Japanese occupation of Korea
The Japanese occupation of Korea was the period of colonial rule from Japan’s annexation of Korea in 1910 until Japan’s surrender in 1945.
Korea under Japanese rule: The political, economic, and social conditions of Korea under Japanese colonial administration from 1910 to 1945. This broad account traces how Japanese authority operated across Korean society.
March 1st Movement: A nationwide Korean independence movement launched on March 1, 1919, met by Japanese repression. Its protests exposed the breadth of opposition and prompted changes in colonial governance.
Korea under the Joseon dynasty: The Korean dynasty that ruled from 1392 to 1897, before Korea became an empire and then a Japanese protectorate. Joseon institutions and sovereignty formed the background to Japan’s expanding intervention.
Syngman Rhee: A Korean independence activist who led the Korean Provisional Government in exile and later became South Korea’s first president. His political career linked independence advocacy abroad to post-occupation state-building.
Korean Empire: The Korean state established in 1897, which Japan formally annexed in 1910. Its brief sovereignty contrasts with the colonial administration that replaced it.
Government-General of Korea: Japan’s colonial administration in Korea, established after annexation and led by a governor-general. It concentrated executive, legislative, and military authority in the colonial state.
Korean independence movement: Organized efforts to end Japanese rule and establish Korean independence, conducted inside and outside Korea. The occupation generated a sustained movement spanning protest, diplomacy, and armed struggle.
First Sino-Japanese War: The 1894–1895 war between China and Japan over influence in Korea, won by Japan. Japan’s victory weakened Qing influence and strengthened its position in Korea.
Kim Gu: A Korean independence leader who headed the Korean Provisional Government and supported armed resistance to Japan. He became a leading figure in the exile movement opposing colonial rule.
Japanese occupation of Manchuria: Japan’s control over Manchuria through the puppet state of Manchukuo from 1932 to 1945. It offers a nearby comparison for Japan’s imperial rule on the Asian mainland.