Kim Hong-jip (; 1842 – February 11, 1896) was a Korean politician best known for his role as prime minister during the

Kabo Reform The Kabo Reform () describes a series of sweeping reforms suggested to the government of Korea, beginning in 1894 and ending in 1896 during the reign of Gojong of Korea in response to the Donghak Peasant Revolution. Historians debate the degree ...

period from 1895–1896. His name was originally Kim Goeng-jip () which he later changed to Kim Hong-jip. His father, Kim Yeong-jak, served as mayor of

Kaesŏng Kaesong (, ; ) is a special city in the southern part of North Korea (formerly in North Hwanghae Province), and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region close ...

in the

Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

Dynasty. In 1880, Kim undertook an official mission to Japan where he learned first-hand of the modernizing reforms taking place in that country and inspiring in him a desire to effect such changes in Korea. After the

Kapsin Coup The Kapsin Coup, also known as the Kapsin Revolution, was a failed three-day coup d'état that occurred in Korea during 1884. Korean reformers in the Enlightenment Party sought to initiate rapid changes within the country, including eliminating ...

, he became the first vice-premier 'Jwauijeong' and entered into the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1885. Then, in 1896, Hong-jip was appointed as prime minister to suppress the

Donghak Peasant Revolution The Donghak Peasant Revolution () was a peasant revolt that took place between 11 January 1894 and 25 December 1895 in Korea. The peasants were primarily followers of Donghak, a Neo-Confucian movement that rejected Western technology and i ...

. During this period, he abolished the caste system of the Joseon Dynasty and carried out an ordinance prohibiting topknots. After the

assassination of Empress Myeongseong Around 6a.m. on 8 October 1895, Empress Myeongseong, Queen Min, the consort of the Korean monarch Gojong of Korea, Gojong, was assassinated by a group of Japanese agents under Miura Gorō. After her death, she was posthumously given the title of " ...

, "pro-Japan cabinet members like Kim and O Yun-jung were killed."

Sightseeing and observation of Japan

In the summer of 1880, Kim went to Japan with Yun Ung-nyeol and Ji Seog-yeong. This party was called 'Susinsa'. Hong-jip's party took a Japanese ship, 'Chitose', and arrived at Tokyo in July 1880 where they observed and studied Japan's modernization carefully, their ideology becoming pro-Japanese. They agitated the Joseon to open

Incheon Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...

's ports to trade, and claimed that the Japanese minister should reside in Joseon. They were also surprised at Japan's hygiene, railroad, and operation of steam trains and cars. After returning to Joseon, Hong-jip introduced

Huang Zunxian Huang Zunxian ( zh, t=黃遵憲, May 29, 1848March 28, 1905), courtesy name Gongdu (), was a Chinese official, scholar, and writer, active during the late Qing dynasty. As a poet, he published more than a hundred poems. He was born in Jiayingzh ...

's ''stratagem of Joseon'' with the purpose of creating an enlightened Joseon. He was then promoted to the position of Minister of Culture and Education in the Joseon Dynasty. However, he resigned because of a movement against enlightenment by Confucian scholars. With

Queen Min Empress Myeongseong (; 17 November 1851 – 8 October 1895) was the official wife of Gojong, the 26th king of Joseon and the first emperor of the Korean Empire. During her lifetime, she was known by the name Queen Min (). After the founding o ...

and Gojong's confidence, he resumed his seat as a Minister of 'Tongrigimuamun', which was a recently formed department that handled military secrets and general politics. He asserted that Joseon should join Japan, the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

, and America in order to contribute to global development. However, he was often opposed and labeled as 'Pro-Japanese' by a Confucian scholar who opposed modernization.

Return to Joseon and political activities

After returning to Joseon in 1882, Kim was re-appointed to the Joseon Dynasty because, at the time, the Joseon was confronted by many problems, including demanding trade from America and the aftermath of the

Imo Incident The Imo Incident, also sometimes known as the Imo Mutiny, Soldier's riot or Jingo-gunran in Japanese, was a violent uprising and riot in Seoul beginning in 1882, by soldiers of the Joseon Army who were later joined by disaffected members of the ...

. He finalized the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1882 with Japan and, using his diplomatic ability, was able to deny many of Japan's requirements, for which he was promoted to governor of

Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...

. He also made many agreements with Britain, Germany and America. Hong-jip was then sent to

Tianjin Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...

, for liberation of

Heungseon Daewongun Heungseon Daewongun (; 24 January 1821 – 22 February 1898) was the title of Yi Ha-eung, the regent of Joseon during the minority of Emperor Gojong in the 1860s. Until his death, he was a key political figure of late Joseon Korea. He was also ca ...

. For the purpose of liberation, he persuaded and negotiated with

Li Hongzhang Li Hongzhang, Marquess Suyi ( zh, t=李鴻章; also Li Hung-chang; February 15, 1823 – November 7, 1901) was a Chinese statesman, general and diplomat of the late Qing dynasty. He quelled several major rebellions and served in importan ...

, who was a head of that incident. In 1883, he served in many positions and became a practical head of foreign policy. He thought it was important for Joseon to cooperate with other nations for their own development. He also thought that Joseon should developed gradually, not radically. But his thought caused a hostility from a Confucian scholar, and even

had a cynical attitude toward him. In 1884, when the

occurred, Kim was appointed "Jwauijeong" and became an ambassador plenipotentiary, but he resigned because of the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1885. He was then demoted to a less important post, and he insisted on opening a port. He was re-appointed to Jwauijeong in 1887, but resigned shortly after because local Confucian scholars denounced him as a traitor.

Kim cabinet

During the

first asked for auxiliary troops to

, but Japan infiltrated Joseon using the

Convention of Tientsin The , also known as the Tianjin Convention, was an agreement signed by the Qing Empire of China and the Empire of Japan in Tientsin, China on 18 April 1885. It was also called the "Li-Itō Convention". Following the Gapsin Coup in Joseon in 188 ...

. Kim formed cabinets on four occasions to enlist the help of Japan from 1894 until 1896.

The First Cabinet

July 23, 1894, Japanese troops attacked

Gyeongbokgung Gyeongbokgung () is a former royal palace in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1395, it was the first royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, and is now one of the most significant tourist attractions in the country. The palace was among the first ...

Palace and took over the armory to help Hong-jip's forces. Hong-jip organized the First Cabinet and became the prime minister. He brought back

from Qing, then proceeded with the

. He set up an organization for reform,'Gungukkimucheo', and became a governor of that organization. During the

, his cabinet abolished

Gwageo The () or ''kwagŏ'' were the national civil service examinations under the Goryeo (918–1392) and Joseon (1392–1897) periods of Korea. Typically quite demanding, these tests measured candidates' ability of writing composition and knowledge ...

, which was Joseon's imperial examination. Also, they reformed the monetary system, government system, and the weights and measures system.

The Second Cabinet

December 17, 1894, Japan deposed Heungseon Daewongun and broke up the ''Gunguk Gimucheo''. Park Young-hyo, who was in exile, returned to form a cabinet with Kim and introduced the Exemplary Rules in Fourteen Articles () which had the effect of modernising Joseon's government, territorial administration, tax, education and other affairs. (See Kabo Reform § Second reforms). However, Kim resigned from the cabinet a short time later because of feuds with Park.

The Third Cabinet

Kim's third cabinet was organized after the Qing–Japan War. As a result of Japanese victory, Japan occupied the peninsular Liaodung. Other imperialist nations like France, Russia, and Germany didn't support Japan's expansion, so they pressured Japan using the

Triple Intervention The Triple Intervention or was a diplomatic intervention by Russia, Germany, and France on 23 April 1895 over the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, imposed by Japan on Qing China at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War. The treaty, signed on ...

. In this period, Joseon had a pro-Russian cabinet, headed by Kim. Because Japan felt threatened, they killed

, and the third cabinet collapsed.

The Fourth Cabinet

The Fourth Cabinet was Hong-jip's last cabinet. This cabinet was pro-Japanese. At first, Kim declined the position of minister, though the king Gojong pleaded to him. But, the King was afraid of Japan, and he carried out '

Korea royal refuge at the Russian legation King Gojong's internal exile to the Russian legation, also called the Agwan Pacheon incident (), occurred in 1896 in Korea when King Gojong and his crown prince left the Gyeongbokgung palace to take refuge at the Russian legation in Hanseong (Se ...

'. Hong-jip was surprised at that decision and wanted to meet Gojong. Unfortunately, Gojong issued an order to arrest pro-Japanese officials. In the end, Hong-jip and his subordinates were killed by the public.

Later life

Pro-Japanese suspicion

Kim tried to change the legislative systems and garments of Joseon, and adopt the government structure of Japan. Also, he implemented a solar calendar and the postal system to Joseon. Those changes were influenced by Japan. According to one report, there were some assertions that Hong-jip held the additional post of Gungukkimucheo's master. During this period, he attracted Japanese ministers to his cabinet and empowered them.

Attempted suicide

On October 8, 1895,

was assassinated by Japanese, and Kim attempted suicide. Just in time,

Yu Kil-chun Yu Kil-chun (; November 21, 1856 – September 30, 1914) was a Korean politician. Yu lived during the last few decades of Joseon and the Korean Empire, before the occupation of the peninsula by Japan. As a young man, he studied the Chinese cl ...

visited Hong-jip's house and stopped him from completing the act. He persuaded Hong-jip by saying, "Please calm down sir and listen to me. Your death cannot resolve anything. The queen already was killed and the situation has occurred. This state is that Japan stroke to us. However, it is a loyal work for king and nation to resolve a crisis. It is never too late to die after we do that. So please take it easy and deliberate on my opinion.″ Then, Hong-jip replied to Kil-chun, "I know what you say. We endure all humiliation to the end for reformation and preservation of Joseon. However I do not forgive Japan for killing our queen. As a major and loyal servant, how can I granted an audience with king and our subjects? My situation is different from yours. You have an important mission which resolve this crisis and save our nation, but in my case, there is only way that kill myself." Persistently,

convinced Hong-jip and brought him to the royal court. At last, on October 9, 1895, the fourth cabinet was constructed.

Death

Kim's cabinet was a pro-Japanese cabinet. They implemented "the ordinance prohibiting topknots" which was a radical policy, leading many rebellions in Joseon. In 1896, Russophilia became more powerful. This caused '

'. As a result, Hong-jip's cabinet collapsed and he was killed by the public. Angry subjects trampled him to death. The Joseon government got his corpse and cut off his head, then exposed it in

Gwanghwamun Gwanghwamun () is the main and south gate of the palace Gyeongbokgung, in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. It is located at a three-way intersection at the northern end of Sejongno. As a landmark and symbol of Seoul's history as the capita ...

. His corpse was divided into 8 parts and one was sent to each region of Joseon. As Hong-jip's wife was afraid of the guilt-by-association system, she killed their sons and killed herself. Because Hong-jip's daughters were married before, they were able to avoid punishment.

References

*Kim Sang-ung(July 1, 1995).''100 years of Pro-Japanese Politics''. Seoul:East wind. p37 *Yoo Young-ik(1990).''Research of

Gabo Reform The Kabo Reform () describes a series of sweeping reforms suggested to the government of Korea, beginning in 1894 and ending in 1896 during the reign of Gojong of Korea in response to the Donghak Peasant Revolution. Historians debate the degre ...

''. Yiljogak. *''Global World Encyclopedia''. (Policy of Enlightenment and reverbelation). {{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Hong-jip 1842 births 1896 deaths 19th-century Korean people Japan–Korea relations Prime ministers of Korea Joseon politicians Politicians from Seoul