Korean Emperor`s credential delivered to Hague envoy

An old Dong-A Ilbo article has been disclosed to the public showing the fact that Emperor Gojong of Korea was delivered to Yi Sang-seol, the emperor`s special envoy to the second Hague Peace Convention via American missionary Homer Hulbert (1863-1949) and Korean independence activist Yi Hoe-yeong. Hulbert was also a political activist who devoted himself to the independence of Korea.

At a memorial ceremony marking the 66th anniversary, the Hulbert Memorial Society on Wednesday revealed on an August 11, 1949 Dong-A Ilbo article carrying an account by then South Korea`s Vice President Yi Si-yeong. He was quoted as saying that the emperor gave the envoy`s credential to Dr. Hulbert, who delivered it to Yi Sang-seol via Yi Hoe-young.

Emperor Gojong tried to send a delegation of his special envoys to the second Hague Peace Convention in 1907 to declare the illegitimacy of the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905, which turned Korea into a protectorate of Japan. Kim Dong-jin, head of the Hulbert Memorial Society, said, "We should never forget that Emperor Gojong, Dr. Hulbert, Udang (Yi Hoe-young) and patriotic martyr Yi Sang-seol."

sukim@donga.com