Japan, which herself after considerable internal trouble, had accepted the coming of the Westerner as inevitable, tried on several occasions to renew relations with Korea.  At first she was repulsed.  In 1876 a Japanese ship, approaching the Korean coast, was fired on, as the Japanese a generation before had fired on foreign ships approaching their shore.  There was a furious demand all over the country for revenge.  Ito and other leaders with cool heads resisted the demand, but took such steps that Korea was compelled to conclude a treaty opening several ports to Japanese trade and giving Japan the right to send a minister to Seoul, the capital.  The first clause of the first article of the treaty was in itself a warning of future trouble.  “Chosen (Korea) being an independent state enjoys the same sovereign rights as does Japan.”  In other words Korea was virtually made to disown the slight Chinese protectorate which had been exercised for centuries.

The Chinese statesmen in Peking watched this undisturbed.  They despised the Japanese too much to fear them, little dreaming that this small nation was within less than twenty years to humble them in the dust.  Their real fear at this time was not Japan but Russia.  Russia was stretching forth throughout Asia, and it looked as though she would try to seize Korea itself.  And so Li Hung-chang advised the Korean rulers to guard themselves.  “You must open your doors to other nations in order to keep out Russia,” he told them.  At the same time it was intimated to Ministers in Peking, particularly to the American Minister, that if he would approach the Koreans, they would be willing to listen.  Commodore Shufeldt was made American Envoy, and an American-Korean Treaty was signed at Gensan on May 22, 1882.  It was, truth to tell, a somewhat amateurish production, and had to be amended before it was finally ratified.  It provided for the appointment of diplomatic and Consular officials, and for the opening of the country to commerce.  A treaty with Britain was concluded in the following year, and other nations followed.

One clause in the American Treaty was afterwards regarded by the Korean ruler as the sheet anchor of his safety, until storm came and it was found that the sheet anchor did not hold.

There shall be perpetual peace and friendship between the President of the United States and the King of Chosen and the citizens and subjects of their respective Governments.  If other powers deal unjustly or oppressively with either Government, the other will exert their good offices, on being informed of the case, to bring about an amicable arrangement, thus showing their friendly feelings.

All of the treaties provided for extra-territoriality in Korea, that is to say that the foreigners charged with any offence there should be tried not by the Korean Courts but by their own, and punished by them.

Groups of adventurous foreigners soon entered the country.  Foreign ministers and their staffs arrived first.  Missionaries, concession hunters, traders and commercial travellers followed.