Chongjo dies in 1800 and the new leader re-distributes wealth among the population. The bureaucrats are no longer the wealthy and social status become blurred. SLAVERY decreases and is abolished in 1801 (although a form of private slavery still existed). PEASANTS begin to band together in what is called a Brigandage (group of pillaging and plundering thieves). A new religion is created that is the combination of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism AND Shamanism - the purpose was to promote equality for all, reforms for government and society.
The people of Korea now had had a taste of peasant-rule and would never again give up their voices to a ruler. HOWEVER. Taewon-gun ascended the throne and ruled through the 1860's with an isolationist approach. He limited trade, destroyed or demoted noble families and recreated the bureaucracy to support him. Through the peasants, Taewon-gun lost power in 1873, their hope was to open trade to the westernized world and institute heavy confucian doctrine.
The Factions are still strong, some wished to be pro-Japanese trade, others are pro-Western countries trade. And even though Korea and Japan signed the "Treaty of Friendship" or "Kanghwa", Japan and Korea always fought over trade and China soon entered the mix. The anti-Japanese put Taewon-gun back in power which upset the Japanese enough to use military force against them. In the end, China joined and invaded the country, sending Taewon-gun to jail in Shanghai.
Soon, a progressive party, also pro-Japanese, led a coup d'etat in 1884. Russia steps in and convinces the King and Queen not to be pro-China. These threatening actions intensify British fears, England invades a Korean Island and makes moves to push Russia out. Now four countries are fighting for control over Korea, Russia, China, Britain and Japan. Here is my analogy: Two big dogs (Russia and China) are fighting over a piece of meat ( :/ Korea ) and here comes a person to take the piece of meat away (Britain). Both big dogs guard the meat they are fighting over and snarl at the person, who backs away slowly... Britain does run away but mostly because the fight was between China and Russia. A sly cat (Japan) realizes that the dogs are now paying attention to the person (Britain) and not the the meat (Korea) and steals it behind their backs.
Though it gets quite convoluted who actually has the power in the country, all you REALLY need to know (and I had no clue about until now) is that Japan beats out China and takes over the government within Korea. By 1894, Japan instituted reforms and China lost all influence in Korean life and culture. For being so close to the action all the while, Russia and Japan now get into it. The Russo-Japanese war takes place from 1904-1905.
JAPAN wins and begins to construct its own vision of Korea by building roads, railroads, and communication systems. The PROTECTORATE Treaty of 1905 guaranteed Japanese rule over Korea. I couldn't believe that Korea had become a colony of Japan! (and Taiwan too). The Japanese rule lasted until World War II. Korea suffered economically during this time, for everything that the people worked for, at least 50% went to Japan.
PARTIES: The Independence club -1896
Preservation Society 1904
Society for the Study of Constitutional Government
These organizations became TOO strong that the Japanese disbanded them, including a growing Korean Army in 1907. BUT by 1908, the peasants and trained Korean Army began guerilla warfare to weaken the Japanese grip on Korea. In China, Korean men met and drafted a Declaration of Independence on March 1st. By fate, 33 men signed that document, but the Japanese would have none of it. They killed 7,000, injured 15,000 and arrested 40,000 suspected Independence supporters. The same exiles in Shanghai created a second document called the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in 1919.
Among them was the to-be first President of Korea - Syng-man Rhee. The provisional government split Korea up into 13 provinces with representatives from each province. They recruited troops to go against Japanese-held government. Japan tightened its grip throughout the first World War and instituted a rough police state, which specifically forced all citizens to speak Japanese. The Korean language was not to be spoken at all, EVER. The Korean's pride was also taken when the Japanese forced them to changed their surnames to Japanese style names.
We all may think that World War II was nothing but horrible. And it WAS. However, KOREA could not wait any longer to kick out Japan. Many countries were again concerned with how Korea would be run after the Japanese would be made to leave. Mostly the U.S. and Russia were negotiating how to get Korea back up on its feet. The U.S. wanted everyone's input on how the country should be run independently. Russia refused to allow any naysayers and therefore any peaceful relations for the better of Korea were lost. Russia invades the Northern part of Korea, and the U.S. takes the Southern half of the peninsula. They come to meet and wage raging war on the 38th parallel. A five time turnover of Seoul ends in the U.S.'s hands as the capitol of the south. An armistice was agreed upon in 1953. The 38th parallel to this day maintains the demilitarized zone of division between north and south.
The United States declared free elections and gave a set time for the north and south to hold them. North Korea refused to obey the U.S. demand for elections and began a period of intense isolationism, that we are still familiar with today.
Following the Civil war, a series of Republics of South Korea rise, a first, second, third and fourth. An additional military coup occurred in 1961. (Not that long ago!) Finally you would think that after all those failed Republics, a fifth would do 'er. But NOT! It took SIX tries to finally establish a Republic that incorporated a SMOOTH transition between authoritarianism to democracy.
HOW? - The three major political parties merged to focus on making Korea more democratic. Its firs free and fair election was in 1992. The success was in the hands of newly elected Kim Young Sam. HIs policies are as follows:
1. Work towards CLEAN government
2. Create a SOUND economy
3. Encourage a HEALTHY society
4. Promote peaceful unification.
ONE of the highest priorities that Kim Young Sam spoke in support of was the reunification of North and South. His wish for this is laid out in three principles:
1. Independence based on the wishes and inherent capability of the Korea people
2. Peace without the use of force or the overthrow of the other side
3. Democracy based on freedom and the sovereign rights of all Koreans.
His three idealistic phases would be:
1. Reconciliation and Cooperation
2. Korean Commonwealth - One peaceful coexistence and co-prosperity with a single socio-economic
community
3. Single Nation-State
As we know today, North Korea has denied these prospective ideas for a much more closed society and totalitarian rule over the Korean people.
It makes me sad to see that half of the Korea people live freedom everyday of their lives as if none of their past had ever occurred. The other half of Korea still live in old ages of oppression that has never ceased and generation after generation must continue to suffer this cycle of poverty.
Would I like to see Korea unified? I am pretty sure that my answer is yes. The Korean people should no longer be divided. Could I see this happening in the near future? NO WAY. Unfortunately there is too much dividing these two countries including history and leadership.
That is the end of Korean History and Culture. I hope to enlighten you on some of the newest info regarding relations between North Korea and South Korea in my next post. Thanks for sticking with this load of info. I have learned a lot! I hope you have too :)
-Jess
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