Emperor Gojong — Pioneer of Modernization or Ruler Who Lost the Nation?

Emperor Gojong (1852-1919) was the 26th king of Joseon and first emperor of the Korean Empire. Enthroned at 12 under his father's regency, he proclaimed the Korean Empire in 1897. Forcibly abdicated by Japan in 1907, he died under mysterious circumstances in 1919.

Evaluations of this figure vary dramatically by country and era.

Korean Evaluations — Two Currents

Positive: "Diplomatic monarch who fought amid great powers"

Since the 1990s, Korean academia has reassessed Gojong.

• Korean Empire proclamation (1897): Declared independence from both Qing China and Japan

• Gwangmu Reforms: Land surveys, modern schools, telephone/electricity/railroad, Western-style military

• Hague Secret Emissary Affair (1907): Sent envoys to the Hague Peace Conference to appeal the injustice of the Eulsa Treaty — failed but became a symbol of diplomatic resistance

In this view, Gojong was not an incompetent king but a monarch who did what he could with extremely limited options while surrounded by imperialist powers.

Negative: "Indecisive ruler who ultimately lost the nation"

• Reform inconsistency: Wavered between reformists and conservatives

• Russian legation refuge (1896): Abandoned his own palace for a foreign legation for a year

• Concession grants: Competitively gave mining, forestry, railway rights to various powers

• No military capability: Failed to build a modern army for armed resistance when needed

Japanese Evaluation

"Incompetent ruler" narrative (pre-war to post-war mainstream)

In the context of justifying Korea's annexation, Gojong was described as incapable of governing. Korea's modernization failure was attributed to Gojong's incompetence, leading to the logic that annexation was "inevitable."

Recent research

Some Japanese scholars like Mori Mayuko are empirically analyzing Gojong's secret diplomacy, questioning the "incompetence" narrative.

Western Evaluation

Western academia predominantly views Gojong as a "victim of the imperialist system." Maintaining independence in late 19th century East Asia was nearly impossible (only Thailand managed). Structural constraints rather than individual capability determined the outcome.

Gojong's Death — Poisoning Theory

Gojong died suddenly on January 21, 1919. Official cause: cerebral hemorrhage. But poisoning theories spread immediately — he was reportedly healthy, his teeth were allegedly missing (poison evidence?), and he died right after Japan learned of his plan to send emissaries to the Paris Peace Conference. His death directly triggered the March 1st Independence Movement (1919.3.1).