On September 20 1875 the Japanese imperialists committed a military provocation with their warship Unyo intruding into the Korean waters.
The Unyo incident was a premeditated move of Japan to invent an excuse for armed invasion on Korea.
After the Meiji Restoration in the mid-19th century, the Korea policy enforced by Japan was the one of “diplomacy for the conquest of Korea”. The diplomacy, which was pursued under the pretext of “restoring diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan”, was aimed at imposing diplomatic pressure on Korea to force an unequal and subordinate treaty on it. It was also aimed at making preparations for armed invasion when the opportunity was ripe while detecting internal affairs of Korea and committing subversive and tricky moves against it.
Accordingly, Japan frequently dispatched aggressor vessels to the southeast coast of Korea to perpetrate espionage acts and show off its military muscles.
The Unyo illegally intruded into the waters off Pusan in May 1875 on the pretext of a firing drill and also trespassed on the Korean waters in September that year on the pretext of “passage survey”.
The intrusions were aimed at making an excuse for forcing an unequal treaty on Korea.
On September 19 the ship illegally entered the waters off Kanghwa Island to reconnoitre waterways and so on in the Wolmi Island area. The following day, it approached the Chojijin battery, an important military fortress on the west coast of Korea. As Korean soldiers took a self-defence measure, the Japanese aggressors fired guns as if they waited for it.
They attacked Hangsan and Yongjong islands which had poor defence installations, killing many innocent residents there and destroying and plundering the islands. But in the end they were driven out by the Korean soldiers. This is the Unyo incident provoked by Japan.
It was Japan’s planned military operation for translating the “theory of the conquest of Korea” into practice.
It is evidenced by the statements of Japanese bigwigs and what Japan did after the incident.
A Japanese army general said, “In September 1875 the captain of the Unyo received from the Japanese naval department secret instructions to carry out a demonstration against Korea on the plea of surveying the sea route from the Korean coast to a place of the Qing Dynasty.”
After the incident, Japan made more desperate attempt to conquer Korea by dint of force.
It shifted all the blames for the incident on to the Korean feudal government in order to cover up the criminal truth of the incident. And it resorted to military threat and blackmail in order to exact an "apology" and "reparations" from the latter. In November 1875 Japan set a policy of “peace negotiation diplomacy”, a variety of the policy of “diplomacy for the conquest of Korea”, and hatched a plot to force a subordinate “treaty of amity and commerce” on the Korean feudal government. The incident was the prelude to Japan’s armed invasion of Korea.
In February 1876 Japan threatened the Korean feudal government by dint of guns and warships to fabricate the heinous “Kanghwado Treaty”. Afterwards, it cooked up the “Ulsa Five-point Treaty” in 1905, the “Jongmi Seven-point Treaty” in 1907 and the “Korea-Japan Annexation Treaty” in 1910, thus turning Korea into its complete colony.
The Korean people suffered untold suffering, misfortunes and disasters under the 40-odd-year-long fascist military rule by the Japanese imperialists.
Japan is an assailant which inflicted enormous damages on the Koreans. It is the legal and moral duty and demand of international law for an assailant to make an apology and reparation to the victim.
Therefore, Japan should make an apology and reparation to the Korean nation.
More From Pyongyang Times
New farmhouses for hundreds of families have been built at the Tangsang Farm in Kwaksan County, North Phyongan Province. A
May 13, 2024
New farmhouses for hundreds of families have been built at the Tangsang Farm in Kwaksan County, North Phyongan Province. A
A press spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce of China resolutely censured the US for its unjust sanctions in a press briefing on
May 13, 2024
A press spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce of China resolutely censured the US for its unjust sanctions in a press briefing on
There are many famous phrases in human history including “Knowledge is power”, “Blood is thicker than water” and “He who
May 13, 2024
There are many famous phrases in human history including “Knowledge is power”, “Blood is thicker than water” and “He who
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on May 7 to condemn Israel’s military attack on Rafah City in the southern part o
May 13, 2024
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on May 7 to condemn Israel’s military attack on Rafah City in the southern part o
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s
May 13, 2024
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s
An oratorical meeting of workers and trade union members took place in Songchon County, South Phyongan Province, on May 10 amid
May 13, 2024
An oratorical meeting of workers and trade union members took place in Songchon County, South Phyongan Province, on May 10 amid
The 37th National Festival of Science and Technology was held at the Sci-Tech Complex in Pyongyang between April 26 and May 9.
May 13, 2024
The 37th National Festival of Science and Technology was held at the Sci-Tech Complex in Pyongyang between April 26 and May 9.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea released the following press statement on May
May 13, 2024
A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea released the following press statement on May
Owners of a new street and addresses are on the increase amid the remarkable change of the Hwasong area in Pyongyang. New street
May 13, 2024
Owners of a new street and addresses are on the increase amid the remarkable change of the Hwasong area in Pyongyang. New street
DPRK players came back home after taking part in the 15th Senior Asian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. They won a diploma and a
May 12, 2024
DPRK players came back home after taking part in the 15th Senior Asian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. They won a diploma and a
The Russian Foreign Ministry called the British ambassador in Moscow on May 6 to strongly protest against the remarks of the
May 12, 2024
The Russian Foreign Ministry called the British ambassador in Moscow on May 6 to strongly protest against the remarks of the
A spring amateur golf tournament took place at the Pyongyang Golf Course. The contest was held, divided into team matches
May 12, 2024
A spring amateur golf tournament took place at the Pyongyang Golf Course. The contest was held, divided into team matches
The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement on May 6 expressed its stand to take a countermeasure against the US’ moves to deploy
May 12, 2024
The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement on May 6 expressed its stand to take a countermeasure against the US’ moves to deploy
A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry said in a press conference on May 7 that they would not forget brutal crimes of NATO.
May 12, 2024
A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry said in a press conference on May 7 that they would not forget brutal crimes of NATO.
Many educational units actively improves their educational conditions and environment, true to the idea of attaching importance to
May 12, 2024
Many educational units actively improves their educational conditions and environment, true to the idea of attaching importance to
Importance is being attached to the role of nurses in the treatment of patients as much as to that of doctors. Nursing was
May 12, 2024
Importance is being attached to the role of nurses in the treatment of patients as much as to that of doctors. Nursing was
Modern dwelling houses for hundreds of families have been built at the Juksan Vegetable Farm in Wonsan City of Kangwon Province. A
May 12, 2024
Modern dwelling houses for hundreds of families have been built at the Juksan Vegetable Farm in Wonsan City of Kangwon Province. A
Days ago, Prime Minister of Japan Kishida said at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives that he
May 12, 2024
Days ago, Prime Minister of Japan Kishida said at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives that he
The 21st May 21 Architectural Festival closed with due ceremony at the Sci-Tech Complex in Pyongyang on May 10. Exchanged at the
May 12, 2024
The 21st May 21 Architectural Festival closed with due ceremony at the Sci-Tech Complex in Pyongyang on May 10. Exchanged at the
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s
May 11, 2024
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s
More Articles