李善得의 派日과 淸側 介入

On the Chinese Interference in Legendre’s Mission in Japan (1891~1892)

This paper deals with Chinese interference in and her influence on Korea-Japan negotiations for settlement of the fishery problem in waters off Cheju Island. The negotiations in which Korea was represented by Charles W. Legendre, an American advisor-counselor of the Korean government, lasted from September 1891 to November 1892. Not long after Korea sent Legendre to Japan, the Chinese government thought that his work in Japan would include negotiations for loans and for opening Korean diplomatic missions abroad, in addition to the fishery talks. China took steps against the Korean envoy’s activities in Japan and this antagonistic policy of China came from her opposition to Korea’s appointment of Legendre as an advisor-counselor. The Korean government appointed Legendre as its advisor-counselor in interior affairs without consultations with Peking which had long enjoyed suzerainty over Korea, hoping to be independent in Korean Maritime Customs and loan negotiations. This was against Chinese interest in Korea. Moreover, Legendre was known as an important person behind Japan’s military expedition to Taiwan in March 1874. Therefore, China could not but watch his activities in Japan. Peking was continuously reported on Legendre’s activities in Japan, and the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, then headed by Yuan Shih-kai, managed to get information on Legendre’s proposition that Korea would open the port at P’yongyang or Ch’olto if Japan provide Korea with customs officers. The information was immediately reported to Peking, which soon took steps against the employment of Japanese customs officers in Korean ports according to its 1890 policy toward the opening of Pusan, Inch’on and Wonsan. However, the Chinese government raised no objection to the opening of the port themselves and proposed that the port give priority to trade with China. China and Japan were then in a severe confict of interest in Korea and it was true that China was discontented with Korea’s approach. to Japan for opening P’yongyang or Ch’olto port. In 1889 Peking requested that Korea open the port to forestall Korea’s negotiations with Japan over the opening of this port. In its contacts with Seoul for over 10 days, Peking got knowledge of Korea’s true intention behind the fishery negotiations with Japan; Korea wants to exchange the opening of P’yongyang or Ch’olto for an exclusive right to fish in the Cheju waters. Accordingly, China wanted to establish its concession in the port, if they are opened. On the other hand, the Korean government kept Legendre’s mission in Japan a secret from Peking and even denied his being a special envoy in the earlier stage of Chinese protests, aiming at avoiding Chinese interference in his work. As Ambassador Yuan Shih-kai pointed out, Legendre’s mission was an attempt of Korea to obtain independence in diplomatic affairs, thereby doing away with the long Chinese suzerainty. However, the Korean government could not smoothly proceed with the fishery talks in the face of a strong Chinese protest, because the Chinese protest encouraged the pro-Chinese faction in the government to create opinions against the negotiations. The secret negotiations with Japan for opening P’yongyang or Ch’olto was deadlocked when the two countries faild to reach an agreement despite the fact that Korea presented a compromise plan. The compromise plan was, however, not accepted by Japan and China, as well. Under the plan, Japanese peoples and fishermen could establish a settlement and make a temporary residence for drying fish on the four islands- Cholyong, Komun, Soan and Ch’uja, and this was opposed by Peking. Chinese Ambassadar Yuan Shih-kai took the four islands for strategic points to maintain Chinese interest in Korea and was extremely angry about the thought of Japanese existence on these islands. In short, he was against the expansion in any form of Japanese influence in Korea and tried hard to check it.