The Corean Client Kingdom
| Treaty of Ximonosequi |
| The Corean Client Kingdom |
| The Chinese Interregnum of Corea |
| Post-War Corea |
| Twenty-first Century Corea |
Following the Treaty of Ximonosequi, Japan's influence remained strong in Corea. Although Russia and China would have liked more control in the affairs of the kingdom, their agents could at best nudge events toward a desired outcome. As such, Corea became a front for the surreptitious war.
King Kojoñ
In Meidji 29 (1896), King Kojoñ (Kojong *here*) fled to the Russian embassy. The Japanese were able to bully the Corean government into declaring Kojoñ to have abdicated the throne, and to put his son, Sunjoñ (Sunjong in *here*'s romanization) on the throne in his place, who was largely a Japanese puppet. In Meidji 36 (1903), after several attempts by Russia to gain influence in Corean government, King Sunjoñ (under Japanese pressure) began a purge of pro-Russian officials. This set off the Russo-Japanese War, with Russia declaring war upon Japan. Japan won this war, gaining considerable territory from Russia.
Birth of Tò-A-Rempò
*Here*, Japan formally annexed Korea in 1910. *There*, there was no formal annexation. Corea retained its army, its king, etc. In addition, Japanese sentiment *there* was less imperialistic after Meidji's death in Meidji 39 (1906). In Taixò 7 (1912), after several years of debate, the Tò-A-Rempò (東亜連邦), or East Asian Federation (TAR for short), was formed between Japan and Corea. The TAR was a very different entity than *here*'s Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere, it should be emphasized. Although Japanese-dominated, the TAR wasn't just a propagandistic tool to enrich Japan at others' expense, but rather, a genuine attempt (although admittedly ideological and nationalistic) at creating a peaceful union in east Asia to defend against Western imperialism and genuine co-prosperity. Ultimately, Japan had hoped to extend the TAR to southeast Asia as well.
