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Treaty of Kanghwa (cont'd)
Korea also suffered from the debasement of its local currency as Japanese capital moved rapidly into circulation. The Japanese bought large quantities of rice from Korea, raising the price beyond what ordinary Koreans could afford. -
Treaty of Kanghwa
The Japanese wanted to "open" Korea as Commodore Perry had "opened" Japan. They used gun-boat diplomacy to force Korea into signing the Treaty of Kanghwa. This was an unequal treaty that gave extraterritorial rights to Japanese citizens in Korea and opened two ports in Korea for Japanese trade. Other colonial powers then followed by making their own unequal treaties with Korea, officially ending Korea's isolationism. -
Tonghak Rebellion (cont'd)
The Tonghak rebellion gave the Japanese an excuse to send military troops to Korea. One month after the end of the rebellion, the Japanese government telegraphed Ōtori Keisuke, the commander of the Japanese forces in Korea, to stay in Korea for as long as possible. -
Tonghak Rebellion
Tonghak–"Eastern Learning" in Korean–was a social movement that called for reform and opposed Westernisation. The Tonghaks demanded a complete restructuring of power and privilege in Korea. When the rebellion led to bloodshed, the king asked China for help in quelling the rebellion. Thus China sent troops to Korea; Japan sent their own troops without being asked. The tension between China and Japan increased. By ending the Tonghak rebellion, Japan destroyed Korea's efforts of self-reform. -
Period: to
First Sino-Japanese War
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Treaty of Shimonoseki
The Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed after Japan's victory in the First Sino-Japanese War. China was forced to recognise the independence and autonomy of Korea, so that Korea was passed into the Japanese sphere of influence.
