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Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
Japanese Name
Kanji	日韓併合条約
Hiragana	にっかんへいごうじょうやく
Rōmaji	Nikkan Heigō Jōyaku
Korean Name
Hangul	한일병합조약 (한일합방조약, 한일합방늑약)
Hanja	韓日倂合条約 (韓日合邦条約, 韓日合邦勒約)
Revised Romanization	''Hanil Byeonghap Joyak'' (''Hanil Hapbang Joyak'', ''Hanil Hapbang Neugyak'')

The 'Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty' was signed on August 22, 1910 by the representatives of the Korean and Japanese Imperial Governments, and was proclaimed to the public (and became effective) on August 29, officially starting the period of Japanese rule in Korea. The treaty had eight articles, number one being: "His Majesty the Emperor of Korea makes the complete and permanent cession to His Majesty the Emperor of Japan of all rights of sovereignty over the whole of Korea."
In Korea these days, the treaty is also commonly called "''Hanil Hapbang Neugyak'' (한일 합방 늑약)," which simply means a coerced (and hence invalid) treaty ("''neugyak''") of Korea's annexation to Japan. The event itself is also called "''Gyeongsul Gukchi'' (경술국치)," which means "the humiliation of the nation in the Year of the Dog." The day it happened, August 29th, is remembered today as "''Gukchi-il'' (국치일)," that is, "the day of national shame."
The legality of the Treaty is disputed, and its legitimacy has been rejected in Korea ever since, and later by the Allied forces that occupied Japan at the end of World War II. The Emperor of Korea, Emperor Yung-hui, refused to sign the treaty as required, and the treaty, while affixed with the national seal of the Korean Empire, does not bear his signature as dictated by Korean law. The treaty was instead signed by Prime Minister Lee Wan-Yong of Korea and Resident General Count Terauchi Masatake of Japan. In his last testament in 1926, Emperor Yung-hui affirmed that the treaty was forced through by ministers threatened and bribed by the Japanese. It is believed that the seal was originally hidden by Empress Sunjeong, and that it was physically forced off her by others. The people who signed and agreed to the treaty were Korean ministers who had secretly agreed with the Japanese government prior to the actual signing of the treaty. ^[2]
The 1965 Treaty of Basic Relations between South Korea and Japan declared that

''It is confirmed that all treaties or agreements concluded between the Empire of Japan and the Empire of Korea on or before August 22, 1910 are already null and void''.

Japan interprets the above clause to mean that the 1910 treaty was initially valid, while both South and North Korea interpret the clause to mean the treaty was invalid from the beginning. However, the end paragraph of the Treaty provides that, in case of conflict of interpretation between Japanese and Korean texts, the interpretation of the English text, which is of the same authenticity as the other two, shall prevail. Therefore, the stance of the Korean government shall be upheld on the question of interpretation of this article.^[3]

Contents

See also

References

External links

See also

★ Eulsa Treaty

★ Unequal Treaties

★ List of Korea-related topics

★ Korea under Japanese rule

References

1. [1]]
2. "Annexation of Korea"
3. Was the 1910 Annexation Treaty Between Korea and Japan Concluded Legally?, , Yutaka, Kawasaki, Murdoch University Journal of Law,

External links

★ Japan – Korea Annexation Treaty (English)