The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-15
THE TURMOIL IN KOREA.

The report that the King of Korea has
fled to Japan needs confirmation, In the
intestine strife of the hermit kingdom the
monarch has not generally taken per-
sonal part Faction leaders run away
when they are beaten. but the King re-
mains. He is SO essential part OF the
country that il be disappeared it would
seemingly collapse. Still if Seoul has fall
en- Ii Honi must have taken refuge some
where. though his family has been on the
throne for 500 wears.
Korean politics turn on the rivalry be-
tween Japan and China for influence.
China has always claimed that Korea is
tributary State; Japan'S contention is that
there is a closer affinity between the JAP
anese and the Koreans than between the
latter and the Chinese and that Japanese
influence should be paramount. Thus the
Korean Ministers. instead of being Demo-
cratic or Republican as with us, or Con-
sentative or Liberal as in Great Britain,
are prO-Chinese or pro-Japanese as the
case may be. Ten years ago, the Chinese
party being in power, the prod apanese
got up re bellion and overthrow the Gov
eminent by violence. The leader of the
insurgents was one Kim. who had been
Korean Minister to Japan. Kim miscal-
culated his campaign. He only held power
for twenty-four hours, at the end of which
period his fellow-conSpirators were mas
sacred and he had difficulty In making his
escape to Japan. The ro-Chinese party
came into Office and have held it ever since.
But Kim. in his exile in Japan, was not
idle. he cOnspired necessarily, and never
raI in 70 Ton
influence in Korea. His recent story reads
like a scene from one Of the fine old English
melodramas which are the delight of the
gods. One Hong, a Korean gen tleman
who had resided in Europe and had figured
largely in the best society in Paris,
belonged to the pro-Chinese faction.
Visiting Kim at Toxic. he averred that
he had become converted TO the pro-
Japanese side in Korean politics, and be-
Guiled Kim to join him in trip 10 Shang-
hal, where he was to meet other Koreans.
who. like imSelf, were plotting the over
throw of the Government at Seoul. Kim
fell into the trap, went TO Shanghai and
was incontinently murdered. Far from
objecting to this ebullition of temper, the
Chinese Government placed a corvette at
Hong's disposal, and on this vessel the
body of the dead Korean was conveyed to
ChemulpO and thence to Seoul, where
the pro-Chinese Government, in their play
nj way, quartered tie corpse and hung
the quarters in conspicuous parts of the
city. By way of teStifying their apprecia-
ton of the virtues of the assassin the
Ministers gave Hong a public reception
and $1,000. Kim's daughter, who had been
in prison since 1854. was allowed to COM
nit suicide in her jail
These transactions were not viewed with
indifference in Japan. Excitement broke
out in Toxic. The leading japanese
paper-the Jyi ShimpO-is not mesly
mouthed in its expressions. 1t declares
that the assassin was banqueted by the
Chinese ambassador at Toxic before he
started On his errand of murder. and i'm
plies that the envoy was accessory to bis
crime. 1t says: China is the only coun-
try where falsehood is not regarded as
morally disgraceful. probably because of
traditional creed that disregard of virtu-
Gus principles Is not culpable when a for
eigner is its victim" If the Imperial
Government of Japan yields to the feeling
of the hour. explanations will be demanded
from China which may lead to serious
compiled tons, if not war.
American interest in these events Is re-
mote. The dispatches state that the
whole country is in state of commotion,
and that armed bands of insurgents have
defeated the Government troops. But wars
in that country are trifiing affairs. The
whole kingdom Of Korea is not bigger than
Kansas, and the total population is under
1000, 600. Everybody Is poor. There are
said to be fine gold and silver mines IN
the peninsula, but under the benighted
laws which prevail they are not worked.
The great mass of the people toll unre-
mittingy in barren fields, or in shore fish
cries, for scanIy subsistence. 1t is quite
likely that some Of the missionaries may
fare badly at the hands of m0bs. There
is touching account in print of the re-
cent escape of a Roman Catholic priest
from the clutches of the natives. But the
murder of Christian would be followed
by prompt punishment. 1t was said in
1884 that single regiment of Am erican or
European troops could march from Che
mulpo to Seoul, and occupy the capital
without serious resistance; and in such
case all the Christian powers would act in
concert.