Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907


The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907 was made between the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1907. Negotiations were concluded on July 24, 1907.

Treaty provisions

The treaty provided that Korea should act under the guidance of a Japanese resident general. The effect of the treaty's provisions was that the administration of internal affairs was turned over to Japan.
The Korean Empire had become a protectorate of Japan under the terms of the earlier Eulsa Treaty on 1905, and had thus lost the right to conduct diplomatic exchanges with other countries. Korean Emperor Gojong sent an envoy in secret to the Hague Conference on World Peace to protest Japan's actions. In retaliation, on July 18, 1907, Japan made Emperor Gojong abdicate in favor of his son Sunjong.
Six days later, a new agreement was forced on the Korean government. Provisions in this new treaty gave the Japanese Resident-General the right to appoint and dismiss high-ranking officials and stipulated that all high-ranking officials appointed to the Korean government must be Japanese. This brought the internal government of Korea fully under the control of Japan. The unpublished section of the treaty also placed the Korean army under Japanese leadership, and handed over judicial and policing powers.

Translation of full text

"The Governments of Japan and Korea, with a view to the early attainment of prosperity and strength in Korea and the speedy promotion of the welfare of the Korean people, have agreed upon and concluded the follow stipulations:
Based on the import of the Japan-Korea treaty of the 40th year of the Meiji era, the following items shall be enacted.
 The following courts, composed of people from both Japan and Korea, shall be newly established.
The President and Attorney General of the Court shall be Japanese.
Two of the Justices and five of the secretaries shall be Japanese.
One shall be located in the central region, and one each in the northern and southern regions.
Two of the Justices, one of the attorneys and five of the secretaries shall be Japanese.
One of these shall be located at each of the locations of the prosecutor's offices in the eight former provinces
The chief prosecutors and head attorneys shall be Japanese.
32 of all attorneys and 80 of all secretaries shall be Japanese, and shall be allocated as appropriate given the degree of work required.
Thesе are to be located in the locations of important regional offices
One of the attorneys and one of the secretaries is to be Japanese.
The following prisons shall be newly established.
One prison shall be located in the same area as each of the district courts, and one prison on one of the islands. The governor shall be Japanese.
Half the prison staff, consisting of the head warden and levels below, shall be Japanese.
Military forces shall be arranged as follows.
All those currently in the service of Korea with the position of advisor or parliamentary councillor shall be removed from their duties.
The following Japanese shall be appointed as officials in the Korean central government and local authorities.
The matter of other appointments of Japanese as officials in the areas of finance, policing and technology shall be set down by a later agreement.