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🇰🇷 South Korea /Conflict & Security

Lessons from the Donghak Rebellion Tragedy for Regaining OPCON

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Context piece
  • The Joseon government's suppression of the Donghak Peasant Revolution in 1894 was effectively controlled by the Japanese army.
  • Japanese officials demanded operational control of Joseon forces to crush the rebels, which the Joseon government conceded.
  • Japanese military directives ordered "utmost severity" and the "slaughter" of Donghak forces, leading to inevitable conflict with Joseon troops.

The suppression of the Donghak Peasant Revolution in 1894 reveals a stark reality of Japanese military dominance over the Joseon government. Following a second uprising fueled by anger over the Japanese army's occupation of Gyeongbok Palace, the Joseon government established the Dosunmuyeong, a supreme military command, appointing Shin Jeong-hee as its commander.

stormed Joseon’s capital and destroyed the royal palace in the middle of the night

— Jeon Bong-junDescribing the Donghak rebels' outrage at the Japanese military's actions.

However, Shin lacked true operational control. This power had been transferred to Commander Koshiro Minami of the Japanese army's 19th infantry. This transfer was solidified by a demand from Inoue Kaoru, the Japanese minister in Seoul, to Foreign Minister Kim Yun-sik, requiring Joseon officials and commanders to "work in concert with our troops so that we may swiftly and effectively crush the rebels." This demand for operational control came just 80 days after Japanese troops had stormed Gyeongbok Palace and taken King Gojong prisoner.

loyalty to the king and patriotism

— Jeon Bong-junExplaining the motivation behind the Donghak uprising.

The Japanese government's policy was further reinforced by directives from Soroku Kawakami, a chief military strategist, instructing "utmost severity" against the Donghak forces. "All must be slaughtered, with no exceptions," he wrote. The collection of letters from Lee Gyu-tae, a vanguard commander of the Joseon army, to Shin chronicles the ensuing conflict and disagreement between the Japanese command's brutal orders and the Joseon military's inability to fully comply, highlighting the tragic subjugation of Joseon's military authority.

make arrangements for local officials and commanders of expeditionary forces to work in concert with our troops so that we may swiftly and effectively crush the rebels

— Inoue KaoruDemanding operational control of Joseon forces from the Joseon Foreign Minister.

Jeon Bong-jun, a leader of the Donghak revolution, expressed the rebels' rage, as documented in his interrogation. He stated they were enraged by how the Japanese military "stormed Joseon’s capital and destroyed the royal palace in the middle of the night," believing an uprising was inevitable to demonstrate their "loyalty to the king and patriotism." The Joseon government, lacking the strength to protest, submitted to Japanese demands, leading to the brutal suppression of the Donghak forces.

All must be slaughtered, with no exceptions

— Soroku KawakamiFurther detailing the severe measures ordered against the Donghak forces.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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