Korean Empire

The Korean Empire, otherwise known as the Daehan Empire, came into being on October 13, 1897. At this time, Gyeongungung Palace (renamed Deoksogung in 1907) changed its status from being a temporary palace to the main palace and later western style buildings were incorporated, although many were eventually lost to fire or demolished under Japanese rule. King Gojong was the final king of the Joseon Dynasty, but the country came under threat from foreign powers, so he took what he thought were the necessary steps to protect it by changing its name from the Joseon Dynasty to the Korean Empire, with him becoming known as an emperor rather than a king. In this role he made attempts to put into place major modernisation reforms, known as the Hongbeom Sipsajo, or the 14 Great Rules. However, Japan took control of the Korean Empire’s international affairs and by 1910 they gained full control. Prior to this, the Korean Empire had increasing contact with foreigners from countries such as America and England and had engaged in successful diplomatic relations with several countries. By the middle of the 1880s there was a growth in the number of foreign settlements around the capital area, and with that an increase in the number of foreigners present, as awareness of the capital grew. With this growth came the incorporation of Western architecture and concepts within the capital, resulting in the gradual modernization of its society. Emperor Gojong’s wish to modernize his country led to him seeking capital from other countries, but his attempts were obstructed by Japan, who sought control for itself. He was eventually forced to abdicate in 1907 and was replaced by his son, Emperor Sunjong, until 1910, marking the end of the Korean Empire and the beginning of the Japanese Colonial Period.