Arrangements and Implications of the Central Military barracks during the Korean Empire

Author: ​Lee, SunO & Chang, Kyu-sik

Page: 97-134

Abstract

 After the Gabo Reform, the arrangement of modernized military barracks was closely linked to King Gojong's political leadership.

 As a result of the military reform, which took place amid the shrinking political influence of King Gojong during the Gabo Reform, the newly established Central Army (Hullyeon-dae) placed a barracks around the Jongmyo Shrine, far from Gyeongbok Palace, where King Gojong resided. As King Gojong regained political leadership with escape to Russian embassy, the barracks of the Central Army shifted their focus to Gyeongbok Palace.  After returning to Gyeongun Palace, King Gojong established the Siwi-dae as his own guard corps, and along with the declaration of the Korean Empire, he began to increase the Central Army with the Chinwi-dae and the Siwi-dae as its two main axes. In addition, in the process of establishing Emperor Gojong's absolute imperial authority, the Military Headquarters (Wonsubu) were established in the palace, and the barracks of the Central Army were placed around Gyeongun Palace. After the Russo-Japanese War, Emperor Gojong's influence on the military rapidly weakened as Japanese troops were stationed in Seoul and large-scale disarmament of the Korean Imperial Army proceeded.
 The Japanese military took over the empty barracks due to disarmament, and as a result, the Korean Imperial Army was isolated in the center of the capital. This relocation of military barracks was one of the reasons why the Korean Imperial Army was disbanded so helplessly when the army was disbanded.

The Korean Empire, the Central Military Barracks, King Gojong, Hullyeon-dae, Chinwi-dae, Siwi-dae, Contact Zone​