Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910

Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, also known as the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty, was an agreement signed on August 22, 1910, and proclaimed a week later, which formally annexed the Korean Empire to the Empire of Japan. The treaty marked the culmination of a process of increasing Japanese influence and control over Korea, following earlier agreements like the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905 and the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907. It resulted in the dissolution of the Korean Empire and the beginning of a colonial period that lasted until the end of World War II in 1945.

Background and context

The path to annexation began with the First Sino-Japanese War, which ended with the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895 and removed Chinese suzerainty over Korea. Subsequent rivalry with the Russian Empire culminated in the Russo-Japanese War, a Japanese victory that was formalized by the Treaty of Portsmouth. Following this, the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905, brokered by Itō Hirobumi, established a Japanese protectorate over Korea. The forced abdication of Emperor Gojong in 1907 and the signing of the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907 further transferred administrative power to Japan. The assassination of Itō Hirobumi by An Jung-geun in 1909 provided the pretext for the final move toward outright annexation, advocated by figures like Terauchi Masatake.

Terms and provisions

The treaty consisted of eight articles that transferred all sovereignty from the Korean Empire to the Empire of Japan. Key provisions included the complete and permanent cession of all rights of sovereignty by the Emperor of Korea to the Emperor of Japan. The Korean government was to be dissolved, and the territory was to be governed by a Japanese Governor-General appointed by Tokyo. The treaty promised that Koreans would be accorded "full and complete" enjoyment of property and that those who demonstrated loyalty to the new regime would be eligible for official positions. All treaties previously concluded by Korea with other nations were declared null and void.

Signing and immediate aftermath

The treaty was signed on August 22, 1910, at the Resident-General's office in Keijō (modern-day Seoul). It was signed by Terauchi Masatake, the incoming Governor-General, and Yi Wan-yong, the Prime Minister of the Korean Empire. The Emperor Sunjong issued a proclamation of annexation on August 29, the same day the treaty was promulgated and came into force. Immediately, the Korean Empire Army was disbanded, the Korean nobility was incorporated into the Japanese peerage, and the Japanese yen replaced the Korean won as currency. The office of the Resident-General was abolished and replaced by the Government-General of Chōsen.

International reaction and legal status

Major world powers, including the United Kingdom through the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and the United States via the Taft–Katsura agreement, had already recognized Japan's sphere of influence in Korea and did not formally protest the annexation. The Russian Empire and France also acquiesced. Consequently, the treaty was registered with the League of Nations after its establishment. However, the treaty's validity has been widely contested, with Korean and many international scholars arguing it was signed under duress and military occupation, making it an unequal treaty and invalid under contemporary principles of international law, such as those later codified in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

Consequences and legacy

The annexation initiated the Japanese colonial period, characterized by policies of cultural assimilation, economic exploitation, and political repression, including the suppression of the March 1st Movement in 1919. Infrastructure projects like the Gyeongbu Line railway were built, but primarily to serve Japanese interests. The period also saw the mobilization of Koreans for labor during World War II and the recruitment of comfort women. The colonial rule ended with Japan's surrender in 1945 and the subsequent Division of Korea under American and Soviet administration. The treaty's legacy remains a profound source of historical contention between Japan and both Koreas, impacting modern diplomatic relations and issues of historical interpretation.

Category:1910 in Japan Category:1910 in Korea Category:Treaties of the Korean Empire Category:Treaties of the Empire of Japan Category:August 1910 events