KOREA ANNEXED BY JAPAN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 905, 26 August 1910, Page 5

KOREA ANNEXED BY JAPAN.

A MOMENTOUS DECISION. "TIMES" ON YELLOW MAN AND HIS NEW BURDEN. AIUST WIN WORLD'S APPROVAL By Telcßraph-Prcsd Association-Copyright (Rec. August 25, 9.55 p.m.) London, August 25. .A convention for the auuexation of Korea bns been signed by the Japanese and Korean Governments, and will be proclaimed on September 13. Tho British -Foreign Office has been informed of tho impeuding change, and has no objection on political-grounds. It is unable, however, to estimate the commercial effect- until the conditions accompanying, the annexation have been communicated.

The German Government considers the annexation merely a natural sequence to the ' events in Korea • sinco the close of tho Russo-Japanese War. The economic conditions, so far as Germany is concerned,, will be discussed in ;tlio forthcoming negotiations for.a treaty of commerce between Germany and Japan.

"Tho Times," in commenting on the announcement, says that Japan has made a momentous decision. Hitherto she has had the option of withdrawing from the mainland, for though she holds the Liaotung Peninsula and the South Manchuria railway leases, these are deter-' minable after a term of years. The protectorate over Korea was not necessarily permanent,.and some : of the Japanese regard , the change, with misgiving. The- railway projects in northern Korea show that Japan is aware that: new and grave responsibilities are resting upon her. Nevertheless, the die. was cast when China renounced her' claim to Korea, and Japan undertook the responsibility of carrying out the internal reforms re quired in the country. Every step sinco has' been consecutive and inevitable.

' "The Times" trusts that Japan's statesmen will, remember that the world will watch her. future policy in Korea Vvith great: expectancy, and some anxiety. It will he deplorable. if the original inhabitants are submerged under a flood of Japanese immigration. Japanese expansion is doubtless a political and economic necessity, but it will fail.to win the approval of civilised nations unless it,is also ultimately and materially to the advantage of the gentle, unworldly, and not unkindly race which now inhabits the peninsula of Korea.

Until 1594 China was,the suzerain, of Korea, but on the conclusion of the war in 1895, China relinquished her suzerainty, and the independence of Korea was acknowledged. Then a'struggle began with Russia,-which culminated in the Russo-Japanese War, and by the Peace-Treaty between Russia and -Japan, 1905, the paramount interest of the latter country in Korea was acknowledged. , A treaty between- Korea' and Japan, signed at Seoul, November 17. 1905/ provided that Japan, through the Department'of Foreign Affairs in Tokio, should 'control and direct the external relations and affairs of Korea; that Japan should lie represented at the Court of the tmperor of' Korea by a Resident-General residing at Seoul, and have the right to station Residents at the several open ports and such other places in Korea as ■it might deem necessary:*' :"i,\ On the abdication of \'i'Hcui a new convention was concluded on July 31, '1907, and the control of the country placed more fully in the bonds of, Japan. ■ Under the Treaty-of Portsmouth, which concluded the Russo-Japanese war, the Russian lease of the Kwantung Province, which includes the Port Arthur and_- the Liaotung Peninsular, was transferred to Japan. This lease expires in.1923. The South ManChuriau railway - was also transferred by Russia to Japan. The Japanese maintained that this line was "the v one and only tangible asset accruing to Japan in. the sequel of a war which cost her-100,000 men and 200 millions of treasure." ' • ' ■ ■'

The old regime in Korea swept away by Japan (says "The Times") never deserved anv atom of sympathy, hut the Koreans are not.fhelonly Oriental people i who are apt to prefer misgoyorntnent at the hands.of their own' rulers to all the advantages of a civilised but alien -government. Tho magnitude of the task assumed by a nation' like the Japanese, themselves still in a state of transition, in undertaking to govern a vast and backward country with a population of ten millions, would have the resources of a country trained to colonial enterprise-by ; the experience of 'many, generations; and that it has been marred by the high-handed action is not to 1)0 wondered at. '"