Joseph H. Chung Ph.D. Professor of Economics, Quebec University in Montreal (UQAM)

(지난 호에 이어)

Dae-won-goon was suspected to be pro-China and he was removed from the power.

 Japan was worried to lose control in Korea and the New Japanese Consul, Miura Goro arrived to strengthen Japan's power. On October 8, 1895, Samurai worriers and Japanese soldiers invaded the palace of Queen Min, captured her, cut her down with Japanese sword and threw her into hellish fire.

 On February 11, 1896, the Russian Consul brought 100 Russian navy sailors and literally kidnapped King Gojong in complicity with the new queen and put him in the underground floor of the Russian consulate and Russia could obtain a series of concessions to make a fortune. And, a pro-Russia cabinet was formed under Lee Byung-jin, minister of justice.

 Russia obtained the management rights of mines and railroads for large sum of money. For instance, Russia got the right to manage Kyung-in railway, Kyung-ui Railway and the gold mine in Gangwon Province. Some of the managers were non-Russian Europeans

 Many of the pro-Japan ministers were killed by the pro-Russia people in front of a palace. Rest of pro-Japan politicians escaped to Japan to return later back to Korea and sell Korea for their personal greed and ambition.

 Under Tsar Nicholas II, Russia began to develop the Eastern region of Russia and it became stronger by the day and Russia's southward politics began to worry Japan, because Russia could chase Japan out of Korea. Now something incredible thing happened!

 Japan proposed to Russia to divide the Korean peninsula into two halves along the 39th parallel, the southern part to be controlled by Japan, while the northern part to be occupied by Russia.

 This is similar to the 1945 division of the Korea peninsula along the 38th parallel in accordance with the Soviet Union-the U.S. agreement.

 Russia refused Japan's proposition, probably because, Russia wanted to have the entire Korea.

 The Russo-Japan War was inevitable. Japan sent the ultimatum on February 6, 1904 and two days later Japan attacked the Russian navy near Inchon.

 General Nogi Maresuke won the decisive victory by capturing Port Arthur and Admiral Togo Heihachiro destroyed the entire Russian Baltic Fleet near Tsushima Island. These two victories of Japan have made Russia hesitant to continue the war with Japan.

 The truth was that Russia had some resources allowing it to continue the war, while Japan had no longer resources to continue it. It was American President Theodore Roosevelt who mediated the end of the war.

 The U.S also had interests in the region. Washington did not like Russia's southward expansion and, in a way, it was important for Japan to win, for Japan could become a useful ally.

 In fact, Washington was a conspirator of Korea's tragedy. There was the Katsura-Taft Agreement which gave free hand to Japan to destroy Korea which the U.S could save.

 In July, 1905, Prime Minister Katsura Taro of Japan and the U.S. Secretary of War, William Howard Taft met and agreed that the U.S. recognize Japan's idea of making Korea its protectorate, while Japan recognizes the Washington's right to colonize the Philippines.

 In a sense, the U.S. was another big whale who played a role of letting Japan to destroy Korea.

 Thus, the Russo-Japan war which started on February 10, 1904 ended on August 10, 1905 with the Portsmouth Treaty which allowed Japan to protect, supervise and colonize Korea.

 Shortly after Russia's defeat, a pro-Japan cabinet took power. This was the beginning of a half-century Korea's nightmare of humiliation and suffering from the cruel and brutal Japanese oppression.

 On 17 November 1905 Japan imposed the Eulsa Treaty which made Korea Japan's protectorate in such a way that Korea lost completely sovereignty in foreign relations. Many ministers of the pro-Japan cabinet protested; some of them killed themselves to protest.

 But, Treaty was signed by traitors, especially Lee Wan-yong, one of the five ministers. He was the key person who supported the Korea-Japan Treaty of 1907 which made Japan to control further Korea's foreign policy.

 Finally, in 2010, Lee was the prime minister of the puppet pro-Japan government and signed the illegal and humiliating Korea Annexation Treaty.

For his treachery, Lee was knighted in 1921 by the Japanese emperor; he became Marquis; he became one of the richest men in Korea with confiscated assets including land

 The story we saw illustrates how a week country surrounded by big powers can be destroyed by them, especially, when the country is divided into pro-China group, pro-Russia group and pro-Japan group.

2. Story of Dolphin and Whales of the 21st Century

 We are now in 2021 and more than a century has passed since the Eulsa Treaty of 1905. But, Korea is still surrounded by big powers and it is divided between pro-Japan group of South Korean Conservatives (PJSKC), the pro-Korea South Korean Liberals (PKSKL) and North Korea (NK). Thus there are three Koreas

Story of PJSKC

 Let us begin with the PJSKC group. It is composed of the "chin-il-pa", that is, pro-Japan group who sold Korea to Japan for personal glory, money and power in the 1900s

 The misfortune of Korea was the fact that they were not punished for their collaboration with Japan and, on the contrary, they ruled South Korea for 58 years out of 73 years since 1948.

 They formed the conservative party led by former Japanese officers such as General Park Chung-hee and General Baek Sun-yup who identified themselves more with Japan than with Korea and who have done their best to make South Koreans feel inferior to the Japanese.

 For the South Korean conservatives, North Korea is a dangerous enemy which will surely punish the chin-il-pa, if and when Korea will be reunited. This is the first reason for the PJSKC's not wanting peace on the Korean peninsula.

 There are three more reasons for chi-il-pa's wish to have the North-South tension and object the peace on the Korean peninsula.

 First, the North-South tension has facilitated their electoral victories by fabricating a fear environment leading to the frightened people's preference for the conservatives known for its militarism which is supposed to do better job of dealing with North Korean threat, the threat often fabricated by the conservative media led by Cho-Joong-Dong (Chosun Ilbo, Joongang Ilbo and Dongah Ilbo)

 Second, since the U.S. does not wish to end the Korean War, South Korea being Washington's forefront military base must do what Washington wants. (다음 호에 계속)

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