청일전쟁의 새로운 이해

A Study on a New Understanding on Sino-Japanese War : Focused on the Situations on the Korean Peninsula

Sino-Japanese war that broke out from 1894 until 1895 became a break point between which made Korea, China and Japan meet on a temporal and spatial level, and at the same time, became a great momentum which was marking a history in the course that these three nations of East Asian regions was being modernized. Korea suffered a national crisis and an enormous loss from physical and human labors, for the Korean Peninsula became a major battlefield during the period of war that broke out surrounding the jurisdiction over Korea, Manchu and Taiwan by the Japanese Imperialism. This event not only increased the power of Japan but also accelerated the social distortion. Sino-Japanese war was definitely the most important point to determine the rise and fall and the future of these three nations of modern East Asian regions. In the case of Japan and China, this viewpoint has still been considered without any other controversies over it. Thus, there have been conducted constant researches on various academic areas of Sino-Japanese war. Meanwhile in the case of Korea, there have been very few concerns with regard to it and a lack in understanding accurately about the relevant facts. A great deal of research is found as to a struggle by a group of Donghak Peasant Army believers during the same period, whereas few researches are being conducted on its mutual links with Sino-Japanese war. Most researches are carried out with a focus on international relations. A great deal of research has not been enhanced as to the situation of Korea which became a battlefield at those times and as to the awareness of such a situation among the people of Korea. That was why it was difficult to understand the whole image of the situation from an objective perspective. An insightful and critical discussion has not yet been made surrounding the aggressiveness and unjustness of Sino-Japanese war. Under such a reality, it is urgent to constantly shed light on the overall processes of Sino-Japanese war which has caused a misunderstanding and become an incompatible historical clue, and to carry out a research on it based on the perspectives and data of these three nations of East Asian regions. A more systemic consideration would be necessary as to how the people of Korea perceived Sino-Japanese war and regarding a problem with its real images of war under the situation in which they did never want to face. In the context, the purpose of this research thesis is to examine the changing images of each phase of the battlefields breaking out in the Korea land during the period of Sino-Japanese war. For this purpose, this thesis focuses on the historical image, awareness, direction and ripple effects of such a war. An analytic review is to be made especially with a main focus on the arrival of Japanese troops at Korea, Japanese occupancy of the Seoul Royal Court, and the viewpoint of awareness of it along with the consequences and damage situations of Seonghwan and Asan Battles becoming a starting point of the full-scaled ground battle, and the real images of Pyeongyang Battle, the greatest battle which broke out on the Korean Peninsula.