Eulsa Treaty

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Eulsa Treaty
Hangul:	을사 조약
Hanja:	乙巳條約
Revised Romanization:	Eulsa joyak
McCune-Reischauer:	Ŭlsa choyak

The Eulsa Treaty was made between Empire of Korea and Empire of Japan on 17 November 1905, influenced by the result of the Russo-Japanese War. The treaty in effect made Korea a protectorate of Japan, though its legal standing is dubious.

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 the 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 18 November 1905, the Korean cabinet signed an agreement that had been prepared by Japanese Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi. Per the Agreement, Japan assumed complete responsibility for Korea’s foreign affairs, and all trade through Korean ports was to be placed under Japanese supervision..

The Japanese government deemed the treaty to have been concluded after it was signed by five Korean officials under duress and without proper authority, who have been reviled by later Korean historians as the Five Eulsa Traitors (乙巳五賊):

Minister of Education Lee Wan-Yong(이완용;李完用)
Minister of Army Lee Geun Taek(이근택;李根澤)
Minister of Interior Lee Ji-Yong(이지용;李址鎔)
Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Je-Sun(박제순;朴齊純)
Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry Kwon Jung-Hyun(권중현;權重顯)

It should be noted that the Treaty was not signed by some notable officials as well, including perhaps most importantly, the Emperor of Korea, whose signature was necessary for any new law or international agreement to take effect per se Korean law of the time:

Emperor Gojong of Korea(고종;高宗)
Prime Minister Han Gyu Seol(한규설;韓圭卨)
Minister of Justice Lee Ha-Young(이하영;李夏榮)
Minister of Finance Min Young Ki(민영기;閔泳綺)

Afterwards, in 1907, Korean Emperor Gojong sent three secret emissaries, including Jun Lee, to the second international Hague Peace Convention to protest the unfairness of the Eulsa Treaty. Unable to gain entry into the convention hall, Lee committed suicide by self-immolation. However, the suicide is dubious whether it is true. Because his death was 10 days after they were refused to enter the hall.

This protest, the lack of the Imperial 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.

This treaty laid the foundation for the so-called Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty in 1910.

The Eulsa Treaty and the subsequent Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of 1910 were mutually declared "already null and void" explicitly by the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea of 1965.

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

[edit] Name

In the Korean calendar, eulsa is the Sexagenary Cycle's 42nd year in which the treaty was signed.

In Japanese, the treaty is known under several names including Second Japan-Korean Convention (第二次日韓協約, Dai-niji Nikkan Koyaku^?), 乙巳保護条約 and 韓国保護条約.