Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- List of Maps and Tables
- Note on Personal and Place Names
- Note on Currency
- Abbreviations
- British Foreign Secretaries and Diplomatic Representatives in Tokyo and Beijing, 1883–1914
- Preface
- 1 Britain Arrives in Korea
- 2 Administration of Extraterritoriality: The People
- 3 Statutory Background to the Exercise of Consular Jurisdiction
- 4 The Courts: Administration and Caseload
- 5 Criminal Cases
- 6 Civil Cases
- 7 The Sea
- 8 The Bethell Cases
- 9 The Joly Case
- 10 British Claims Against Koreans
- 11 British Protection of Other Foreigners and Koreans
- 12 The End of Extraterritoriality
- 13 Chemulpo and Other Foreign Settlements
- 14 Conclusion
- Appendix I A Selection of British (and Other Foreign) Population Statistics for Korea
- Appendix II A Selection of Statistics from the Trade Returns for Korea
- Notes
- Sources and Bibliography
- Secondary Sources
- Index
1 - Britain Arrives in Korea
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 April 2022
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- List of Maps and Tables
- Note on Personal and Place Names
- Note on Currency
- Abbreviations
- British Foreign Secretaries and Diplomatic Representatives in Tokyo and Beijing, 1883–1914
- Preface
- 1 Britain Arrives in Korea
- 2 Administration of Extraterritoriality: The People
- 3 Statutory Background to the Exercise of Consular Jurisdiction
- 4 The Courts: Administration and Caseload
- 5 Criminal Cases
- 6 Civil Cases
- 7 The Sea
- 8 The Bethell Cases
- 9 The Joly Case
- 10 British Claims Against Koreans
- 11 British Protection of Other Foreigners and Koreans
- 12 The End of Extraterritoriality
- 13 Chemulpo and Other Foreign Settlements
- 14 Conclusion
- Appendix I A Selection of British (and Other Foreign) Population Statistics for Korea
- Appendix II A Selection of Statistics from the Trade Returns for Korea
- Notes
- Sources and Bibliography
- Secondary Sources
- Index
Summary
BRITAIN HAD EXCERCISED extraterritorial rights in Japan since 1859 when the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Commerce signed at Yedo in 1858 between Britain and Japan (Treaty of Yedo) came into force. While aware of Korea, Britain made no attempt to establish links or trade with Korea until the 1880s although several members of the consular service in both Japan and China had visited Korea in the late 1870s and early 1880s.
For much of its recent history Korea had been a tributary state of the Chinese Empire. However, after the Meiji Restoration in Japan in 1868, Japan began to cast its eyes westwards towards Korea and, on 26 February 1876, entered into The Treaty of Amity and Friendship with Korea (Treaty of Ganghwa). This was part of Japan's move to establish parity with the Western nations. The Treaty of Ganghwa provided for Japan to establish a commercial base at Sorio in Busan, where it had had historic trading rights, and for Korea to open two other ports for foreign trade. The treaty also provided for Japanese extraterritorial rights in Korea; but no reciprocal rights were extended to Koreans in Japan.
Article IX:… their respective subjects may freely carry on their business without any interference from the officers of either Government…
In case any fraud be committed, or payment of debt be refused by any merchant of either country, the officers of either one or of the other Government shall do their utmost to bring the delinquent to justice and to enforce recovery of the debt.
Neither the Japanese nor the Chosen Government shall be held responsible for the payment of such debt.
Article X: Should a Japanese subject residing at either of the open ports of Chosen commit any offence against a subject of Chosen, he shall be tried by the Japanese authorities. Should a subject of Chosen commit any offence against a Japanese subject, he shall be tried by the authorities of Chosen. The offenders shall be punished according to the laws of their respective countries. Justice shall be equitably and impartially administered on both sides.
A supplementary treaty, entered into on 24 August 1876, provided:
Article IV: The limits within which Japanese subjects may travel from the port of Fusan shall be comprised within a radius of ten ri, Korean measurement, the landing place in that port being taken as the centre.
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- British Extraterritoriality in Korea 1884-1910A Comparison with Japan, pp. 1 - 22Publisher: Amsterdam University PressPrint publication year: 2021