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Yun Chi-ho's Understandings about Military Affairs during the period of enlightenment for Joseon Dynasty

  • military history
  • 2020, (116), pp.51-98
  • DOI : 10.29212/mh.2020..116.51
  • Publisher : Military History Institute, MND
  • Research Area : Humanities > History
  • Received : July 14, 2020
  • Accepted : August 25, 2020
  • Published : September 15, 2020

KANG,MYUNG-SUK 1

1숙명여자대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

When we studied about the questionable figure Yun Chi-ho who was social reformer in late Joseon dynasty, it is said that Yun had been more concerned about the modernization than the independence of the country. Therefore his thoughts had been considered as pro-japanese tendency from the start. Finally Yun became one of the pro-japanese collaborators in 1938, when he was 74 years old, related the 'Hung-up Club Accident'. However, Yun insisted that modernization could not promote without preventing the aggressions of imperial countries. His career background was related deeply to military field, thanks to his family, especially his father’s assignments, which were the officer of Bulgigun(kind of Government militaty forces) and minister of National Defence. As Yun stressed on the military power of the country so he emphasized the importance of the independence and modernization of the country. Chosun Dynasty had promoted the military reformations for strengthening the king's security above all. But the reformations were not successful. There were three major reasons for that as belowFirstly, the military fields had been neglected for a long time as compared with the civilian service field by the confucian principle in Joseon dynasty. Therefore there had been not good military experts due to the social trends and thoughts in Joseon. Secondly, the surrounding foreign countries such as Japan, Quing, and America initiated the military reformations. The influence of these countries on the military systems had been frequently changed, therefore the reformations of Joseon would stop at those times. As a result, troops could not get the modern power. Thirdly, soldiers were indisciplined and corrupt to make money. For those reasons, the military reformations of Joseon were failure. The international opinion about Korea was belgian neutrality in order to keep the korean independence. On the contrary, the military reformation of Japan had been successful. Japanese society had respected martialism traditionally, so it was natural for Japan to adopt western military systems flexibly from early times. Therefore Japan had strong modern troops. Japan got the victory in Sino-Japanese War and reformed Korea on the face of it. Actually, Japan invaded and plundered the Korean peninsula. Korea wanted to use Russian powers to eliminate the japanese control. Russia and Japan competed bitterly in Korea. Finally, Japan won in Russo-Japanese War. Japan should dominate over the Korea. During the two wars, Yun would make comparisons and analyses between China and Japan, Russia and Japan in the military powers and fighting efficiencies. Yun watched and appreciated the battles and war situations in crucial times. Yun concluded that Japan should dominate over Korea. He gave up the official public services and looked for other reformations with people.

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