Japan
118-490: Young-sook , also spelled Yong-suk , is a Korean feminine given name. Its meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 75 hanja with the reading " young " and 13 hanja with the reading "sook" on the South Korean government 's official list of hanja which may be registered for use in given names. Names starting with "Young" were popular for South Korean babies of both sexes born in
236-518: A centrally planned industrial economy. South Korea is a multi-party state with a capitalist market economy , alongside membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Group of Twenty . The two states have greatly diverged both culturally and economically since their partition, though they still share a common traditional culture and pre-Cold War history. Since
354-508: A Japanese officer. According to sōshi Kobayakawa, the road became littered with abandoned caps, weapons, and uniforms. The American military advisor to Korea William McDye attempted to rally several dozen troops to fight, but they disobeyed. Around 5 am, the collaborating Korean Vice Minister of Agriculture advised the queen to stay put for her own safety, and that the Japanese would not harm her. Gojong awoke and became alarmed by
472-619: A Silla prince whose influence made Mount Jiuhua one of the Four Sacred Mountains of Chinese Buddhism. Later Silla fell apart in the late 9th century, giving way to the tumultuous Later Three Kingdoms period (892–935), and Balhae was destroyed by the Khitans in 926. Goryeo unified the Later Three Kingdoms and received the last crown prince and much of the ruling class of Balhae, thus bringing about
590-444: A bet running on who could find the queen first. Orbach reasoned that this probably contributed to the eventual brutality of her killing. The assassins began frantically searching for the queen, beating the people in the palace for information, and dragging everyone outside of the inner hall. Women were beaten and dragged by the hair and thrown out of windows and off verandas, with some falling around two meters (around 7 feet) onto
708-554: A class system that consisted of yangban the noble class, jungin the middle class, yangin the common class, and cheonin the lowest class, which included occupations such as butchers, tanners, shamans, entertainers, and nobi , the equivalent of slaves, bondservants, or serfs . In 1592 and again in 1597, the Japanese invaded Korea ; the Korean military at the time was unprepared and untrained, due to two centuries of peace on
826-597: A coup and defeated General Ch'oe Yŏng . Yi Seong-gye named his new dynasty Joseon and moved the capital from Kaesong to Hanseong (formerly Hanyang; modern-day Seoul ) and built the Gyeongbokgung palace. In 1394, he adopted Confucianism as the country's official ideology, resulting in much loss of power and wealth by the Buddhists . The prevailing philosophy of the Joseon dynasty was Neo-Confucianism , which
944-488: A fierce rivalry. Her gender also played a role in how she was perceived; in both Japan and Korea at that time, women were expected to be relatively secluded and it was uncommon for them to hold significant political power. The combination of these factors made her the target of retaliation. Both the Daewongun and the Japanese became involved in efforts to suppress her power. Assassination attempts were made against her in
1062-465: A new renaissance of the Joseon dynasty during the 18th century. In the 19th century, the royal in-law families gained control of the government, leading to mass corruption and weakening of the state, with severe poverty and peasant rebellions spreading throughout the country. Furthermore, the Joseon government adopted a strict isolationist policy, earning the nickname "the hermit kingdom ", but ultimately failed to protect itself against imperialism and
1180-563: A number of assassination attempts. Among her opponents were the king's father the Heungseon Daewongun , the pro-Japanese ministers of the court, and the Korean army regiment that had been trained by Japan: the Hullyeondae . Weeks before her death, Japan replaced their emissary to Korea with a new one: Miura Gorō. Miura was a former military man who professed to being inexperienced in diplomacy, and reportedly found dealing with
1298-657: A number of great powers competing for influence over it. Powers included the Empire of Japan , Qing China , the Russian Empire , and the United States. The strength of each of these powers in Korea changed frequently. Within the Korean government, various politicians, departments, and military units acted according to independent interests and alignments. One prominent faction was led by the father of King Gojong :
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#17327919507851416-618: A result. The Korean Peninsula remained divided, the Korean Demilitarized Zone being the de facto border between the two states. In June 1950 North Korea invaded the South, using Soviet tanks and weaponry. During the Korean War (1950–53) more than 1.2 million people died and the three years of fighting throughout the nation effectively destroyed most cities. The war ended with an armistice agreement at approximately
1534-400: A soldier, Miura was aggressive by nature, and therefore chose to act violently. According to Orbach's analysis, Miura privately despised his superiors, and acted despite their wishes. Miura later wrote of his role in the plot: This was a matter I decided in the space of three puffs on a cigarette... I made my decision and resolutely carried it through. I was surprisingly unconcerned about
1652-403: A time. Then, when we looked under the bedding, there was someone dressed exactly the same as the other court ladies, but quite self-possessed, not making a fuss, looking like somebody important, and this told us it was [the queen]. Grabbing her by the hair, we dragged her from her hiding place. Just what you'd expect, she wasn't in the least bit ruffled... I swung my sword down on her head. Nakamura
1770-457: A unification of the two successor nations of Goguryeo . Goryeo was founded in 918 and replaced Silla as the ruling dynasty of Korea. Goryeo's land was at first what is now South Korea and about 1/3 of North Korea, but later on managed to recover most of the Korean peninsula. Momentarily, Goryeo advanced to parts of Jiandao while conquering the Jurchens , but returned the territories due to
1888-422: Is a regional power and a developed country , with its economy ranked as the world's fourteenth-largest by GDP (PPP) . Its armed forces are one of the world's strongest militaries, with the world's second-largest standing army by military and paramilitary personnel . South Korea has been renowned for its globally influential pop culture, particularly in music ( K-pop ) and cinema , a phenomenon referred to as
2006-445: Is a modern usage to distinguish the ancient Joseon from the later dynasty. It is unclear whether Joseon was a transcription of a native Korean name ( OC * T[r]awser , MC Trjewsjen ) or a partial translation into Chinese of the Korean capital Asadal ( 아사달 ), whose meaning has been reconstructed as "Morning Land" or "Mountain". The Korean Academy claimed ancient hominid fossils originating from about 100,000 BCE in
2124-595: Is clear to myself that when the fateful night came, a month later, their reliance on this assurance led them to omit certain possible precautions, and caused the Queen to neglect to make her escape at the first hint of danger. Around 19 September 1895, Miura met with Adachi. According to Adachi's testimony, Miura euphemistically asked Adachi if he knew of any young men available for a "fox hunt" ( 狐狩り ), and Adachi enthusiastically agreed. He wrote that "his heart leaped with joy" when Miura shared his plan. Adachi cautioned that
2242-471: Is now believed to have been the last kingdom to develop. By the 2nd century, Silla existed as a large state in the southeast, occupying and influencing its neighbouring city-states. In 562, Silla annexed the Gaya confederacy , which was located between Baekje and Silla. The Three Kingdoms of Korea often warred with each other and Silla was often dominated by Baekje and Goguryeo. Silla was the smallest and weakest of
2360-512: Is the fourth-largest in the world, consisting of 4.9% of its population. North Korea is widely considered to have the worst human rights record in the world. "Korea" is the modern spelling of "Corea", a name attested in English as early as 1614. "Corea" is derived from the name of the ancient kingdom of Goryeo . Korea was transliterated as Cauli in The Travels of Marco Polo , of
2478-432: Is written in at least four languages: English, Korean, Japanese, and Russian. For over a century now, scholars from various countries have analyzed varying portions of the body of evidence and have reached differing conclusions on significant issues. Evidence has continued to emerge even into the 21st century, which contributes to ongoing debate. Since its forced opening by Japan in 1876 , Korea had been subjected to
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#17327919507852596-467: The Kanjō shinpō . This newspaper and its employees later became central to the assassination plot. Around 1894, Korea suffered from significant internal instability. The Donghak Peasant Revolution and First Sino-Japanese War for control over Korea concurrently took place on the peninsula. Around this time, the Japanese trained their own battalions of Koreans on the peninsula: the Hullyeondae . Much of
2714-571: The Chinese 高麗 ( MC : Kawlej , mod. Gāolì ). This was the Hanja for the Korean kingdom of Goryeo ( Korean : 고려 ; MR : Koryŏ ), which ruled most of the Korean peninsula during the 12th century. Korea's introduction to the West resulted from trade and contact with merchants from Arabic lands, with some records dating back as far as the 9th century. Goryeo's name
2832-597: The Han dynasty defeated Gojoseon and installed four commanderies in the northern Korean peninsula. Three of the commanderies fell or retreated westward within a few decades, but the Lelang Commandery remained as a center of cultural and economic exchange with successive Chinese dynasties for four centuries. By 313, Goguryeo annexed all of the Chinese commanderies. The Proto–Three Kingdoms period, sometimes called
2950-607: The Han dynasty in 108 BC. It was followed by the Three Kingdoms period, in which Korea was divided into Goguryeo , Baekje , and Silla . In 668 AD, Silla conquered Baekje and Goguryeo with the aid of the Tang dynasty , forming Unified Silla ; Balhae succeeded Goguryeo in the north. In the late 9th century, Unified Silla collapsed into three states, beginning the Later Three Kingdoms period. In 918, Goguryeo
3068-493: The Heungseon Daewongun . The Daewongun, wanting a submissive and obedient wife for Gojong, selected an orphan of the prestigious Yeoheung Min clan for the role, and she became Queen Min. She was widely agreed to be politically savvy and sharp, and she began consolidating power. According to observers, she came to wield even more political power than her husband. The queen forced the Daewongun into retirement, and replaced his allies with her own. The Daewongun and queen developed
3186-675: The Kanjō shinpō Adachi Kenzō described the queen as "that bewitching beauty, who cunningly, ubiquitously, and treacherously manipulated virtuous men for over a generation". They romanticized the male Daewongun as "the old hero", and juxtaposed him to the image of an evil feminine queen. Adachi and others at the Kanjō shinpō referred to her in writings as a "fox" or "vixen", and began frequently commenting to each other that she should be killed, which they described as hōru ( 屠る ; lit. ' to slaughter an animal ' ). Calls for her killing reportedly increased over time. In summer of 1895,
3304-427: The Kanjō shinpō staff were gentle by nature, and that he wanted to recruit others for the plot. Miura rejected this, and asked that Adachi use all of his employees in the interest of secrecy. Adachi recruited all of the Kanjō shinpō staff for the task, and a group of other sōshi . The men were reportedly greatly excited about the coming attack. Journalist Kobayakawa Hideo reportedly almost burst into tears when he
3422-630: The Khitans and the Mongols . Goryeo had a hostile relationship with the Khitans, because the Khitan Empire had destroyed Balhae , also a successor state of Goguryeo. In 993, the Khitans, who had established the Liao dynasty in 907, invaded Goryeo , demanding that it make amity with them. Goryeo sent the diplomat Sŏ Hŭi to negotiate, who successfully persuaded the Khitans to let Goryeo expand to
3540-658: The Korean Peninsula ( 한반도 , Hanbando in South Korea, or 조선반도 , Chosŏnbando in North Korea), Jeju Island , and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically divided at or near the 38th parallel ; in 1948, two states declared independence, both claiming sovereignty over the entire region: North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) in its northern half and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) in
3658-578: The Korean Peninsula . Toyotomi Hideyoshi intended to conquer China and India through the Korean Peninsula, but was defeated by strong resistance from the Righteous Army , the naval superiority of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his turtle ships , and assistance from Wanli Emperor of Ming China . However, Joseon experienced great destruction, including a tremendous loss of cultural sites such as temples and palaces to Japanese pillaging, and
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3776-541: The Korean Wave . North Korea follows Songun , a " military first " policy which prioritizes the Korean People's Army in state affairs and resources. It possesses nuclear weapons , and is the country with the highest number of military personnel , with a total of 7.8 million active , reserve , and paramilitary personnel, or approximately 30% of its population. Its active duty army of 1.3 million soldiers
3894-670: The Military Demarcation Line , but the two governments are officially still at war. In 2018, the leaders of North Korea and South Korea officially signed the Panmunjom Declaration , announcing that they will work to end the conflict. In November 2020, South Korea and China agreed to work together to mend South Korea's relationship with North Korea. During a meeting between President Moon and China's foreign minister, Wang Yi , Moon expressed his gratitude to China for its role in helping to foster peace in
4012-565: The Mongol Empire . Goryeo overthrew Mongol rule before falling to a coup led by General Yi Seong-gye , who established the Joseon dynasty in 1392. The first 200 years of Joseon were marked by peace; the Korean alphabet was created and Confucianism became influential. This ended with Japanese and Qing invasions , which brought devastation to Joseon and led to Korean isolationism. After
4130-543: The Samhan period. Located in the southern part of Korea, Samhan referred to the three confederacies of Mahan , Jinhan , and Byeonhan . Mahan was the largest and consisted of 54 states. Byeonhan and Jinhan both consisted of twelve states, bringing a total of 78 states within the Samhan . These three confederacies eventually developed into Baekje , Silla , and Gaya . The Three Kingdoms of Korea consisted of Goguryeo , Silla , and Baekje . Silla and Baekje controlled
4248-747: The Shandong Peninsula and the mouth of the Yangtze River . Later Silla was a prosperous and wealthy country, and its metropolitan capital of Gyeongju was the fourth largest city in the world. Later Silla experienced a golden age of art and culture, as evidenced by the Hwangnyongsa , Seokguram , and Emille Bell . Buddhism flourished during this time, and many Korean Buddhists gained great fame among Chinese Buddhists and contributed to Chinese Buddhism, including: Woncheuk , Wonhyo , Uisang , Musang , and Kim Gyo-gak ,
4366-576: The Yuan capital to swear allegiance to the Mongols; Kublai Khan accepted, and married one of his daughters to the Korean crown prince, and the dynastic line of Goryeo continued to survive under the overlordship of the Mongol Yuan dynasty as a semi-autonomous vassal state and compulsory ally. The two nations became intertwined for 80 years as all subsequent Korean kings married Mongol princesses, and
4484-705: The last empress of the Yuan dynasty was a Korean princess. In the 1350s, King Gongmin was free at last to reform the Goryeo government when the Yuan dynasty began to crumble. Gongmin had various problems that needed to be dealt with, which included the removal of pro-Mongol aristocrats and military officials, the question of land holding, and quelling the growing animosity between the Buddhists and Confucian scholars. During this tumultuous period, Goryeo momentarily conquered Liaoyang in 1356, repulsed two large invasions by
4602-466: The opening of Korea in the late 19th century, the spelling "Korea" appeared and gradually grew in popularity. The name Korea is now commonly used in English contexts by both North and South Korea. In South Korea, Korea as a whole is referred to as Hanguk ( 한국 ; lit. country of the Han , [haːnɡuk] ). The name references Samhan , referring to the Three Kingdoms of Korea , not
4720-648: The surrender of Japan , the United Nations developed plans for a trusteeship administration, the Soviet Union administering the peninsula north of the 38th parallel and the United States administering the south . The politics of the Cold War resulted in the 1948 establishment of two separate governments, North Korea and South Korea. The aftermath of World War II left Korea partitioned along
4838-774: The 17th century, and had a small enclave in the Ryukyu Kingdom that engaged in trade with Siam and Java. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Joseon enjoyed many benevolent rulers who promoted education and science. Most notable among them was Sejong the Great (r. 1418–50), who personally created and promulgated Hangul , the Korean alphabet. This golden age saw great cultural and scientific advancements, including in printing, meteorological observation , astronomy, calendar science, ceramics , military technology, geography, cartography, medicine, and agricultural technology, some of which were unrivaled elsewhere. Joseon implemented
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4956-551: The 1882 Imo Incident and 1884 Gapsin Coup . In 1894, the Daewongun struck a deal with Japanese military leader Ōtori Keisuke to purge the queen and her allies, but the plot failed, and the queen regained her influence. Beginning around the 1860s, groups of young men called sōshi [ ja ] ( 壮士 ) emerged in Japan and engaged in political violence. They were seen in Japan as violent thugs and looked down upon. They were
5074-495: The 1940s and 1950s, and Young-sook was the most common of these for baby girls. In 2012, there were more than forty thousand South Koreans with the name Kim Young-sook, making it the most common full name in the country. People with this name include: Korea Korea ( Korean : 한국 , romanized : Hanguk in South Korea, or 조선 , Chosŏn in North Korea) is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of
5192-596: The 1960s, the South Korean economy has grown enormously and the economic structure was radically transformed. In 1957, South Korea had a lower per capita GDP than Ghana , and by 2008 it was 17 times as high as Ghana's. According to R. J. Rummel , forced labour , executions, and concentration camps were responsible for over one million deaths in North Korea from 1948 to 1987; others have estimated 400,000 deaths in concentration camps alone. Estimates based on
5310-403: The 38th parallel on 2 September 1945, with the north under Soviet occupation and the south under US occupation supported by other allied states. Consequently, North Korea, a Soviet-style socialist republic was established in the north, and South Korea, a Western-style regime, was established in the south . North Korea is a one-party state , now centred on Kim Il Sung 's Juche ideology, with
5428-452: The 4th century during the rule of Geunchogo when its influence extended across the sea to Liaoxi and Shandong in China, taking advantage of the weakened state of Former Qin , and Kyushu in the Japanese archipelago; however, Baekje was critically defeated by Gwanggaeto the Great and declined. Although later records claim that Silla was the oldest of the Three Kingdoms of Korea , it
5546-572: The Allies , and the Soviet Union and United States agreed to divide Korea into two military occupation zones divided by the 38th parallel, with the Soviet zone in the north and American zone in the south. The division was meant to be temporary, with plans for Korea to be reunited under a single government. In 1948, the DPRK and ROK were established with the backing of each power, and ongoing tensions led to
5664-493: The Daewongun a series of conditions in exchange for power. How the Daewongun responded is not known; one man later testified during his trial that the Daewongun happily accepted the conditions. Okamoto testified that the Daewongun initially rejected them, but eventually relented. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture does not mention whether this meeting took place, and claims that, overall, the Daewongun did not participate in this plot willingly. They originally planned to execute
5782-407: The Daewongun's residence at Gongdeok-ri. They arrived around 2 am, and the leaders went inside to speak with the Daewongun. The negotiations took several hours, and the Japanese negotiators grew impatient. They potentially employed force in getting the Daewongun to agree or move quicker. They boarded him onto a litter , and began carrying him to the palace. On the way, the Daewongun stopped
5900-569: The Gorguryeo forces were decimated by the Tang at the Battle of Mount Jupil . Taizong was later defeated at the Battle of Ansi and withdrew his forces from Goguryeo. After the death of Tang Taizong, his son Emperor Tang Gaozong allied with the Korean kingdom of Silla and invaded Goguryeo again, but were forced to withdraw in 662. However, Yeon Gaesomun died of a natural cause in 666 and Goguryeo
6018-534: The Hullyeondae were loyal to Japan, and developed a strained relationship with the other Korean security forces. This led to a number of violent clashes between them. The sōshi became fixated on the politically-active Korean queen. According to historian Danny Orbach, a mix of sexism, racism, and political agendas led to members of the Kanjō shinpō taking the lead in plotting her assassination. They began to romanticize her killing; in his memoirs, founder of
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#17327919507856136-469: The Japanese Legation on 3 October in a meeting between Miura, Sugimura Fukashi [ ja ] , and Okamoto Ryūnosuke [ ja ] . There is disagreement as to what kind of role the Daewongun had in the plot. According to historians of Japan Orbach and Donald Keene , on 5 October, Okamoto met with the Daewongun and implied that an uprising was imminent. Okamoto offered
6254-500: The Japanese brought back to Japan an estimated 100,000–200,000 noses cut from Korean victims. Less than 30 years after the Japanese invasions, the Manchus took advantage of Joseon's war-weakened state and invaded in 1627 and 1637, and then went on to conquer the destabilised Ming dynasty. After normalising relations with the new Qing dynasty , Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace. Kings Yeongjo and Jeongjo led
6372-498: The Japanese government replaced its envoy in Korea Inoue Kaoru with Miura Gorō. Miura had previously been a soldier and military commander, and he privately professed to loathing politics and politicians. A number of scholars have argued that the reason for Miura's appointment is uncertain. He professed to having little interest or experience in diplomacy, and the post was difficult and important to Japan. He refused
6490-401: The Japanese government's involvement mainly comes from historians of Japan. It further argues that the Japanese government had the incentive to kill the queen, as she was significantly damaging Japan's position in Korea. It points out the odd choice of the inexperienced and militant Miura as the new emissary, and notes that Miura visited Japan for some reason on 21 September, several weeks before
6608-623: The Japanese military. In 1993, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono acknowledged the terrible injustices faced by these euphemistically named " comfort women ". During the Japanese annexation, the Korean language was suppressed in an effort to eradicate Korean national identity. Koreans were forced to take Japanese surnames, known as Sōshi-kaimei . Traditional Korean culture suffered heavy losses, as numerous Korean cultural artefacts were destroyed or taken to Japan. To this day, valuable Korean artefacts can often be found in Japanese museums or among private collections. One investigation by
6726-457: The Korean Peninsula, Goguryeo had many military conflicts with various Chinese dynasties, most notably the Goguryeo–Sui War , in which Goguryeo defeated a huge force said to number over a million men. In 642, the powerful general Yeon Gaesomun led a coup and gained complete control over Goguryeo. In response, Emperor Tang Taizong of China led a campaign against Goguryeo , in which
6844-534: The Korean Peninsula, most of the Goguryeo territories to the north of the Korean Peninsula were ruled by Balhae . Former Goguryeo general or chief of Sumo Mohe Dae Jo-yeong led a group of Goguryeo and Mohe refugees to the Jilin and founded the kingdom of Balhae , 30 years after the collapse of Goguryeo, as the successor to Goguryeo. At its height, Balhae's territories extended from southern Manchuria down to
6962-404: The Korean Peninsula. There was significant emigration to the overseas territories of the Empire of Japan during the Japanese occupation period, including Korea . By the end of World War II, there were over 850,000 Japanese settlers in Korea. After World War II, most of these overseas Japanese repatriated to Japan. Migrants who remained squatted in informal settlements . In 1945, with
7080-562: The Korean Peninsula. Moon was quoted telling Wang during their meeting that "[the South Korean] government will not stop efforts to put an end (formally) to war on the Korean Peninsula and achieve complete denuclearization and permanent peace together with the international community, including China." Assassination of Empress Myeongseong [REDACTED] Korea [REDACTED] Gojong [REDACTED] Min X Around 6 a.m. on 8 October 1895, Queen Min ,
7198-402: The Korean peninsula . Korea under Japanese rule was marked by industrialization and modernization, economic exploitation, and brutal suppression of the Korean independence movement , as reflected in the 1919 March First Movement . The Japanese suppressed Korean culture, and during World War II forcefully mobilized millions of Koreans to support its war effort. In 1945, Japan surrendered to
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#17327919507857316-558: The Multiple States Period, is the earlier part of what is commonly called the Three Kingdoms Period , following the fall of Gojoseon but before Goguryeo , Baekje , and Silla fully developed into kingdoms. This time period saw numerous states spring up from the former territories of Gojoseon, which encompassed northern Korea and southern Manchuria . With the fall of Gojoseon, southern Korea entered
7434-566: The Red Turbans in 1359 and 1360, and defeated the final attempt by the Yuan to dominate Goryeo when General Ch'oe Yŏng defeated a Mongol tumen in 1364. During the 1380s, Goryeo turned its attention to the Wokou threat and used naval artillery created by Ch'oe Mu-sŏn to annihilate hundreds of pirate ships. In 1392, the general Yi Seong-gye overthrew the Goryeo dynasty after he staged
7552-465: The South Korean government identified 75,311 cultural assets that were taken from Korea, 34,369 in Japan and 17,803 in the United States. However, experts estimate that over 100,000 artefacts actually remain in Japan. Japanese officials considered returning Korean cultural properties, but to date this has not occurred. Both Koreas and Japan still dispute the ownership of the Dokdo islets, located east of
7670-488: The ancient confederacies in the southern Korean Peninsula. Although written in Hanja as 韓 , 幹 , or 刊 , this Han has no relation to the Chinese place names or peoples who used those characters but was a phonetic transcription ( OC : * Gar , MC : Han or Gan ) of a native Korean word that seems to have had the meaning "big" or "great", particularly in reference to leaders. It has been tentatively linked with
7788-456: The assassination comes from a variety of sources, including the memoirs of some of the assassins, the testimonies of foreigners who witnessed varying parts of the attack, the testimonies of Korean eyewitnesses, investigations conducted by Japanese emissaries Uchida Sadatsuchi and Komura Jūtarō , and the verdicts of the trials of the assassins in Hiroshima. Evidence for the assassination
7906-470: The assassination. Miura's visit reportedly led to rumors in Seoul that the queen would be assassinated. Also, the article argues that the broad involvement of the Japanese consular police and military in the plot makes the isolation of the plot implausible. According to Orbach, a historian of Japan and other places, Inoue and his superiors in Japan were hesitant about assassinating the queen. Orbach provided
8024-414: The banks of the Amnok (Yalu) River , citing that in the past the land belonged to Goguryeo, the predecessor of Goryeo. During the Goryeo–Khitan War , the Khitan Empire invaded Korea twice more in 1009 and 1018 , but was defeated. After defeating the Khitan Empire, which was the most powerful empire of its time, Goryeo experienced a golden age that lasted a century, during which the Tripitaka Koreana
8142-526: The capital. During this period, laws were codified and a civil service system was introduced. Buddhism flourished and spread throughout the peninsula. The development of celadon industries flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries. The publication of the Tripitaka Koreana onto more than 80,000 wooden blocks and the invention of the world's first metal movable type in the 13th century attest to Goryeo's cultural achievements. Goryeo had to defend frequently against attacks by nomadic empires, especially
8260-487: The consort of the Korean monarch Gojong , was assassinated by a group of Japanese agents under Miura Gorō . After her death, she was posthumously given the title of "Empress Myeongseong". The attack happened at the royal palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul , Joseon . This incident is known in Korea as the Eulmi Incident . By the time of her death, the queen had acquired arguably more political power than even her husband. Through this process, she made many enemies and escaped
8378-485: The court disregarded evidence from Japanese investigators, who had recommended that the assassins be found guilty. The defendants were acquitted of all charges, despite the court acknowledging that the defendants had conspired to commit murder. Miura went on to have a career in the Japanese government, where he eventually became Minister of Communications. The killing and trial sparked domestic and international shock and outrage. Sentiment shifted against Japan in Korea;
8496-525: The fall of Goguryeo, a Goguryeo general by the name of Dae Joyeong founded the Korean-Mohe state of Balhae and successfully expelled the Tang presence from much of the former Goguryeo territories. The southwestern Korean kingdom of Baekje was founded around modern-day Seoul by a Goguryeo prince , a son of the founder of Goguryeo . Baekje absorbed all of the Mahan states and subjugated most of
8614-575: The fight for Korea following the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905). Korea became a protectorate of Japan shortly afterwards. In Manchuria on 26 October 1909, An Jung-geun assassinated the former Resident-General of Korea , Itō Hirobumi , for his role in trying to force Korea into occupation. In 1910, an already militarily occupied Korea was a forced party to the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty . The treaty
8732-420: The following year. Beginning in the 6th century, Silla 's power gradually extended across the Korean Peninsula. Silla first annexed the adjacent Gaya confederacy in 562. By the 640s, Silla formed an alliance with the Tang dynasty of China to conquer Baekje and later Goguryeo . After conquering Baekje and Goguryeo, Silla repulsed Tang China from the Korean peninsula in 676. Even though Silla unified most of
8850-417: The government at home... Whether my behavior was right or wrong, only Heaven can judge. There is disagreement as to whether the mainstream Japanese government had any role in planning the assassination. The South Korean Encyclopedia of Korean Culture , which has been described as one of the most frequently-used encyclopedias for Korean studies , has an article on this incident that claims that denial of
8968-417: The ground. Russian advisor Afanasy Seredin-Sabatin feared for his life, and asked to be spared by the Japanese. He witnessed Korean women being dragged by the hair and into the mud. According to the official Korean investigation report: The Japanese sōshi , numbering thirty or more, under the leadership of a head Japanese, rushed with drawn swords into the building, searching the private rooms, seizing all
9086-442: The harsh climate and difficulties in defending them. The name "Goryeo" (高麗) is a short form of " Goguryeo " (高句麗) and was first used during the time of King Jangsu . Goryeo regarded itself as the successor of Goguryeo, hence its name and efforts to recover the former territories of Goguryeo. Wang Geon , the founder of Goryeo, was of Goguryeo descent and traced his ancestry to a noble Goguryeo clan. He made Kaesong , his hometown,
9204-607: The invasions, an isolated Joseon experienced another nearly 200-year period of peace and prosperity, along with cultural and technological development. In the final years of the 19th century, Japan forced Joseon to open up and Joseon experienced turmoil such as the Gapsin Coup , Donghak Peasant Revolution , and the assassination of Empress Myeongseong . In 1895, Japan defeated China in the First Sino-Japanese War and China lost suzerainty over Korea and Korea
9322-455: The king fled for protection in the Russian legation and anti-Japanese militias rose throughout the peninsula. While the attack harmed Japan's position in Korea in the short run, it did not prevent Korea's eventual colonization in 1910. The assassination is highly contentious in Korea, where it is remembered as a symbol of Japan's historical atrocities on the peninsula. Information about
9440-551: The lava at a stone city site in Korea. Fluorescent and high-magnetic analyses indicate the volcanic fossils may be from as early as 300,000 BCE. The best preserved Korean pottery goes back to the paleolithic times around 10,000 BCE and the Neolithic period begins around 6000 BCE. Beginning around 300 BC, the Japonic -speaking Yayoi people from the Korean Peninsula entered the Japanese islands and displaced or intermingled with
9558-465: The main south Gwanghwamun and north ( 신무문 ; Sinmumun ) gates followed. According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture , around 300 to 400 guards were stationed at the palace. Limited gun fights occurred, and the palace guard abandoned their posts for their own safety. A Korean Hullyeondae commander loyal to the queen, Hong Gye-hun , confronted the attackers. He was shot to death by
9676-467: The men and asked to receive their word that the king and crown prince would not be harmed. They were joined by around sixty men on the way. Among those men were around thirty sōshi , Korean civilians, Hullyeondae, Japanese army officers, and consular policemen. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture writes that the Daewongun and his son were kidnapped ( 납치 ) at this meeting and taken to the palace. According to Orbach, Korean collaborators neutralized
9794-640: The most recent North Korean census suggest that 240,000 to 420,000 people died as a result of the 1990s famine and that there were 600,000 to 850,000 unnatural deaths in North Korea from 1993 to 2008. In South Korea, as guerrilla activities expanded, the South Korean government used strong measures against peasants, such as forcefully moving their families from guerrilla areas. According to one estimate, these measures resulted in 36,000 people killed, 11,000 people wounded, and 432,000 people displaced. The Korean War broke out when Soviet-backed North Korea invaded South Korea, though neither side gained much territory as
9912-582: The murder in mid-October, but officers of the Hullyeondae, especially the Korean commander of the Second Battalion U Pŏm-sŏn [ ko ] , warned the plotters that the queen was about to take action against them. On the 7th, the Korean war minister advised Miura that the court had ordered the disbandment of the Hullyeondae. As the war minister had no authority to disband it, he asked Miura to do it. In reply to this request, Miura reportedly angrily yelled, "You fool, never!" and forced him out of
10030-459: The noise outside. He dispatched a confidant to alert the American and Russian envoys. The assassins surrounded the inner chamber of the palace and blocked all exits. According to historian of Korea Sheila Miyoshi Jager , Miura nor any of the agents knew what the queen looked like, as they had never seen her before. Jager wrote that Miura testified that a screen had always been erected between
10148-427: The north, parts of Inner Mongolia to the west, parts of Russia to the east, and the Seoul region to the south. Goguryeo experienced a golden age under Gwanggaeto the Great and his son Jangsu , who both subdued Baekje and Silla during their times, achieving a brief unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea and becoming the most dominant power on the Korean Peninsula. In addition to contesting for control of
10266-538: The northern Korean peninsula. Balhae was called the "Prosperous Country in the East". Later Silla carried on the maritime prowess of Baekje , which acted like the Phoenicia of medieval East Asia , and during the 8th and 9th centuries dominated the seas of East Asia and the trade between China, Korea and Japan, most notably during the time of Jang Bogo ; in addition, Silla people made overseas communities in China on
10384-636: The original Jōmon inhabitants. The linguistic homeland of Proto- Koreans is located somewhere in Southern Siberia / Manchuria, such as the Liao river area or the Amur region. Proto-Koreans arrived in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula at around 300 BC, replacing and assimilating Japonic-speakers and likely causing the Yayoi migration. According to Korean legend, Dangun , a descendant of Heaven , established Gojoseon in 2333 BCE. In 108 BCE,
10502-436: The outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, which came to involve U.S.-led United Nations and communist Chinese forces. The war ended in stalemate in 1953, but without a peace treaty. A demilitarized zone was created between the countries, approximating the original partition. This status contributes to the high tensions that divide the peninsula, and both states claim to be the sole legitimate government of Korea. South Korea
10620-470: The palace and negotiate a peaceful solution. Sugimura and Miura reportedly gave an evasive reply, writing, "[W]arnings will not be effective. The situation is very dangerous, and it is difficult to know when an incident will occur". According to Orbach and Keene, in the early hours of 8 October, Okamoto, Deputy Consul Horiguchi Kumaichi [ ja ] , Police Inspector Ogiwara Hidejiro ( 荻原秀次郎 ), and an armed group of men in civilian clothing went to
10738-473: The palace guards ( siwidae ). Soldiers were quietly reassigned from their posts or convinced to allow the plot. No guards were stationed on the path to the queen. Around 5 am, as the sun was beginning to break, some of the Japanese policemen climbed the walls of the palace using folding ladders and opened the gates from the inside. The northwest gate ( 추성문 ; Ch'usŏngmun ) and northeast gate ( 춘생문 ; Ch'unsaengmun ) were opened first, then
10856-487: The palace women they could catch, dragging them round by the hair and beating them and demanding to know where the queen was. Two court ladies were suspected of being the queen; they were both slashed to death. The Minister of the Royal Household Yi Kyŏng-chik ( 이경직 ; 李耕稙 ) moved to block the ladies' quarters, where the queen was. His hands were sliced off, and he bled to death. The crown princess
10974-485: The post thrice, and by his own admission thought it complicated and confusing. He felt as though he was being pushed to Korea, and reluctantly accepted the position. When he arrived there, he wrote that he found the queen to be intelligent and condescending to him. Orbach wrote that Miura "felt clueless and helpless" in dealing with her, and that Japan was in fact in a position of weakness in Korea due to Miura's poor performance in his role. Scholars have reasoned that, as
11092-427: The powerful queen frustrating. After the queen began to align Korea with the Russian Empire to offset Japanese influence, Miura struck a deal with Adachi Kenzō of the newspaper Kanjō shinpō and the Daewongun to carry out her killing. The agents were let into the palace by pro-Japanese Korean guards. Once inside, they beat and threatened the royal family and the occupants of the palace during their search for
11210-485: The product of groups such as the shishi and rebel Satsuma Army . Beginning in the 1880s, a number of them moved to Korea. In Korea, they had the right of extraterritoriality and were thus unbound by Korean law. They, in nationalist groups such as Tenyūkyō [ ja ; ko ] and Kokuryūkai , acted with impunity especially in the countryside. A number of the sōshi became journalists, and became associated with various Japanese newspapers in Korea, namely
11328-481: The queen and outside visitors. They had heard the queen had a bald spot above her temple. According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture , British diplomat Walter Hillier testified that the assassins had a photo of the queen. The assassins needed to search for and deduce who the queen was. According to sōshi Takahashi Genji, the two main sōshi factions there, the Freedom Party and Kumamoto Party, had
11446-509: The queen. Women were dragged by the hair and thrown down stairs, off verandas, and out of windows. Two women suspected of being the queen were killed. When the queen was eventually located, her killer jumped on her chest three times, then cleaved her head with a sword. Some assassins looted the palace, while others covered her corpse in oil and burned it. The Japanese government arrested the assassins on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Non-Japanese witnesses were not called, and
11564-399: The reasoning that Inoue had previously offered the queen Japan's protection if she ever felt that she was in danger. However, British explorer Isabella Bird , who was in Korea around this time, wrote of this assurance: The Korean sovereigns would naturally think themselves justified in relying on the promise so frankly given by one of the most distinguished of Japanese statesmen... and it
11682-408: The room. Miura felt that they needed to act quickly, as the Hullyeondae was critical to their plot. He felt that the queen was going to assassinate pro-Japanese Korean politicians to align Korea with Russia. They decided to kill her on the next day, 8 October. According to Orbach, Inoue Kaoru reportedly made a final attempt to stop the assassination. Inoue telegraphed Miura and asked him to visit
11800-530: The south, which fought the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. The region is bordered by China to the north and Russia to the northeast, across the Amnok (Yalu) and Duman (Tumen) rivers, and is separated from Japan to the southeast by the Korea Strait . Known human habitation of the Korean peninsula dates to 40,000 BC. The kingdom of Gojoseon , which according to tradition was founded in 2333 BC, fell to
11918-603: The southern half of the Korean Peninsula , maintaining the former Samhan territories, while Goguryeo controlled the northern half of the Korean Peninsula, Manchuria and the Liaodong Peninsula , uniting Buyeo , Okjeo , Dongye , and other states in the former Gojoseon territories. Goguryeo was a highly militaristic state, and a large empire in East Asia, reaching its zenith in the 5th century when its territories expanded to encompass most of Manchuria to
12036-551: The three, but it used cunning diplomatic means to make opportunistic pacts and alliances with the more powerful Korean kingdoms, and eventually Tang China, to its great advantage. In 660, King Muyeol ordered his armies to attack Baekje . General Kim Yu-shin , aided by Tang forces, conquered Baekje after defeating General Gyebaek at the Battle of Hwangsanbeol . In 661, Silla and Tang attacked Goguryeo but were repelled. King Munmu , son of Muyeol and nephew of General Kim Yu-shin, launched another campaign in 667 and Goguryeo fell in
12154-503: The title khan used by the nomads of Manchuria and Central Asia . In North Korea, Korea as a whole is referred to as Joseon ( 조선 ; lit. [land of the] Morning Calm, [tɕosʰʌn] ). Joseon is the modern Korean pronunciation of the Hanja 朝鮮 , which is also the basis of the word for Korea as a whole in Japan ( 朝鮮 , Chōsen ), China ( 朝鮮 ; Cháoxiǎn ), and Vietnam ( Triều Tiên ). "Great Joseon "
12272-490: The western Korean peninsula (including the modern provinces of Gyeonggi , Chungcheong , and Jeolla , as well as parts of Hwanghae and Gangwon ) to a centralised government; during the expansion of its territory, Baekje acquired Chinese culture and technology through maritime contacts with the Southern Dynasties . Baekje was a great maritime power; its nautical skill, which made it the Phoenicia of East Asia,
12390-517: Was a continuation of Goguryeo (Koguryŏ) the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea , which was officially known as Goryeo beginning in the 5th century. The original name was a combination of the adjectives ("high, lofty") with the name of a local Yemaek tribe, whose original name is thought to have been either " Guru" ( 溝樓 , 'Walled City', inferred from some toponyms in Chinese historical documents) or " Gauri" ( 가우리 , 'Center'). With expanding British and American trade following
12508-505: Was assassinated by Japanese agents. In 1897, the Joseon dynasty proclaimed the Korean Empire (1897–1910). King Gojong became emperor. During this brief period, Korea had some success in modernising the military, economy, real property laws, education system, and various industries. Russia , Japan, France , and the United States all invested in the country and sought to influence it politically. The Russians were pushed out of
12626-446: Was completed, and there were great developments in printing and publishing, promoting learning and dispersing knowledge on philosophy, literature, religion, and science; by 1100, there were 12 universities that produced famous scholars and scientists. Goryeo was invaded by the Mongols in seven major campaigns from the 1230s until the 1270s, but was never conquered. Exhausted after decades of fighting, Goryeo sent its crown prince to
12744-615: Was epitomised by the seonbi class, scholars who passed up positions of wealth and power to lead lives of study and integrity. Joseon was a nominal tributary state of China but exercised full sovereignty, and maintained the highest position among China's tributary states, which also included countries such as the Ryukyu Kingdom , Vietnam, Burma, Brunei, Laos, Thailand, and the Philippines, among others. In addition, Joseon received tribute from Jurchens and Japanese until
12862-578: Was forced to open its borders, beginning an era leading into Japanese imperial rule . Beginning in 1871, Japan began to exert more influence in Korea, forcing it out of China's traditional sphere of influence. As a result of the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–95), the Qing dynasty had to give up such a position according to Article 1 of the Treaty of Shimonoseki , which was concluded between China and Japan in 1895. That same year, Empress Myeongseong of Korea
12980-499: Was holding her by the hair, so his hand got slightly cut. I let her have it from the head, so one blow was enough to finish her. The others criticized me saying I was too reckless, killing her before we had identified that it was [the queen], but later on it turned out it really was. According to the testimony of the Korean crown prince , the killer threw her to the floor, jumped on her chest three times, and slashed her with his sword. It wasn't yet clear to them that they had killed
13098-406: Was initially told to stay behind, and later claimed that he felt like he was among "heroes of a novel" during the assassination. Hirayama Iwahiko [ ja ] reportedly told Adachi's wife that she "must be sorry [she was] born a woman", because she could not join the assassins. According to the verdict of the preliminary court in Hiroshima, the plan was formally approved in a meeting at
13216-433: Was instrumental in the dissemination of Buddhism throughout East Asia and continental culture to Japan. Historic evidence suggests that Japanese culture, art, and language were influenced by the kingdom of Baekje and Korea itself; Baekje also played an important role in transmitting advanced Chinese culture to the Japanese archipelago. Baekje was once a great military power on the Korean Peninsula, most notably in
13334-607: Was placed under further Japanese influence. In 1897, the centuries old Joseon was replaced by the Korean Empire with the Joseon's last king, Gojong , becoming the Emperor of the Korean Empire. Japan's further victory in the 1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War , expelled Russian influence in Korea and Manchuria. In 1905, the Korean Empire became a protectorate of the Empire of Japan . In 1910, the Empire of Japan officially annexed
13452-407: Was resurrected as Goryeo , which achieved what has been called a "true national unification" by Korean historians, as it unified both the Later Three Kingdoms and the ruling class of Balhae after its fall. Goryeo, whose name developed into the modern exonym "Korea", was highly cultured and saw the invention of the first metal movable type . During the 13th century, Goryeo became a vassal state of
13570-948: Was signed by Lee Wan-Yong , who was given the General Power of Attorney by the Emperor. However, the Emperor is said to have not actually ratified the treaty according to Yi Tae-jin. There is a long dispute whether this treaty was legal or illegal due to its signing under duress, threat of force and bribes. Korean resistance to the brutal Japanese occupation was manifested in the nonviolent March First Movement of 1919, during which 7,000 demonstrators were killed by Japanese police and military. The Korean liberation movement also spread to neighbouring Manchuria and Siberia . Over five million Koreans were conscripted for labour beginning in 1939, and tens of thousands of men were forced into Japan's military. Nearly 400,000 Korean labourers died. Approximately 200,000 girls and women, mostly from China and Korea, were forced into sexual slavery for
13688-461: Was the name of the kingdom ruled by the Joseon dynasty from 1392 until their declaration of the short-lived Great Korean Empire in 1897. King Taejo had named them for the earlier Gojoseon ( 고조선 ), who ruled northern Korea from its legendary prehistory until their conquest in 108 BCE by China's Han Empire . The Go- in Gojoseon is the Hanja word 古 and simply means "ancient" or "old"; it
13806-478: Was thrown down the stairs, and the crown prince was similarly threatened. It is not known who killed the queen. Several people boasted of the achievement, with Keene evaluating some testimonies as unconvincing. It was possibly sōshi Takahashi Genji (alias Terasaki Yasukichi) or a Japanese army lieutenant. Takahashi later testified: We went on inside. When we got into [the queen's] room there were some 20 or 30 court ladies in there. We flung them off one at
13924-507: Was thrown into chaos and weakened by a succession struggle among his sons and younger brother, with his eldest son defecting to Tang and his younger brother defecting to Silla. The Tang-Silla alliance conquered Goguryeo in 668. After the collapse of Goguryeo, Tang and Silla ended their alliance and fought over control of the Korean Peninsula. Silla succeeded in gaining control over most of the Korean Peninsula, while Tang gained control over Goguryeo's northern territories. However, 30 years after
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