Sunjong of Korea

Sunjong was the second son of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myeongseong. When he became two years old in 1876, Sunjong was proclaimed the Crown Prince of Joseon. In 1882, he married a daughter of the Yeoheung Min clan, who later became Empress Sunmyeonghyo (Korean: 순명효황후; Hanja: 純明孝皇后). She later died at the age of 31 on 5 November 1904 due to the severe depression, after trying to protect her mother-in-law (Empress Myeongseong, also a member of the Yeoheung Min clan) from her assassination on 8 October 1895 by the Japanese military.

When his father proclaimed Korean Empire in 1897, Sunjong was appointed as Crown Prince of Imperial Korea on 12 October 1897.[3] On 29 June 1898, he was appointed as Field Marshal of Imperial Korean Army.[4] Sunjong remarried again 3 years later to daughter of Yoon Taek-young, Yun Jeung-sun of the Haepyeong Yun clan, who was 20 years his junior, on 11 December 1906,[5] and became Crown Princess Consort Yun (later Empress Sunjeong).

On 19 July 1907, Gojong was deposed as a result of Japanese coercion, and Sunjong was made Emperor of Korea. His coronation was proceeded in Don-doek-jeon.[6] He was proclaimed heir to the throne of Prince Imperial Yeong (Korean: 영친왕; Hanja: 英親王), the younger half-brother of Sunjong, and moved from Deoksugung Palace to the imperial residence at Changdeokgung Palace.[7]

Sunjong's reign was limited by the gradually increasing armed intervention of the Japanese government in Korea. In July 1907, he was proclaimed emperor of Korea but was immediately forced to enter into the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907 (Korean: 한일신협약, 정미7조약; Hanja: 韓日新協約, 丁未七條約). This treaty allowed the Japanese government to supervise and intervene in the administration and governance of Korea, which also allowed for the appointment of Japanese ministers within the government.[8]

While under Japanese supervision, the Korean army was dismissed on the pretext of lack of public finance regulations. In 1909, Japan implemented the Japan–Korea Protocol (Korean: 기유각서; Hanja: 己酉覺書) which effectively removed Korea's judicial power. Meanwhile, Japan dispatched Itō Hirobumi, Japanese Resident-General of Korea, to negotiate with Russia over problems involving Korea and Manchuria. However, Itō was assassinated by Ahn Jung-geun at Harbin, which led to the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910. Pro-Japanese politicians, such as Song Byung-jun and Lee Wan-yong, defected, merging Korea with Japan by fabricating Korea's willingness and establishing the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty on 29 August 1910.[9][10]

Although still existent de jure, the intervention by the Japanese government effectively ended Sunjong's reign over the Korean Empire de facto and he became essentially powerless within three years of ruling. Japan, in effect, officially abolished the Korean Empire on 29 August 1910, ending 519 years of the Joseon dynasty.[11]

After the annexation treaty, the former Emperor Sunjong and his wife, Empress Sunjeong, lived the rest of their lives virtually imprisoned in Changdeokgung Palace in Keijō.[12] Sunjong could not exercise any power as emperor because there were only pro-Japanese politicians in government. After the Korean Empire collapsed, Sunjong was demoted from emperor to king. Japan allowed him the title of King Yi of Changdeok Palace (Korean: 창덕궁 이왕; Hanja: 昌德宮 李王) and allowed for the title to be inherited.[7]

Sunjong died on 24 April 1926, in Changdeokgung and is buried with his two wives at the imperial tomb of Yureung (유릉, 裕陵) in the city of Nanyōshū. His state funeral on 10 June 1926, was a catalyst for the June 10th Movement against Japanese rule. He had no children.[13]