1883 Korean special mission to the United States

In 1883, Joseon sent the first ever special diplomatic mission from Korea to the United States. In Korean, the mission is known as Pobingsa ().

In 1876, Korea emerged from centuries of isolationism after it was forced open by Japan. In 1880, the Korean monarch Gojong became interested in establishing relations with the United States, in order to counterbalance the encroaching Russian Empire, which was occupying more and more territory north of the Korean border. Gojong also wanted to symbolically treat directly with the United States, in order to signal to the world that Korea was independent from Qing China, of which it was a tributary. In addition, he also wanted to receive American advisors to modernize the country.

The mission departed from Incheon on July 16, 1883, and arrived in San Francisco, United States on September 2. Its members traveled along the first transcontinental railroad to the East Coast, making various stops along the way. Everywhere they visited, they were enthusiastically hosted by American dignitaries. They met with U.S. president Chester A. Arthur twice, and received promises that America would make an effort to send advisors. After the mission's official conclusion on October 13, member Yu Kil-chun became the first known Korean to study abroad in the United States. , Soh Kwang-pom, and traveled back to Korea by way of Europe, North Africa, around the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian Ocean, and became the first known Koreans to circumnavigate the Earth.

The mission resulted in the creation of Korea's first modern postal system, but is otherwise generally agreed to have had little immediate impact on Korea's reform. Shortly after the return of the mission, the Gapsin Coup resulted in the deaths, injuries, or exiles of many of the mission's former members. In addition, the U.S. delayed on sending advisors for years afterwards, and reneged on several of its tentative promises.

Korean name The diplomatic mission is referred to in Korean as Pobingsa, which was the general term for foreign missions, although it has since become largely associated with this specific mission.

Background

Since the 17th century, Korea (Joseon) had been under a policy of isolationism due to a series of invasions (namely the 1592–1598 Japanese invasions, 1627 Later Jin invasion of Joseon, and 1636 Qing invasion). But by the early 19th century, this policy became strained by increasing foreign encroachments. European trading vessels were turned away on a number of occasions, which occasionally resulted in violent clashes. Joseon's neighbors were subjected to similar pressures. Joseon's suzerain, Qing (China), was forcefully opened by the British in the 1839–1842 First Opium War. The United States forced the also-isolationist Japan to open in 1854, with the Perry Expedition. Japan then sent its first diplomatic mission to the U.S. in 1860, 23 years before Korea's.

In August 1866, an armed American merchant ship named General Sherman illegally sailed up to Pyongyang, ignored orders to leave, and attacked local vessels and people. In response, the ship was burned and its crew killed. This resulted in an 1871 American punitive expedition, which also aimed to force a favorable trade relationship. Despite numerous Korean casualties and captives, the Korean government refused to negotiate, and the Americans left without concessions.

Opening of Korea In 1876, Korea was finally opened by Japan in the Ganghwa Island incident, and forced to sign an unequal treaty. In 1880, Kim Hong-jip was sent as head of Korea's second diplomatic mission to Japan since the opening. He returned with a text written by Chinese diplomat Huang Zunxian called "" (; ). The text warned of the threat posed by the encroaching Russian Empire and suggested Korea create alliances with Japan and the West. Joseon King Gojong adopted this text as his foreign policy strategy, and began establishing diplomatic ties with the United States. The product of this was the Joseon–United States Treaty of 1882, which established ties between the two countries.

Preparation American Lucius Foote was appointed envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Korea, and stationed in Seoul. Foote opened an . Understanding that the Korean government would have then found opening a reciprocal Korean legation in the United States to be too expensive, he proposed in June 1883 that a special diplomatic mission be sent instead. After a discussion with his ministers the following day, Gojong agreed to the proposal. According to scholar Andrew C. Nahm, politician Kim Okkyun played a significant role in convincing Gojong to approve the mission. Kim was also friends with the people who would go on to lead the mission.

Purpose Although Gojong did not officially state this, it is believed that a goal of the mission was to emphasize Korea's political independence from Qing. Since the 1882 Korea–U.S. treaty, Qing had been pushing to maintain its suzerainty over Joseon. This was exemplified in Qing's unusual direct intervention in the 1882 Imo Incident. Another goal was to have America send advisors directly to Korea, which was seen as circumventing Qing, as well as providing knowledge for reforming the country.

Traveling to America Foote arranged for American Rear Admiral Peirce Crosby to transport the mission from Chemulpo (now Incheon) to Nagasaki on board the USS Monocacy. After ceremonially seeking Gojong's leave on June 11, they boarded the ship and departed on July 16, 1883. They arrived in Nagasaki on July 21. Although arrangements existed for the next trip to Yokohama, the Koreans made their own way there.

Members of the mission

+MemberPosition on missionNotesPlenipotentiaryNephew of Gojong's primary consort Queen Min. As a young member of the prominent Yeoheung Min clan, it was hoped by the reformists in the Korean government that he would become a progressive reformer after the mission.Deputy ministerVice president of the Foreign Office and previously secretary to Kim's 1880 mission to Japan.SecretaryVisited Japan in 1875.AttachéFirst Korean to study abroad, which he did in Japan in 1880.()Military officerMinor member of the mission.AttachéMinor member of the mission.()AttachéMinor member of the mission.Military officerMinor member of the mission.Wu Litang ()Chinese interpreterPercival LowellForeign secretaryWhile in Japan, the American legation in Tokyo arranged for Lowell to join the mission, which the Koreans accepted. Miyaoka Tsunejiro()Japanese interpreterLowell's assistant.

Two translators were present on the mission, one for Chinese and one for Japanese. Much of the translation on the mission was done from English to Japanese or Chinese to Korean, and vice versa, although some members of the mission reportedly learned rudimentary English during the journey.

They then boarded the SS Arabic on August 18. Throughout their travels, they were objects of much curiosity, as their dress and mannerisms immediately stuck out.

Travels in America

San Francisco

They arrived in San Francisco, California, on September 2, 1883, and were hosted by Major General John Schofield. They stayed at the Palace Hotel. At 10 a.m. on the 4th, a reception was held by Mayor Washington Bartlett for the mission. There, they spoke with various trade officials and made verbal agreements to forward Korea–U.S. trade in the future. In the afternoon, they were given a tour of the Cliff House and Golden Gate Park. The following day, Schofield took them to the Presidio.

Journey to Washington D.C. After exchanging thanks and goodbyes, they left on the 7th via the transcontinental railroad. While on the train, they marveled at the passing landscape and spoke with other passengers. In one notable instance, they met with John Goucher, namesake of Goucher College, who developed an interest in Korea. Upon hearing that Christianity had not been adopted there, he suggested to Japan-based missionary Robert Samuel Maclay that Maclay go to Korea. Maclay would later do this in June 1884, making him the first Protestant missionary to visit.

They made their way to Sacramento that day, then through Ogden, Utah and Omaha, Nebraska. In Omaha, they were greeted by a Colonel Gregory, on behalf of Lieutenant General Philip Sheridan. Gregory joined the mission on their trip across the country. The mission arrived at Chicago on September 12, and stayed at The Palmer House. They departed Chicago on the 13th, and continued on their trip to Washington D.C., via Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

They arrived in Washington D.C. on the 15th. They were greeted by Bancroft Davis, George Clayton Foulk, and Theodorus B. M. Mason, and put up in the Arlington Hotel. Foulk and Mason served as escorts for the mission there. They met with various U.S. and foreign dignitaries and did some quick sightseeing. As President Chester A. Arthur and Secretary of State Frederick T. Frelinghuysen were in New York City, New York, they began making their way there. They boarded a train bound for Jersey City on the 17th. They took a boat there and crossed the Hudson River, then took a horse-drawn carriage to their destination.

New York City and Boston

In New York City, the main members of the mission stayed the night at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, where the president and secretary of state were also staying. They were presented to the president on the first floor of the hotel at 11 a.m. the following morning. The meeting concluded within fifteen minutes. Shortly afterwards, they were given a tour around Central Park. Around 5:30 p.m., they departed for Boston, Massachusetts aboard the steamboat Bristol.

Around 6 a.m. on September 19, they arrived in Boston. They were hosted by Charles B. Norton and J. W. Wolcott, and stayed at Wolcott's Hotel Vendome. They visited the Foreign Exhibition, Manufacturers' Institute, and Corey Hill. They reportedly displayed some Korean handicrafts at the Foreign Exhibition (porcelain and clothing). On the 20th, Wolcott took the mission to his model farm, which particularly impressed them, leading them to later create the first model farm in Korea after their return. In the evening, they saw a production of Jalma at The Boston Theatre. On the 21st, they visited various factories in Lowell, Massachusetts. On the morning of the 22nd, they met the Governor of Massachusetts Benjamin Butler and a representative of the mayor. They rested at Percival Lowell's house for two days afterwards.