고종의 ‘收夷制夷’적 일본인식과 武備自强策(1876~1881)

A Study on the King Gojong s Self-Strengthening Policy and the Perception of Japan on the Basis of the ‘Suyijeyi(收夷制夷)’, 1876~1881

King Gojong (高宗) had tried to reinforce the direct royal rule with reforming the policy of Heung-Sun Daewongun (興宣大院君) and with reorganizing the Establishment. Moreover, it was important for him to solve the issue of Japan’s Seogye(書契), an entry visa. The relation with Japan was connected to the king s perception of the Japan, and it was essential for a researcher to analyze their recognition to Japan for understanding the foreign policy of Joseon. The King Gojong s perception of Japan had changed in two phases. First, before the dispatch of the Second Soosinsa (修信使) to Japan, the king had perceived the possibility of aggression of Japan on Joseon, so he had tightened the check on Japan. Before the conclusion of the Treaty, the king had observed the conquest by Japan of Taiwan and Kim Gi-soo (金綺秀) and Sin Hun (申櫶) had perceived ‘Ganghwado accident (江華島事件)’ in that Japan had been armed with western weapons and planned to enhance the national prosperity and defense. This information had made ‘the Idea of Checking Japan’(牽日本觀). Because there was a strong possibility of the attack by Japan upon Joseon, the king had accepted Li Hung-chang (李鴻章)’s idea of checking Japan. Second, from the report of the Second Soosinsa to 1881, King Gojong had carried out the policy that Joseon might have to arm itself with weapons of the latest model by Japan, to make efforts for the wealthy country and the powerful army, and to check not only the West but also Japan. This policy was said the ‘Suyi-jeyi(收夷制夷)’. On the basis of the ‘Suyi-jeyi(收夷制夷)’ they tried to promote the policy of modernized Self-Strengthening (自强). They had tried to investigate Japan’s situation by sending the Second Soosinsa, Kim Hongjib (金弘集) to Japan. But by his report and the book, A Strategy for Korea (朝鮮策略), it was known that the possibility of Japan’s attack on Joseon had been little, and Japan had worried the Russian Southward advance policy. This information helped King Gojong including the Establishment regard Japan as the Suyijeyi (收夷制夷). Therefore, I suggest that King Gojong had not been fixed by the Sinocentrism (華夷論) but changed on the base of the international situation and various information. But the Suyi-jeyi (收夷制夷) had met with the strong opposition of the bureaucracy, the Confucian scholar, and the people, and brought the Imogunlan (壬午軍亂) in 1882.