Why Korea's Queen Min had to die | ASSASSINS

Key Concepts

• Queen Min (Empress Myeongseong): The first empress of Korea, known for her progressive reforms and assassination.
• King Gojong (The Party King): The young king of Korea who ascended the throne at 12 and was initially a figurehead.
• Grand Internal Prince Heungseon (Big Daddy): King Gojong's father, who ruled as regent and was a conservative force.
• Miura Gorō (The Puppet Master): Japanese envoy to Korea who orchestrated Queen Min's assassination.
• Adachi Kenzo (The Mob Boss): Japanese expat and newspaper publisher who recruited thugs for the assassination.
• Ronin: Masterless samurai.
• Sori: Aggressive Japanese thugs living in Korea.
• Hermit Kingdom: Korea's historical policy of isolationism.
• Modernization Reforms: Queen Min's efforts to modernize Korea's education, agriculture, and military.
• Assassination Plot: The conspiracy by Japanese and Korean factions to kill Queen Min.

The Enigmatic Empress: Queen Min's Legacy and Assassination

This video recounts the story of Queen Min, Korea's first empress, a figure whose image is largely unknown today, contrasting with the abundance of images of modern celebrities like Timothy Shalamé. Unlike contemporary public figures, Queen Min, even 130 years after her death, remains an enigma, with few confirmed photographs or paintings. Her life was marked by mystery, not only due to her private nature but also because she was only posthumously granted the title of Empress. In life, she was known as Queen Min, with "Min" being a clan name, and her given name remains unknown. Despite this obscurity, she was a powerful figure who significantly influenced Korean politics.

The Assassination of Queen Min (October 1895)

The narrative begins with the brutal assassination of Queen Min in October 1895. An angry mob, including recruited ronin (masterless samurai), stormed the palace in the pre-dawn hours. Despite the presence of approximately 400 guards, resistance was quickly overcome. The assassins, hampered by the lack of clear images of the queen, conducted a brutal and indiscriminate search, assaulting palace staff and throwing women from balconies. They eventually found the queen hiding among her court ladies, identified by her composure amidst the terror. The assassination itself involved a sword strike to the head, followed by the desecration of her body, which was dragged to a nearby forest, doused in gasoline, and set on fire.

The Rise of Queen Min: A Political Awakening

The story then traces back 30 years to the ascension of King Gojong at the age of 12. As he was too young to rule, his father, Grand Internal Prince Heungseon (nicknamed "Big Daddy"), took on the role of regent. Big Daddy, a conservative who opposed change, sought a queen for the young king (nicknamed "the Party King") who was from a noble background but lacked political ambition. He believed he found this in Min, described as slender with raven black hair and pale skin, possessing poise and intelligence. However, he underestimated her potential for political ambition.

The Party King, initially more interested in concubines and parties than his bride, spent his early married life indulging in revelry. Queen Min, in contrast, dedicated herself to self-education, reading extensively on history, science, politics, philosophy, and religion, rejecting the traditional expectations for a queen.

Queen Min's Progressive Reforms and Growing Influence

Around her 20th birthday, Queen Min began to engage in politics. Her sharp intellect and knowledge of the world allowed her to wield significant power, surpassing her husband. She consolidated her influence by placing family members and loyalists in key court positions. Big Daddy, still technically ruling, found himself increasingly sidelined as the Party King grew to admire his wife's capabilities and eventually fell in love with her.

Queen Min's political agenda was progressive, aiming to modernize Korea, which had been known as the "Hermit Kingdom." She sought to foster closer relationships with Japan and the West, implementing reforms such as building schools (including an English school), modernizing agricultural practices, and establishing telegraph lines connecting Korea, China, and Japan. She even enlisted Japanese experts to train a Korean army regiment, a risky move given regional rivalries.

The Growing Conflict and Japanese Intervention

Queen Min's progressive policies put her in direct conflict with conservative elements within Korea, particularly Big Daddy. However, the Party King supported his queen, deepening the tension within the royal family. As Queen Min's power grew, she became the de facto ruler.

Simultaneously, Korea was caught in the geopolitical struggle between Japan, China, and Russia. Queen Min recognized Japan as the primary threat and sought Russian support, which infuriated Japan. This led to the loss of support from pro-Japanese factions within her court, and the Korean regiment trained by the Japanese began to show loyalty to Japan instead of the queen.

The Assassination Plot: The Puppet Master and the Mob Boss

The Japanese government intensified its pressure by appointing Miura Gorō (nicknamed "the Puppet Master"), a former soldier with no diplomatic experience, as their envoy to Korea. Miura Gorō disliked Queen Min, viewing her intelligence as unbecoming for a woman. He saw her moves to weaken Japanese influence, such as disbanding the Japanese-trained regiment and potentially removing pro-Japanese courtiers, as a direct threat. Queen Min's alliance with Russia further solidified Miura Gorō's decision to assassinate her, which he famously described as a decision made in "the space of three puffs on a cigarette."

Miura Gorō allied with Big Daddy, who also wished to remove the queen. They recruited Adachi Kenzo (nicknamed "the Mob Boss"), a Japanese expat and publisher of a Japanese-language newspaper in Korea. Adachi Kenzo employed aggressive thugs known as "sori" to carry out the assassination. The plot, initially planned for mid-October, was moved forward due to rumors of the queen's counter-plans.

The Aftermath and Legacy

The assassination was carried out in the early morning hours. The mob, a mix of Adachi Kenzo's thugs, disaffected civilians, Korean soldiers loyal to Japan, Japanese soldiers, and ronin, stormed the palace. After the queen's murder and the desecration of her body, the palace was looted. Miura Gorō and Big Daddy arrived later, with Big Daddy attempting to force the Party King to sign a document blaming Queen Min for her own death, which the king refused.

Big Daddy regained control, suppressing anti-Japanese sentiment and weakening Korea's independence efforts. Although 56 men were charged in connection with the assassination, all were acquitted. Miura Gorō continued a successful career in the Japanese government. Japan's influence over Korea grew, culminating in its annexation in 1910. Queen Min's fears about Japan were realized.

The Party King, traumatized by his wife's death and his father's actions, sought refuge in the Russian embassy. Years later, he emerged to establish an independent Korean Empire, posthumously bestowing upon Queen Min the title of Empress, recognizing her as the first empress in Korean history.