promulgated.

Believing that the two agents have signed this contract and affixed their seals.

August 22nd, 4th year of Yunghui (1910)
Yi, Wan-yong, Prime Minister (Seal)

August 22nd, 43rd year of Meiji (1910)
Viscount Terauchi Masatake, Resident General (Siegel)

Legality dispute

The legality of the treaty was later contested by the exiled Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the South Korean government. While the treaty bore the national seal of the Korean Empire, Emperor Sunjong refused to sign the treaty under Korean law. From the point of view of the Japanese government, the treaty had come into being legally, a point of view that Western nations had willingly adopted.

But the annexation treaty of 1910 was no longer based on a free decision by the Korean government or the sovereign of the country Emperor Sunjong, because the Korean empire had already lost its sovereignty with the signing of the Protectorate Treaty of November 17, 1905 (Eulsa Treaty). Article 1 of the Protectorate Treaty stipulated Joseon's external representation by the Japanese Empire, which meant that contracts with foreign countries were only possible with the approval of Japan, which amounts to giving up sovereignty. The fact that the contract came about under threat of violence is beyond question today and was already clearly and extensively published at the time. Nevertheless, the western nations adopted the representation of the Japanese empire from the voluntary nature of the treaty. Also the fact that the treaty was not signed by the sovereign Emperor Gojong at the time , because he rejected the treaty, but only by the country's foreign minister, Park Je-sun ( 박제순 ), was tacitly ignored by the West, including the German government, which was demonstrably informed of it.

Park Je-sun was authorized to negotiate with the Japanese, but he was not authorized to sign the contract. The seal of his office was confiscated by the Japanese interpreter and is said to have been placed under the contract later, but only in the Korean version. The Japanese version remained without a seal. A contract without a seal is not valid in Asian countries. For this reason, and because it was not signed and sealed by the sovereign of the people, the treaty did not actually come about.

literature

  • The Annexation of Korea to Japan . In: The American Journal of International Law . Vol. 4, No. 4 . Cambridge University Press , October 1910, pp. 923-925 , doi : 10.2307 / 2186806 (English, Editorial Comment ).
  • Karl Leuteritz: "Outflow of a naked act of violence" - German diplomatic documents on the Japanese-Korean protectorate treaty of November 17, 1905 . In: Patrick Köllner (Ed.): Korea 1999 - Politics, Economy, Society . Institute for Asian Studies, 1999, ISSN  1432-0142 , p. 23-32 , doi : 10.11588 / kjb.1999.0.3024 .
  • Kim Ji-hyung : The Japanese Annexation of Korea as Viewed from the British and American Press: focus on The Times and The New York Times . In: Center for Korean History (Ed.): International Journal of Korean History . Vol. 16, No. 2 . Korea University , August 2011, ISSN  1598-2041 , pp. 87–123 (English, online [PDF; 11.4 MB ; accessed on April 3, 2019]).
  • Yong-Chool Ha, Hong Yung Lee, Clark W. Sorensen : Colonial Rule and Social Changes in Korea, 1910–1945 . University of Washington , Washington 2013, ISBN 978-0-295-80449-1 (English).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Annexation of Korea to Japan . 1910, p.  923 .
  2. ↑ Kim : The Japanese Annexation of Korea as Viewed from the British and American Press . 2011, p.  92 f .
  3. ^ Ha, Lee, Sorensen : Colonial Rule and Social Changes in Korea, 1910-1945 . 2013, p.  185 .
  4. ↑ Kim : The Japanese Annexation of Korea as Viewed from the British and American Press . 2011, p.  93 .
  5. ^ The Annexation of Korea to Japan . 1910, p.  924 .
  6. ^ Treaty of Annexation . In: UCLA International Institute . The Regents of the University of California , August 22, 1910, accessed April 3, 2019 .
  7. ^ The Korea-Japan Annexation Treaty (August 22, 1910) . Ministry for Forreign Affairs , August 22, 1910, accessed April 3, 2019 .
  8. ^ Leuteritz: "Outflow of a sheer act of violence" ... In: Korea 1999 . 1999, p. 23 .
  9. ↑ a b Leuteritz: "Outflow of a naked act of violence" ... In: Korea 1999 . 1999, p. 25 .
  10. ↑ a b Leuteritz: "Outflow of a naked act of violence" ... In: Korea 1999 . 1999, p. 27 .
  11. ^ Leuteritz: "Outflow of a sheer act of violence" ... In: Korea 1999 . 1999, p. 28 ff .