Joseon–United States Treaty of 1882


A Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation, also known as the Shufeldt Treaty, was negotiated between representatives of the United States and Korea in 1882.
The treaty was written in English and Chinese, with the final draft being accepted at Chemulpo near the Korean capital of Hanseong in April and May 1884. It was Korea's first treaty with a western nation.

Background

In 1876, Korea established a trade treaty with Japan after Japanese ships approached Ganghwado and threatened to fire on the Korean capital city. Treaty negotiations with the U.S. and with several European countries were made possible by the completion of this initial Japanese overture.
Negotiations with China were a significant feature of the process which resulted in this treaty. The Chinese played a significant role in the treaty negotiation, although Korea was an independent country at the time, which was explicitly mentioned in the treaty.

Treaty provisions

The United States and Korea negotiated and approved a 14 article treaty. The treaty established mutual friendship and mutual assistance in case of attack; and the treaty also addressed such specific matters as extraterritorial rights for U.S. citizens in Korea and most favored nation trade status.

Abstract

The treaty encompasses a range of subjects.
The treaty remained in effect until the annexation of Korea in 1910.

Aftermath

The U.S. treaty established a template which was explicitly modeled in treaties with European nations — Germany in 1883, Russia and Italy in 1884, France in 1886, and others as well.
The treaty remained in effect even after the Japanese protectorate was established in 1905, but ended with the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910.