뉴스레터

Question

Gyeongsul Gukchi [경술국치; literally, "National Humiliation in the 47th Year of the Sexagenary Cycle"], known as "Japan's Annexation of Korea" in English, is also referred to as "hapbyeong" [합병], "byeonghap" [병합], "hapbang" [합방], or "byeongtan" [병탄]. What do each of these terms mean, and which is the most appropriate?

Answer

"Hapbyeong," "byeonghap," and "hapbang" are all generally translated as "annexation" in English. In Korean, however, there are slight differences in meaning, nuance, and background between the terms.

"Hapbang" means the joining together of two or more countries. Pro-Japanese figures, including Lee Yong-gu (President of Iljinhoe) used the term "hapbang" in the "Petition for Korea-Japan Hapbang" [한일합방 청원서]. "Hapbang" implies the coming together of Korea and Japan as equals. Thus, what Iljinhoe was calling for was the realization of a Korea-Japan federation. Japan, however, ignored this call and used and popularized the term "byeonghap," which connotes the absorption—and accordingly, the elimination and disappearance—of Daehan Jeguk [Great Han Empire] by Japan.

The dictionary definition of "byeonghap" is the joining of two more organizations, groups, or countries into a single entity. In the so-called "Korea Byeonghap Treaty" [한국 병합조약], the term "byeonghap" is used in the Preamble and Article 2. Some say the term was coined by Kurachi Tetsukichi [倉知鐵吉], a administrative official of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time of the annexation. Another theory posits that the "byeonghap" was a term coined by the Japanese government specifically for the annexation of Korea. The following passage is from the Biography of Ito Hirobumi [伊藤博文傳], published in Japan: "They sought to find a term that did not sound aggressive but would signify the dissolution and absorption of Daehan Jeguk into Japan. They settled on a new word 'byeonghap,' which was not in common use, and began using it in documents."

"Hapbyeong" also means the joining of two more organizations, groups, or countries into a single entity. In Japan, however, the term is understood to denote a means of acquiring territorial rights in line with the provisions of international law. That is, "hapbyeong" is thought to denote an independent state becoming one with another state or the merging of another state into a single entity. "Hapbyeong" had been used alongside "byeonghap" in Japan, but the term "byeonghap" was eventually adopted over "byeonghap." Park Eun-sik, a Korean historian who had served as the President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, referred to the treaty of August 1910 as "Hapbyeong Neugyak" [合倂勒約, literally, "Coerced Treaty of Annexation"] in Painful History of Korea [한국통사] (1915).

"Byeongtan" means "absorption" or a "country's forced subordination and absorption into another country." It is an appropriate term but one that is somewhat difficult for the layperson and students to comprehend. "Gangjeom" is also frequently used. The word means the forced occupation of someone else's territory or possession and expresses the essential nature of Japan's colonial rule over Korea. "Ilje Gangjeom-gi" [literally, "Period of Imperial Japan's Forced Occupation"] is often used by the government and academia and makes frequent appearances in textbooks.

There also many names for the treaty that was "concluded" on August 22, 1910 and promulgated on the 29th of the same month as well as varying opinions regarding the treaty's signing. Japan has generally called the treaty "Ilhan Byeonghap Joyak" [Japan-Korea Byeonghap Treaty], while Korea has tended to use either "Gyeongsul Gukchi Joyak" [literally, "Treaty of National Humiliation in the 47th Year of the Sexagenary Cycle"] or "Hanil Byeonghap Joyak" [Korea-Japan Byeonghap Joyak]. "Hanil Hapbang Joyak" [Korea-Japan Hapbang Treaty] have also been used in Korea, albeit without a proper understanding of the meaning of term "hapbang." As of late, "Hanil Gangje Byeonghap" and "Hanguk Gangje Byeonghap" seem to be the preferred expressions, which are translated into English as "Korea-Japan Forced Annexation" and "Forced Annexation of Korea," respectively. Some argue that these are inappropriate as there never was a valid "annexation treaty" to begin with. That is why Korean independence activists and others have used "Gyeongsul Gukchi" [National Humiliation in the 47th Year of the Sexagenary Cycle] rather than "joyak" [treaty].

"Hanil Gangje Byeonghap" [generally translated as "Korea-Japan Forced Annexation"] and "Ilbonui Hanguk Gangje Byeonghap" [generally translated as "Japan's Forced Annexation of Korea"] are most commonly used these days. Both are valid. However, while "Hanil Gangje Byeonghap" is more concise, it is not clear in terms of the subject and object of the annexation. Therefore, "Ilbonui Hanguk (Daehan Jeguk) Gangje Byeonghap" seems to be the more accurate but with the drawback of length, which some may find unwieldy.