Gapsin Coup
Gapsin Coup | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Radical Gaehwa Party Supported by: Empire of Japan |
Supported by: Qing | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Seo Jae-pil Takezoe Shinichiro |
King Gojong Queen Min Min Yeong-ik Yuan Shikai |
Gapsin Coup | |
Hangul | 갑신정변, 갑신혁명 |
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Hanja | 甲申政變, 甲申革命 |
Revised Romanization | Gapsinjeongbyeon, Gapsinhyeongmyeong |
McCune–Reischauer | Kapsinjŏngbyŏn, Kapsinhyŏngmyŏng |
The Gapsin Coup,
Background
After the Imo Incident of 1882, early reform efforts in Korea suffered a major setback.[1] The aftermath of the event also brought the Chinese into the country where they began to directly interfere in Korean internal affairs,[1] undertaking several initiatives to gain significant influence over the Korean government.[1] A Korean historian stated that "the Chinese government began to turn its former tributary state into a semi-colony and its policy towards Korea substantially changed to a new imperialistic one where the suzerain state demanded certain privileges in her vassal state".[2]
On October 4, 1882, the Korean government signed a new set of trade regulations with the China–Korea Treaty of 1882[b] that permitted Chinese merchants to trade in Korea and gave them substantial advantages over the Japanese and Westerners, the regulations also granted the Chinese unilateral extraterritoriality privileges in civil and criminal cases.[2] Although it allowed Koreans reciprocally to trade in Beijing the agreement was not a treaty but was in effect issued as a regulation for a vassal,[1] it also reasserted Korea's dependency on China.[2] In December, two high-level offices, the Oeamun (Foreign Office) and the Naeamun (Home Office) were established. The Oeamun dealt with foreign affairs and trade while the Naeamun was responsible for military matters and internal affairs. At the recommendation of the Chinese two advisors were appointed to the foreign office: the German Paul Georg von Möllendorff who had served in the Chinese Maritime Customs Service and the Chinese diplomat Ma Jianzhong.[3]
A new Korean military formation, the Chingunyeong (Capital Guards Command), was also created and trained along Chinese lines by Yuan Shikai.[3] The Chinese also supervised the creation of a Korean Maritime Customs Service in 1883 with von Möellendorff as its head.[1] Korea was again reduced to a tributary state of China with King Gojong unable to appoint diplomats without Chinese approval[3] and troops stationed in Seoul in order to protect Chinese interests in the country. China also obtained concessions in Korea, notably the Chinese concession of Incheon.[4][5]
Emergence of the Enlightenment Party
A small group of reformers had emerged around the
All had spent some time in Japan. In 1882, Pak Yung-hio had been part of a mission sent to Japan to apologize for the Imo incident.[1] He had been accompanied by Kim Ok-gyun, who later come under the influence of Japanese modernizers such as Fukuzawa Yukichi and also by Seo Gwang-beom. Kim Ok-gyun, while also studying in Japan, had cultivated friendships with influential Japanese figures and was the de facto leader of the group.[6] They were also strongly nationalistic and desired to make their country truly independent by ending Chinese interference in Korea's internal affairs.[3]
Ascendancy of the Min clan and conservatives
In Korean history, the king's in-laws enjoyed great power, and the regent
Through the ascendancy of Queen to the throne, the Min clan had also been able to use the newly created institutions by the government as bases for political power, and with their growing monopoly of key positions they frustrated the ambitions of the Enlightenment Party.[6] After the Imo incident in 1882, the Min clan pursued a pro-Chinese policy. This was partly a matter of opportunism as the intervention by Chinese troops led to subsequent exile of the rival Daewongun in Tianjin and the expansion of Chinese influence in Korea.[6]
The Sadaedang was a group of conservatives, which included not only
Events of the coup
The Gaehwapa members had failed to secure appointments to vital offices in the government and subsequently were unable to implement their reform plans.
After the coup, the Enlightenment Party members formed a new government and devised a program of reform. The radical 14-point reform proposal stated that the following conditions be met: an end to Korea's tributary relationship with China; the abolition of ruling-class privilege and the establishment of equal rights for all; the reorganization of the government as virtually a constitutional monarchy; the revision of land tax laws; cancellation of the grain loan system; the unification of all internal fiscal administrations under the jurisdiction of the Ho-jo; the suppression of privileged merchants and the development of free commerce and trade, the creation of a modern police system including police patrols and royal guards; and severe punishment of corrupt officials.[10]
However the new government failed, lasting no longer than a few days,
Consequences
After the abortive coup, King Gojong voided the reform measures proposed by the coup leaders and sent an envoy to Japan protesting its involvement in the coup and demanding repatriation of the conspirators.
Prime minister
The coup significantly disrupted reform efforts that arose from the 1883 Korean special mission to the United States. Some of the mission's members were part of the Gaehwa Party, and were either killed or forced into exile.[13][14]
See also
Notes
- ^ The Korean name for the events takes from the year in the traditional East Asian sexagenary cycle system of dating, "gapsin" refers to the year 1884.
- ^ Also known as the "Regulations for Maritime and Overland Trade Between Chinese and Korean Subjects" (Choch’ŏng sangmin suryuk muyŏk changjŏng)[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Seth 2011, p. 237.
- ^ a b c Duus 1998, p. 54.
- ^ a b c d e f Kim 2012, p. 293.
- ^ "Guide to Incheon's Chinatown". 3 March 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ISBN 978-3-7370-0708-5.
- ^ a b c d e f Seth 2011, p. 238.
- ^ Kim 2012, p. 284.
- ^ a b c d e Kim 2012, p. 285.
- ^ Kim 2012, p. 289.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kim 2012, p. 294.
- ^ "갑신정변(甲申政變)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-02-14.
- ^ a b c d e Kim 2012, p. 295.
- ^ "보빙사 (報聘使)" [Bobingsa]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-01-27.
- ^ "조선보빙사의 미국파견 및 일정" [Joseon Bobingsa's Dispatch to the United States and Schedule]. 우리역사넷. National Institute of Korean History. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
Bibliography
- Duus, Peter (1998). The Abacus and the Sword: The Japanese Penetration of Korea. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-52092-090-2.
- ISBN 0-231-12341-8.
- Kim, Jinwung (2012). A History of Korea: From "Land of the Morning Calm" to States in Conflict. New York: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-00024-8.
- Kim, Djun Kil (2005). The History of Korea. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313038532; OCLC 217866287
- Kleiner, Jergen (2001). Korea: A Century of Change. River Edge, New Jersey: World Scientific Publishing Company. ISBN 9789810246570; OCLC 48993770
- Seth, Michael J. (2011). A History of Korea: From Antiquity to the Present. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-742-56715-3.