Korean Independence Quotes
The previous year the Japanese had committed to maintaining the independence of Korea. ({613110}). The Japanese then abrogated their treaty, forced Sunjong to abdicate, assassinated his wife, and annexed the country.
Russia was expansionistic even before the 1914 Russian Revolution with the Communists prevailing. I this case, they had designs on Korea. However, so did Japan and the two would fight in the Russo-Japanese War. Of course neither were concerned with what the Koreans wanted which was independence.
The Japanese diplomats of the day maintained that in addition to the special needs of Japan {616181} and {616183}, the “white” powers had colonies and if they left Korea, white nations would simply come in and annex it as a colony. The Japanese saw this as a double standard—white nations could have colonies but Asian nations, no. In reality, Colonialism was fading even in the white nations but Japan was coming to it anew. Their timing was on the wrong cusp of history. The example of Ireland transformed to an independent republic shortly thereafter. For colonialism, the handwriting was on the wall but the Japanese preferred not to look at the trend but the then status quo.
The Koreans in the South wanted no part of Kim and his dictatorship.
