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1896. • Saturday, May 9th (New York and Lucania Steamship-Boarding the Lucania at 1 p.m. Reminiscences and summaries of New York) Praise for Japan is on the lips of all races living in New York, while no one wants to know about the tragic disaster that befell the Joseon royal family. Is it true that everything is justified if you have power? ( Around 6 a.m. on 8 October 1895, Queen Min, the consort of the Korean monarch Gojong, was assassinated by a group of Japanese agents under Miura Gorō. After her death, she was posthumously given the title of “Empress Myeongseong”. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Empress_Myeongseong ) . . • Thursday, May 21 The Japanese delegation seemed to be trying hard to present themselves as the most stylish and enviable country in the East in European dress. The Persian delegation was attended by a handsome man in a fancy suit. But even such a man was known to have had his king recently murdered and his government divided between the British and Russian factions. When I think of the miserable state of our country, I cannot help but think that our poor representatives are bound to be the objects of contempt and ridicule from the representatives of other happy nations. . . . • Sunday, May 24th Meeting with Li Hongzhang (Qing Dynasty special envoy delegation). The conversation between Li Hongzhang and Min Young-Hwan is roughly as follows. Li Hongzhang: Was the King at the Russian embassy at that time? Min Young-Hwan: Yes. Li Hongzhang: Is Min Young-Hwan a member of the Daewongun faction or an opponent? (Min Young-Hwan hesitated, then changed the subject and did not answer the question.) Li Hongzhang: Who assassinated the queen? Min Young-Hwan: Since I have filed an official report, His Majesty will know who assisted in the crime. Li Hongzhang: I can’t believe it. Don’t Koreans like Japan? Min Young-Hwan: Some people like Japan, but some don’t. It was like that in China. Only after being hit by this last word did the old man become quiet. I was completely disappointed in Li Hongzhang. People spread the praise of Li Hongzhang abroad loudly, and they believed that he was qualified. . . . • Tuesday, May 26th We were sitting in the waiting room with representatives from Bokhara (Uzbekistan), Mongolia, and India. The look on their faces as they tried to hold back their laughter at the sight of us was quite a sight. They seemed to think of us as ambassadors from a poor country, with our loud horned hats and goblin-like official uniforms. When I think of the desperate conditions in Joseon right now, my whole body feels like it’s being crushed by pain. I felt bitter pain when I saw the prosperity, pride and glory of their countries in the appearance and gait of the ambassadors of other countries. If there was no place called ‘heaven’, people would have created heaven for the country called Joseon. The existence of Koreans was enough to make me see them as people from the ‘other world’, not this world. . . . • Thursday, August 13th At 4 p.m., I visited Yashiro, the naval attaché at the Japanese embassy. The first thing he said when we met was, “A lot of Russian military instructors are going to Korea, aren’t they?” So I answered, “Only one person goes to be a military instructor for the Russian government.” Then the naval officer said in a sarcastic tone, “I heard that your country’s plenipotentiary telegraphed to the Joseon government that ‘all is well’?” I answered seriously, “Well, I didn’t know that Min Young-Hwan had sent such a telegram.” Then Yashiro spoke again, as if he doubted my denial that such a thing had happened. . . . . • Wednesday, August 19th Rainy and cool weather, I traveled on the Russian Railways all day long, lost in thought (omitted). Yes, my Russian journey is one of the bitter episodes in the history of my life. But whose fault is it? Needless to say, it is absolutely due to my inability to control my arrogant feelings of bureaucratic superiority and my prejudices. Now it is all over. I hope so. . . . source: https://m.monthly.chosun.com/client/news/viw.asp?ctcd=&nNewsNumb=201603100058 https://m.monthly.chosun.com/client/news/viw.asp?ctcd=&nNewsNumb=201604100057 submitted by /u/Necessary-Taste8643 |
The international status of Koreans at the time as seen in the English diary of Yun Chi-Ho, who was an interpreter and member of the Joseon delegation attending the coronation of Russian Emperor Nicholas II.
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