알렌이 포착한 기회의 나라, 대한제국

Abstract

Allen had worked in Korea for 21 years in a very close relationship with the royal family. He was regarded as a member of Korean royal family rather than U.S. Diplomat by surrounding people. For such a reason, his recognition and evaluation on the Korean Empire can be regarded as relatively concrete and accurate. His view on the emperor was negative. He used words as weakness, indecision, corruption, irresponsibility, and stubborn person for representing emperor’s personality and character as a man of supreme power. As for government officials of the Korean Empire, he commented on 97 persons including Lee Young-Ik, Seo Jae-Phil, Lee Wan-Yong, and the family of Min. He regarded Lee Yong-Ik as a figure of corruption ‘who should have never been appointed’. For Seo Jae-Phil who was an American citizen, Allen showed generous attitude to protect him praising his independence movement. For Lee Wan-Yong, on the other hand, Allen changed his attitude situatinally. Sometimes he criticized Lee and evaluated him as a figure of ‘excellent judgment and courage.’ Allen’s basic view on the officials of the Korean Empire was that they are genius of changing their image and opportunistists. Relatively, he evaluated the subjugated people as naïve, diligent, hard-working and patient. He also commented that their diligence led to high enthusiasm for education, and they adopted quickly to the new environment and good workers. Allen also criticized that Japan carried out oppressive and uncivilized ruling without considering Korean’s high cultural sense and intelligent superiority. Such evaluation and recognition seem to have been expressed from Allen’s negative view on Japan as well as from his pity on Korean’s heartbreaking circumstance. Allen recognized the Korean Empire as a country of opportunity from which infinite rights could be created. Actually, Allen was involved in various kinds of rights such as gold mine, railroad, streetcar, electricity, telephone and water supply. For becoming U.S. Minister and maintaining U.S. Ministry as a person adhering to the royal family, Allen connected and mediated Emperor Gojong and American businessmen. Allen strived for the benefits of America and Americans, and regarded the Korean Empire as a rights market of America in negotiatians of rights.