The Chemulpo Treaty (済物浦条約)
The Chemulpo Treaty is a treaty concluded between Japan and Yi Dynasty Korea on August 30, 1882. Chemulpo' (済物浦) in Japanese is pronounced as Saimoppo, and it is the old name for Incheon-Gwangyeoksi (Incheon Metropolitan City).
The treaty was concluded to sort out the issues after the Imo (Jingo) Incident in which the Japanese diplomatic mission in Yi Dynasty Korea had been set fire.
The treaty stipulated the arrest and execution of the criminal of the incident, the solatium of 50, 000 yens and compensation of 500,000 yens for the bereaved families and the injured of the Japanese victims, the right of Japanese troops to station in Seoul Special City as guards for the legation, creation and repair of barracks at Korea's expense and the dispatch of envoys for an apology.
At the same time, adding to the Treaty of Ganghwa, Japan decided the expansion of their settlement, the addition of the market and the right of Japanese legation staff to tour in the Korean inland.
At first, Japan was demanding the cession of Geoje Island or Utsuryo Island, however, six days before the arrival of four warships and 1,500 soldiers led by Daitaicho (Battalion Chief) Masatake TERAUCHI, Qing had already subdued the rebellion and taken the initiative, and the United States of America had dispatched warships to put pressure on Japan, both of which led Yoshimoto HANABUSA, the Japanese Minister to Yi Dynasty Korea who was in charge of the negotiation, to change the original demands to the ones stipulated in the treaty, mediated by Jianzhong MA (a diplomatic secretary to Hung Chang LI, the captain of the army of Qing). The imposition of the presence of Japanese troops on Yi Dynasty Korea was not only to prevent the next rebellion but also to warn against Qing that was asserting their suzerainty. On July 18, 1885, the acting deputy chief at the Embassy TAKAHIRA confirmed the further effectivity of this treaty with official documents.