Overview
In July 1907, theHistorical context and description
In 1906, the 44th year of King Gojong of Joseon, Gojong’s reign, Ito hirobumi, Ito Hirobumi was installed as the first Japanese Resident-General of Korea. As Imperial Japan hurried to annex Korea outright, Gojong attempted to appeal to world leaders by sending a secret delegation to the Hague Secret Emissary Affair, Hague Convention of 1907. The Japanese soon discovered Gojong's plan and forced him to abdicate in July 1907, then forced his successor Sunjong to sign the Japan-Korea Third Treaty of 1907, Jeongmi Treaty of 1907. The treaty disbanded the Armed Forces of the Korean Empire, which was the last remaining military force of the Korean Empire. On August 1 at 8:00 a.m., the 1st Battalion (unarmed 1st Siwi Regiment) was about to depart for the training center where the disbandment ceremony was to take place. The 1st Battalion Commander Major Park Seung-hwan (1869-1907), wrote a note on a paper in protest against the disbandment of the armed forces, "I could die ten thousand times because I couldn’t protect my country as a soldier.” Then Park committed suicide by shooting himself. His suicide enraged the soldiers, who extorted ammunition and armaments, arranged sentries around the barracks, and started to open fire with guns against the Imperial Japanese Army, Japanese army. The 2nd Infantry Regiment (Korean Empire), 2nd Infantry Regiment or 1st Battalion inside Sungnyemun Gate, heard the gunshots around Seosomun Gate. They arrived and also opened fire on the Imperial Japanese Army. Around 9:30 am, the Imperial Japanese Army had its 51st Infantry Regiment (Japan), 51st Infantry Regiment's first, second, and third battalions fire indiscriminately with machine guns installed on the rampart of Sungnyemun. The Korean forces' armaments were vastly inferior to the Japanese army's. Therefore, the Namdaemun Barracks has occupied around 10:50 the Imperial Japanese Army took a.m., and the Seosomun Barracks around 11:40 a.m. A significant part of the Imperial Korean Armed Forces kept resisting outside Seosomun Gate. Many of the disbanded soldiers joined the Righteous armies, Righteous Armies to fight. They strengthened a foundation for the Righteous Armies’ Battle of 1907, which led to the Anti-Japanese War of the Righteous Armies. A geographical map of Gyeongseong in 1903 shows that the Barracks of the 1st Battalion (currently 120 in Seosomun-dong) and the Barracks of the 2nd Battalion (now 34 in Nanchang-dong) were located in the southeast of Seosomun Gate and Sungnyemun Gate, respectively. Seosomun and Sungnyemun are the places where the street battle exploded. This site now corresponds to the current KCCI, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.Analysis
The Battle of Namdaemun against Japan sparked the desire to resist the dissolution of the Korean army. From an international point of view, the battle was a small combat action because of the small size of the Korean forces. Indeed, Korean soldiers numbered only 3,000 during this battle. On the other hand, this event was necessary from a Korean national point of view because almost all of the capital Foot Guards, guards were committed to it. There were 20,000 Korean soldiers in the country and only 4,000 in the capital city.Aftermath
Many members of the Korean Empire Armies were killed or captured during the Battle of Namdaemun.The Righteous Army
Before the Battle of Namdaemun, the Righteous Army was mainly composed of poor peasants, fishers, tiger hunters, miners, merchants, and laborers. After the Battle of Namdaemun, many regular army members joined the Righteous Army in 1907.Cultural references
* ''Mr. Sunshine (South Korean TV series), Mr. Sunshine'' (2018 Korean drama)See also
* Hague Secret Emissary Affair * Itō Hirobumi * Ye Wanyong * Sunjong of Korea *Notes
References
{{Reflist 1907 in Korea Military history of Korea Korea under Japanese rule Battles involving Japan, Namdaemun Battles involving Korea, Namdaemun Conflicts in 1907, Namdaemun