1905

A US-Japan accord was reached by William H. Taft, the US Secretary of War, and Count Katsura Taro, the Japanese Prime Minister, in which the US endorsed Japan’s suzerainty over Korea in exchange that Japan does not covet the Philippines.

Koreans considered this to be a violation of the Korean-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, signed on May 22, 1882 in Incheon.

Theodore Roosevelt has Russia sign the Treaty of Portsmouth with Japan, which was tantamount to an admission by Russia that Japan controlled the Korean peninsula. Almost immediately after this treaty was signed, the US withdrew its legation from Korea. It was the first western country to do so.

The Japan-Korea Treaty of 1905, also known as Eulsa Joyak (을사조약), is signed. It turned Korea into a protectorate of Japan and deprived it of diplomatic sovereignty. This treaty was protested by both the common people of Korea and members of the court, including the Emperor himself, who did not assent or sign the treaty.

Emperor Gojong personal letters to various heads of state appealing for their support against the illegal signing. Letters were sent to:

• King Edward VII of the United Kingdom
• President Armand Fallières of France
• Emperor Nicholas II of Russia
• Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary
• King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
• King Leopold II of Belgium
• Emperor Kuang-hsu of China
• Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany

Korea attempted to send 3 secret emissaries to the Hague Convention of 1907 to protest the Eulsa Treaty but were prevented from participating in the conference by the great powers of the world.

Ito Hirobumi is appointed as Resident-General of Korea