東學軍에 대한 日人의 幇助說檢討

The Tonghak Insurrection of 1894 and Japan s Involvement

The Tenyu-kyoto (天祐俠徒), a group of Japanese adventurers who operated in Korea before Japan’s hold on the peninsula had been formally secured, was known to have been in touch with Tonghak (東學) leaders before they struck out in open rebellion in 1894. It is widely believed that these Japanese adventurers were actually behind the uprising either by influencing or even inciting Tonghak leaders. Indeed, F. A. McKenzie points out in his Korea’s Fight for Freedom that though the Tonghak’s avowed purpose was to drive all foreigners out of the country their real purpose was to provoke China to send troops to Korea and so give Japan an excuse for war. Some Korean historians, while generally endorsing this view, tend to play down the role of the Tenyu-kyoto in the Tonghak insurrection. What are the facts and circumstances that led to the insurrection? In a meeting of government officials with Tonghak leaders held in Chonju just before they had moved into rebellion, it was brought out that the Tenyukyoto had had contacts with the Tonghak. By that time Japan had thrust on Korea a demand for reforms and opened military action against the Chinese troops in Korea; Japanese troops were already on the scene. Tonghak leaders served notice on the Korean government calling for an end to the inroad of Japanese commercial interests. The Japanese, well aware of Tonghak’s anti-Japanese sentiment, immediately saw in the group one serious obstacle to their policy of economic penetration. Earlier Japan had urged on internal reform, not from any consideraton of Korea’s interest but primarily in order to prepare the way for further advance into Korea. Japan had decided to wipe out all Tonghak elements and in fact had an additional force of battalion size at the ready for the specific purpose of stamping out the insurrection. On the basis of these considerations the author is· inclined to the view that the true intention of the Japanese “involvement” in the insurrection is not, as is generally advanced, to provide an excuse for military venture against China but to force those reforms which would enhance Japan’s position and eliminate the Tonghak in one stroke.