In the 1880s King Kojong, ruler of the Korean Kingdom of Chosŏn, implemented balance-of-power politics, seeking to attract American aid to free Chosŏn from the interference and control of Qing China. This study seeks to demonstrate how his decade-long effort conformed to the logic of balance-of-power politics in keeping with traditional East Asian tributary interstate practices. Kojong looked to the United States for assistance to counterbalance Qing in Chosŏn. His policy of playing the “American card” against the heavy-handed Chinese government was typical balance-of-power politics. Kojong’s American policy of the 1880s was characterized by the following features. First, in order to achieve his goals, Kojong employed the classical Chinese maxim of befriending a distant state and engaging in conflict with a neighboring state. Second, Kojong employed “soft balancing,” by which he actively sought to win the goodwill and friendship of the American government and create closer Chosŏn-United States ties short of a military alliance. Third, Kojong conducted balance-of-power politics within the framework of the East Asian tribute system. His goal was to achieve full autonomy in the domestic and foreign affairs in his kingdom while continuing the ritual practices and conventions of the Qing-Chosŏn tributary relationship. In sum, Kojong’s American policy of the 1880s conformed to the logic of balance-of-power practices under the East Asian tribute system.
목차
Abstract INTRODUCTION BALANCE-OF-POWER POLITICS UNDER THE TRIBUTE SYSTEM HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS Alliance-making Playing off One Power against Another Balanced Policy Bandwagoning KOJONG’S BALANCE-OF-POWER POLITICS Establishment of Qing Control in Chosŏn Kojong’s Actions to Seek U.S. Aid CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY
키워드
balance-of-power politicsKing KojongQing Chinatribute systemUnited States
저자
JINWUNG KIM [ a professor in the Department of History, Kyungpook National University, Korea ]
한국연구원은 1970년 5월 한국 민속의 각 분야에 걸친 자료의 수집과 학술적 연구를 목적으로 '한국민속연구소'로 출발하였다. 그 후 1973년 5월 연구 분야를 확대하며 민속뿐만 아니라 한국학 전반에 걸친 연구를 위해 '한국학연구소'로 개편하였고, 다시 1989년 3월 한국의 국제적 위상의 부상과 함께 한국학 연구의 중요성이 높아짐에 따라 '한국학연구원'으로 확대, 개편하였다. 한국학연구원은 한국학 전반에 걸친 연구를 통해 지역과 민족문화 발전에 기여하며 한국학의 세계화를 위해서 학술활동을 강화하고 나아가 내·외국인에 대한 한국문화 교육을 담당하고자 한다.