Battles & Campaigns · 1876
Treaty of Ganghwa
Ganghwa Island, Incheon, South Korea
What happened
Kuroda Kiyotaka for Japan and Shin Heon for Joseon Korea signed the treaty. After an incident at Ganghwa Island in 1875, Japan pressed Korea into a treaty that opened the port of Pusan and two more ports to Japanese trade. Japanese people in Korea would be judged under Japanese law, not Korean law.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was Korea's first 'unequal treaty' and ended its old tributary link with Qing China. It left Korea open to pressure from foreign powers.
What came next
Korea opened the ports of Busan, Incheon and Wonsan. The treaty page says it eventually led to Japan's annexation of Korea.
Did you know?
Ganghwa Island's forts were attacked several times in the 1800s, including by French and American expeditions.
Timeline
- 1866French expedition to Korea.
- 1871United States expedition to Korea.
- 1875Ganghwa Island incident with Japan.
- 26 February 1876Treaty of Ganghwa is signed.