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 1026 JAPAN : — KOREA AND OTHER POSSESSIONS

Naval Attache.— Q>d.\>t2i\n Sir D. Brownrigg, Bart,, R.N. Military Attache. — Lieut. -Col. John A. C. Somervillc. Japanese Secretary. — E. M. Hobart-Hampden. Covi7rtercia/ Attache.— 'E. T. F. Crowe, C.M.G.

There are Consular Representatives at Dairen (Dalny), Hakodate, Kobe, Nagasaki, Shimonoseki, and Yokohama, and at Tainan and Tamsui in the Island of Formosa.

KOREA.

(Oh'ao-hsien, or Chosen, or Dai Han.)

Government. — The ex-Emperor, whose surname is Yi and name Chuk, was born March 25, 1874, and succeeded his father, Yi Hiung, on his abdication, July 20, 1907. He is reckoned as the thirty-first in succession since the founding of the dynasty in 1392 ; but four of the so-called Kings were Crown Princes who never ascended the throne.

By the treaty of Shimonoseki, May, 1895, China renounced her claim on Korea, and under Japanese influence many reforms were introduced. On Februat}^ 23, 1904, an agreement was signed at Seoul on behalf of Japan and Korea, the Japanese Government undertaking to ensure the safety of the Korean Imperial House and guaranteeing the independence and terri- torial integrity of the country, while the Korean Government, placiug full confidence in the Japanese Government, agreed to adopt Japanese advice with respect to administrative improvements.

Under the Russo-Japanese treaty of peace of September 5, 1905, Russia acknowledged Japan's paramount interests in Korea, and engaged not to obstruct nor interfere with the measures of guidance, protection, and control which Japan may take in Korea. The Anglo-Japanese agreement of August 12, 1905, contains similar recognition on the part of Great Britain. On November 17, 1905, there was signed between Korea and Japan an agreement placing in the hands of the Japanese Government the control and direction of the foreign relations of Korea. By this agreement it Avas provided, inter alia, that a Japanese Resident-General should be stationed in Seoul, and the first Resident-General (Marquis Ito) took up his appointment on March 2, 1906. On July 31, 1907, a further agreement was concluded with Japan, by the terms of which all administrative measures and all high official appointments were made subject to the approval of the Resident General, and Japanese subjects were made eligible for official positions in Korea. A new Convention was concluded on July 12, 1909, whereby the Government of Korea delegated to the Government of Japan the adminis- tration of justice and prisons in Korea. By a further treaty concluded between Japan and Korea on August 23, 1910, the Korean territory was formally annexed to the Empire of Japan. The Emperor was deprived of all political power, and was accorded the title of Prince Yi, and his father (the former ex-Emperor) that of Prince Yi, Senior. The title of the country was changed to "Chosen," and the office of Ja^^anese Governor- General established. Henceforth Korea became an integral part of the Japanese Empire. Members of the Korean Imperial House and the late Korean Cabinet have had Japanese patents of nobility conferred upon them.

First Governor- General. — His Excellency General Count Terauclii.