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The Eulsa Treaty or Japan-Korea Protectorate Treaty was made between the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in November 1905.

Eulsa or Ulsa derives the Sexagenary Cycle's 42nd year of the Korean calendar, in which the treaty was signed. The treaty is identified by several names including Second Japan-Korean Convention (第二次日韓協約, Dai-niji Nikkan Kyōyaku), Isshi Hogo Jōyaku (乙巳保護条約) and Kankoku Hogo Jōyaku (韓国保護条約). {{citation}}: Empty citation (help) It was influenced by the result of the Russo-Japanese War.

Background

Following Japan’s victory in the Russo-Japanese War, with its subsequent withdrawal of Russian influence, and the Taft-Katsura Agreement, by which the United States agreed not to interfere with Japan in matters concerning Korea, the Japanese government sought to formalize its sphere of influence over the Korean peninsula.

Delegates of both Empires met in Seoul to resolve differences in matters pertaining to Korea’s future foreign policy; however, with the Korean Imperial palace under occupation by Japanese troops, and the Imperial Japanese Army stationed at strategic locations throughout Korea, the Korean side was at a distinct disadvantage in the discussions.

On 17 November 1905, the Korean cabinet signed an agreement that had been prepared by Ito Hirobumi in the Jungmyeongjeon Hall, a European-style building that was once part of Deoksu Palace. The Agreement gave Japan complete responsibility for Korea’s foreign affairs, and placed all trade through Korean ports under Japanese supervision.

Treaty provisions

This treaty deprived Korea of its diplomatic sovereignty, in effect making Korea a protectorate of Japan. The treaty laid the foundation for the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of 1907 in and subsequent annexation of Korea in 1910.

The treaty was deemed to have gone into effect after it received the signature of five Korean ministers:

• Minister of Education Lee Wan-Yong (이완용;李完用)
• Minister of Army Yi Geun-taek (이근택;李根澤)
• Minister of Interior Yi Ji-yong (이지용;李址鎔)
• Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Je-sun (박제순;朴齊純)
• Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry Gwon Jung-hyeon (권중현;權重顯)

Emperor Gojong of Korea, did not assent or sign the treaty. Other officials who disputed the treaty included:

• Prime Minister Han Gyu-seol (한규설;韓圭卨)
• Minister of Justice Yi Ha-yeong (이하영;李夏榮)
• Minister of Finance Min Yeong-gi (민영기;閔泳綺)

The provisions of the treaty took effect in January 1885.

Controversy

Gojong sent personal letters to major powers to appeal for their support against the illegal signing. As of February 21, 2008, 17 of which bearing his imperial seal have been confirmed sent by Emperor Gojong, including 7 of which are:

• United Kingdom
• France
• Russia
• Austria-Hungary
• Italy
• Belgium
• Qing China
• Germany which was personally handwritten by Gojong

In 1907, Korean Emperor Gojong sent three secret emissaries to the second international Hague Peace Convention to protest the unfairness of the Eulsa Treaty. But the great powers of the world refused to allow Korea to take part in this conference.

Not only the Emperor but the other Koreans protested against the Treaty. Jo Byeong-se and Min Yeong-hwan, who were high officials and led resistance against Eulsa treaty, killed themselves as resistance. Local yangbans and commoners joined righteous armies. They were called "Eulsa Euibyeong" (을사의병, 乙巳義兵) meaning "Righteous army against Eulsa Treaty"

This protest, the lack of the royal assent, and the intimidation by Japanese troops during the negotiations have been used by later historians and lawyers to question the legal validity of the treaty, as being signed under duress, though the treaty remained uncontested internationally until Japan's defeat in World War II.

Aftermath

This treaty, later, was confirmed to be "already null and void" by Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea concluded in 1965.

In a joint statement on 23 June 2005, officials of South Korea and North Korea reiterated their stance that the Eulsa treaty be null and void on a claim of coercion by the Japanese.

South Korea is currently seizing property and other assets from the descendants of people who have identified as Japanese collaborators at the time of the treaty.

See also

• Unequal Treaties
• History of Korea
• History of Japan
• Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty
• Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty of 1907
• List of Korea-related topics
• Liancourt Rocks

References

1. Pak, Chʻi-yŏng. (2000). Korea and the United Nations, pp. 6-7., p. 6, at Google Books; excerpt, "... as a first step towards the final annexation of Korea in 1910, Japan forced the Korean king, Kojong, to accept the protectorate treaty {known as the Ulsa Protectorate Treaty) after Japan had defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), following its victory in the Sino-Japanese War (1904-1995);" Cordier, Henri et al. (1905). "Traité entre le Japon et la Corée," Revue internationale de Sinologie, p. 633-634., p. 633, at Google Books
2. Kodansha encyclopedia of Japan, Vol 4, 1983, p.289; Ulsa is the designation in the sexagenary cycle for the year corresponding to 1905
3. Clare, Israel et al. (1910). Library of universal history and popular science, p. 4732., p. 4732, at Google Books
4. ^ "Deoksu Jungmyeongjeon". 2008-06-23. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
5. United States. Dept. of State. (1919). Catalogue of treaties: 1814-1918,p. 273., p. 273, at Google Books
6. Uk Heo, Terence Roehrig (2010). South Korea Since 1980. Cambridge University Press. p. 9.
7. "Independence leader Kim Koo". 2008-04-28. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
8. ^ "Emperor Gojong's letter to German Kaiser discovered". 2008-02-21. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
9. The history of Korea, pp.461~462, by Homer Hulbert
10. Carnegie Endowment (1921). Pamphlet 43: Korea, Treaties and Agreements," p. vii., p. vii, at Google Books
11. The signers of the treaty have been criticized by later Korean historians as the Five Eulsa Traitors
12. "Emperor Gojong's Letter to German Kaiser Unearthed". 2008-06-21. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
13. "Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea". "It is confirmed that all treaties or agreements concluded between the Empire of Japan and the Empire of Korea on or before August 22, 1910 are already null and void."
14. Julian Ryall (14 July 2010). "South Korea targets Japanese collaborators' descendants". telegraph.co.uk.

References

• Beasley, William G. (1987). Japanese Imperialism, 1894-1945. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 10-ISBN 0198215754/13-ISBN 9780198215752; 10-ISBN 0198221681/13-ISBN 9780198221685; OCLC 14719443
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Division of International Law. (1921). Pamphlet 43: Korea, Treaties and Agreements." The Endowment: Washington, D.C. OCLC 1644278
• Clare, Israel Smith; Hubert Howe Bancroft and George Edwin Rines. (1910). Library of universal history and popular science. New York: The Bancroft society. OCLC 20843036
• Cordier, Henri and Edouard Chavannes. (1905). "Traité entre le Japon et la Corée," Revue internationale de Sinologie (International Journal of Chinese studies). Leiden: E. J. Brill. OCLC 1767648
• Duus, Peter (1995). The Abacus and the Sword: The Japanese Penetration of Korea, 1895-1910. Berkeley: University of California Press. 13-ISBN 9780520086142/10-ISBN 0520086147; 13-ISBN 9780520213616; 10-ISBN 0520213610; OCLC 232346524
• Pak, Chʻi-yŏng. (2000). Korea and the United Nations. The Hague: Kluwer Law International. 10-ISBN 9041113827/13-ISBN 9789041113825; OCLC 247402192
• United States. Dept. of State. (1919). Catalogue of treaties: 1814-1918. Washington: Government Printing Office. OCLC 3830508

• Japan–Korea relations
• Anti-Japanese sentiment in Korea
• History of the foreign relations of Japan
• Unequal treaties
• 1905 in Japan
• Treaties concluded in 1905
• Treaties of the Empire of Japan
• Treaties of the Korean Empire