On February 27 1876, Japan forced the feudal Joson dynasty to ink the “Kanghwado Treaty” by dint of military threat, blackmail, deception and trick.
Claiming that Japan should conquer Korea by force of arms based on the “theory of the conquest of Korea” after the Meiji Restoration, Japan stepped up the preparations for an aggressive war against Korea. It was aimed at providing funds for the foundation of capitalism, while appeasing the samurai’s displeasure of the loss of feudal privileges and the anti-government sentiment of the broad masses of the Japanese.
At this juncture, the Japanese warship Unyo intruded into the waters of Korea for destruction and plunder and was met with due bombardment from the Korean artillerymen at Chojijin on Kanghwa Island. This is the Unyogo incident in 1875.
Availing themselves of this opportunity, the impudent Japanese worked to lay a “legal basis” for the subordination of Korea by forcing its feudal government to sign an unequal treaty through military threat.
On the order of their king, the Japanese brought an aggressive fleet to the waters off Kanghwa Island and demanded the feudal Joson government come to a negotiating table. At the talks, they forced the latter to accept their illegal demand and ink a 12-article treaty, known as the “Kanghwado Treaty”, on February 27 1876.
They included extraterritoriality clauses in the treaty to limit Korea’s exercise of sovereignty, thus laying a “legal guarantee” for invasion, plunder and all sorts of wrongdoings in Korea, free from the Korean law.
They also put in a clause for enabling the Japanese to freely survey the Korean coasts and make their maps to pave the way for military invasion.
The Kanghwado Treaty was an aggressive and subordinate treaty which infringed upon the sovereignty and interests of the Korean nation.
Based on the treaty, the Japanese thrust their aggressive tentacles into different fields of Korea including politics, the economy and military. In 1905, they completely occupied Korea by force of arms after fabricating the Ulsa five-point treaty and inflicted untold suffering, misfortunes and disasters on the Korean people while enforcing harsh colonial rule for 40 years.
Many decades have passed since then. However, Japan still refuses to make an apology and atonement for its past crimes.
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