Imo Incident
Encyclopedia
The Imo Incident, also known as Imo mutiny, was a military revolt of some units of the Korea
n military in Incheon on July 23, 1882.
According to other sources, the revolt broke out in part because of Gojong of Korea
's support for reform and modernization. The revolt was also explained in part as a reaction to Gojong's support for Japanese military advisors. Some sources credit rumor as the spark which ignited violence. Some were worried by the prospect of incorporating Japanese officers in a new army structure.
The disturbance is sometime characterized as the "Imo Mutiny" (Imo kullan), and its cause is attributed to a dispute about unpaid wages. It has also been called the "Soldier's riot"; and the unplanned flare-up of violence is said to have been a reaction to finding sand and bad rice in soldiers' rations.
Japanese accounts of the disturbance identify it as the . Whatever its causes, violence did erupt; and the incident produced unplanned consequences.
In the midst of the chaos, the regent father of the king, Daewongun, took power and tried to re-establish order. He supported soldiers' complaints.
s among the rioters developed and grew. The Japan
ese legation
was over-run.
Hanabusa Yoshitada
, the Japanese minister to Korea and his aides were forced to flee the legation. They escaped to the sea; and were rescued by a British ship, the Flying Fish, when they were drifting in a small boat at sea. During the day of rioting, a number of Japanese had been killed, including Horimoto Reijo.
In the aftermath of rioting, Daewongun was accused of fomenting the disturbance and its violence. Daewongun was arrested by Chinese troops.
The Japanese government sent Ambassador Hanabusa back to Seoul. His security was ensured by four naval warships, three cargo ships and a battalion of armed soldiers.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n military in Incheon on July 23, 1882.
Background
A variety of causes for this brief disturbance have been put forward. In part, some explain the flare-up of violence by pointing to provocative policies and conduct by Japanese military advisors who had been in Korea since 1881.According to other sources, the revolt broke out in part because of Gojong of Korea
Gojong of Korea
Gojong , the Emperor Gwangmu was the twenty-sixth king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty and the first emperor of the Korean Empire.-King of the Joseon:Gojong took the throne in 1863 when still a child...
's support for reform and modernization. The revolt was also explained in part as a reaction to Gojong's support for Japanese military advisors. Some sources credit rumor as the spark which ignited violence. Some were worried by the prospect of incorporating Japanese officers in a new army structure.
The disturbance is sometime characterized as the "Imo Mutiny" (Imo kullan), and its cause is attributed to a dispute about unpaid wages. It has also been called the "Soldier's riot"; and the unplanned flare-up of violence is said to have been a reaction to finding sand and bad rice in soldiers' rations.
Japanese accounts of the disturbance identify it as the . Whatever its causes, violence did erupt; and the incident produced unplanned consequences.
Disturbance
Dissatisfaction with the Korean government was the initial focus of the violence. Some government officials were killed by the rioters. Homes of high government ministers were destroyed and Changdeok Palace was occupied by soldiers. The rioting general population of Seoul swelled the ranks of the dissatisfied army units.In the midst of the chaos, the regent father of the king, Daewongun, took power and tried to re-establish order. He supported soldiers' complaints.
Anti-Japanese demonstrations
Anti-Japanese sentimentAnti-Japanese sentiment
Anti-Japanese sentiment involves hatred, grievance, distrust, dehumanization, intimidation, fear, hostility, and/or general dislike of the Japanese people and Japanese diaspora as ethnic or national group, Japan, Japanese culture, and/or anything Japanese. Sometimes the terms Japanophobia and...
s among the rioters developed and grew. The Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
was over-run.
Hanabusa Yoshitada
Hanabusa Yoshitada
was a Japanese politician, diplomat and peer.-Biography:Hanabusa was the eldest son of Hanabusa Tanren, a samurai retainer of Okayama Domain and the first mayor of the city of Okayama, Japan. He studied rangaku under the famed Ogata Kōan, and immediately after the Meiji Restoration in 1867 was sent...
, the Japanese minister to Korea and his aides were forced to flee the legation. They escaped to the sea; and were rescued by a British ship, the Flying Fish, when they were drifting in a small boat at sea. During the day of rioting, a number of Japanese had been killed, including Horimoto Reijo.
Consequences
The Chinese dispatched troops; and three warships were sent to Seoul.In the aftermath of rioting, Daewongun was accused of fomenting the disturbance and its violence. Daewongun was arrested by Chinese troops.
The Japanese government sent Ambassador Hanabusa back to Seoul. His security was ensured by four naval warships, three cargo ships and a battalion of armed soldiers.