Men’s Christian Association went to the Synheung Temple for a picnic. In
addition to a splendid luncheon, cooked in foreign style, debates and
several unique races were features of the day’s outing.
The Vice Minister of the War Department, Mr. Om Chu-ik, has resigned and
his resignation has been accepted.
More than one hundred post office clerks are said to have been ordered
from Japan to Korea to assist in the new postal work undertaken by the
Japanese.
The regulations requiring examinations in order to secure appointment
to any of the Departments, include the Chinese language (reading and
composition) international history and international law. Only thirty may
pass the examination at one time and the first thirty have already been
passed and have received their appointments.
The Korean Minister in Washington telegraphs the Foreign Department that
Korean immigrants in Hawaii desire a Consul of their own nationality
instead of a Japanese subject.
When the Japanese officials took possession of the postoffices on the
seventeenth instant the Korean clerks and officials were assigned certain
duties, which they refused to perform. Resignations were sent in and the
Koreans went to their homes, and for several days refused to attend the
offices. A few were arrested by the Japanese.
Nearly all the officials of the Communication Department presented their
resignations a number of times but the resignations were not accepted.
In addition to the previous regulations issued by the Japanese
commander-in-chief, the Foreign Office has been notified of the following:
1. When the Korean government appoints a magistrate the office of the
commander-in-chief must first be notified.
2. Without the consent of the commander-in-chief the magistrate will not
be permitted to go to his post of duty.
3. No mines can be worked or forests be cut down without permission of
the commander-in-chief.
Complaint is made that coal stored in Pyeng Yang has been secretly sold
without an account being rendered. Request for payment has been made and
a demand to discontinue secret selling.
The magistrate of Chin Chun district reports that more than seventy
members of a so called Righteous Army entered his district from
Chook-san, with their leader Pak Chai-man. They had robbed the people of
rice, money and guns, and departed in the direction of Chung an district.
Mr. Chung Choo-yeng has been appointed governor of North Kyeng Sang
province.
The Law Department has ordered all judges to post bulletins of the trials
of those sentenced to be hung, so that the public may know the charges,
evidence, and law under which the criminal has been condemned to death.
The Wonsan Kamni cannot see how ten policemen can satisfactorily perform
the labors it formerly took forty policemen to perform. He wishes to know
why thirty of his policemen have been dismissed, and he further greatly
desires to have their places filled at once.
The Agricultural Department has been requested to grant the use of the
silk worm compound to the Japanese commander-in-chief.
Graduating exercises of the Japanese language school in Chemulpo were
held on the twentieth inst. The Minister, Inspector and other officers of
the Korean Educational Department were in attendance. The five graduates
have been appointed assistant teachers.
The Foreign Office has been notified that the salaries of Japanese police
inspectors in the five wards of Seoul must be paid at once.
On the eighteenth inst. a Japanese notice was posted on the bulletin
boards of the Korean Communication Department that from that day the
Japanese would:
1. Take charge of the Korean ordinary postal service.
2. Take charge of the Korean telegraph and telephone service.
By a special Edict Prince Eui Yang-koon represented His Majesty, the
Emperor of Korea, at the formal ceremony of opening the Seoul-Fusan
railway.
The Japanese Prince received from the Emperor of Korea the decoration
Keum Chuk Tai-soo and the attachés received the Pal Kwa and Tai Keu
decorations from His Majesty.
It is proposed to place Korean assistants under the Advisers of the
various Departments in the Korean government, with salaries paid by the
Finance Department.
The director of all the foreign language schools, Mr. Yi Chong-tai, has
communicated with each school to the effect that education is for the
mind, the soul and the body. Of late some students have taken a dislike
to bodily exercise. The teachers are instructed to require students to
take exercise regularly, and all who refuse to obey the order must be
dropped from the rolls.
Prince Yi Chai-wan has asked permission of the Household Department to
erect a paper mill in Yang Kun district, and it has been granted. When
told of this His Majesty ordered the Household Department to collect the
old and useless paper from all the Departments now and in the future and
send it to the paper company without charge.
On the 13th inst. public exercises of all the primary schools were held
and some suitable rewards were distributed by the Educational Department
to those excelling in their studies.
Trains are running daily over the military road between Seoul and Pyeng
Yang, and the mails are carried regularly. Passenger coaches are not
used, and at present no passenger business is desired; but an occasional
pass is issued so that one may make the journey on an open flat car,
usually loaded with railroad or army equipment. The trip would doubtless
be rather taxing on ladies, and the authorities are at present chary in
granting them permits.
The governor of North Choong Chung asks the Home Department to see that
all magistrates residing in Seoul be sent to the country at once, because
robbers are numerous and the people cannot peacefully attend to their
crops.
The Foreign Department has announced that it will be impossible to send a
special representative to Belgium to the forthcoming congress.
Six inspectors have been appointed by the Law Department.
The Home Department has provided for the stationing of police as follows:
ten each for Mokpo, Sam-wha, Masanpo, Gensan, Sung-chin, and Yongampo;
eight each for Pyeng Yang and Euiju; and four for Kyeng Heung. The annual
expense will be twenty-three thousand four hundred and eighty-six dollars.
A band of more than thirty robbers have been carrying on their work by
daylight in the Poo Pyung district, and several wealthy Koreans have fled
to Seoul to escape trouble from them.
The Il Chin Hoi have organized a company for the ostensible purpose of
cultivating waste lands, and the Agricultural Department has been asked
to allow it.
Since the second instant only Japanese steamers in special instances have
been permitted to go north of Wonsan, by order of the commanding general.
Five magistrates dismissed for squeezing money from the people have
voluntarily appeared before the Justice Court.
Sixteen thousand one hundred twenty-three dollars ninety cents and two
cash is the amount paid for work on the railroad in Pyeng San district,
Whang Hai province, as reported to the Home Department by the Finance
Department.
Yi To Chai, Minister of the Home Department, sent in his resignation four
different times, and then it was not accepted.
Mr. Hayashi, Japanese Minister to Korea, has returned to Seoul, as has
also the Japanese Adviser to the Korean Police Department.
Much of the material for the new water works system has arrived, but
government delays have thus far prevented actual work of construction.
The Korean Consul, Mr. Ma Kyeng, has been appointed acting Minister of
the Korean Legation in London.
The Constitutional Society, with Yun Hyo-chung at its head has received
from the Japanese authorities a permit to hold meetings.
The acting Foreign Minister, Yun Chi Ho, has received a request from the
Chinese Minister for the release of a Chinese merchant recently arrested
at Haiju.
A telegram from the Korean Legation in London announces to the Foreign
Department the death of the Acting Minister, Mr. Yi Hon-eung. A
telegram from the Foreign Department to the Legation in Paris orders
the Secretary, Mr. Kim-Myeng-soo, to take charge of Korea’s diplomatic
affairs in London.
Very numerous complaints have reached the Foreign Office on account
of large quantities of nickels having been refused when offered for
exchange. All magistrates in the thirteen provinces had been warned not
to receive nickels not coined by the government; but of late counterfeit
coins have become so numerous that innocent people suffer greatly and
cannot protect themselves. The government out of pity for the innocent
have decided to accept coins whose quality and form compare favorably
with government coins, even though they may be counterfeit.
No celebration in Korea in modern times has equaled that in Seoul on the
25th inst. at the formal opening of the Kei-Fu, or Seoul-Fusan Railway.
Many oxen have been demanded in the north for the purpose of transporting
rice and other commodities to the Japanese army in Manchuria.
Books are now being printed for the use of those Koreans who desire to
study Japanese without a teacher. Sample volumes have been presented to
His Majesty, the Crown Prince, and others in the Royal Household.
The Foreign Department has been notified by the Japanese Minister that
according to the announcement of the Japanese Chief of the Communication
Department since he has assumed control of Korean Communications he will
collect all rates from telegraph, telephone and post offices, and the
official salaries will be paid by the Japanese government.
A contract has been signed with a Japanese fishing company defining
the limits of waters between Japan and Korea where whale fishery may
be carried on in three different districts. The yearly rates have been
increased from four hundred and fifty to nine hundred yen.
From the Korean Legation in Paris a despatch has come stating that
the secretary, Min Sang Hyun, is starting at once for Korea as he has
received notice of the sudden illness of his father. As immediate
departure is necessary there is not time to secure leave of absence. The
government is asked to pay the return expenses.
The magistrate of Hong Wan district has been changed, but as the former
magistrate was entirely satisfactory to the Japanese army representations
have been made that a change is not desirable.
The railway company has been asked to remove posts placed around the hill
near the South Temple.
Agreements with four French engineers have been cancelled and the Foreign
Office has sent to the French Legation eleven thousand seven hundred
and seventy-three yen and thirty cents for salaries, house rents and
traveling expenses.
It is asked that the material which arrives at Fusan to be used in iron
bridges be admitted duty free.
The willow trees in An Pyen district are asked for by the Japanese
authorities for the railway.
Civil service examinations were announced to be held between the
thirteenth and seventeenth of May, to which each Department was
privileged to send not to exceed five men. Vacancies in the office of
clerk in any Department are to be filled in regular order from the ranks
of those passing the examination.
The Home Minister, Mr. Yi To-chai, sent his resignation to His majesty.
A dealer living in Chongno has secured the monopoly of furnishing all the
Korean national flags throughout the country.
The resignation of Min Yeng Whan, Vice Minister of the Supreme Court, has
been accepted.
The former Chief of Ceremonial Department has been appointed Vice
Minister of the Supreme Court.
Governors of the various provinces have been asked by the Japanese
commander-in-chief to report the number of horses in each district.
The ex-magistrate of Ko-Wan district, Hamkyeng province, unfolds a tale
to the Home Department of how he was appointed prefect last September,
and proceeded as far as Wonsan on his journey to take up his work. At
Wonsan the commander-in-chief of the Japanese army detained him. He
telegraphed to the Home Department seven different times but received no
reply. Finally the police inspector of Wonsan took his official seal by
force and there was nothing left for him to do but to return to Seoul
which he did four months ago. Now he has been dismissed, charged with
being absent from his post of duty, and he desires to be relieved of the
charge.
Nine Japanese police inspectors and thirteen policemen for the various
districts have arrived in Seoul.
According to the recent military adjustments the monthly expense for the
army is about two hundred and seventy thousand dollars, and the adviser
of the Finance Department is willing to pay but one hundred and eighty
thousand monthly, hence the War Department is short on salaries.
The home Minister and acting Minister of the Finance Department presented
their resignations but they were not accepted.
On the sixth instant the Japanese representatives appointed to receive
the transfer of the Korean communication Department made a demand for
said transfer on the ground that the government would appoint special
agents to attend to the matter.
His Majesty has issued a proclamation concerning the new laws which have
been promulgated. He calls attention to the fact that there has been
doubt in the minds of magistrates as to whether certain ancient laws
were repealed, and it has therefore been found difficult to enforce the
existing laws. The new laws are made up of the best of the ancient laws
conformed to modern foreign regulations, to be published throughout the
country and observed forever.
The Sunju prefect has been summarily dismissed for squeezing money from
citizens of his district.
The governor of South Pyeng An province reports that the people are
greatly disturbed, and he asks that a good magistrate be sent there at
once.
Cutting of trees on South mountain by the Japanese has been complained
of, and the authorities have been asked to put a stop to it.
The Minister of the Law Department memorialized His Majesty, stating that
law should mean justice and asking permission to appoint special agents
from his department to investigate all the courts of Justice and Judges
and examine the evidence and judgments carefully to see that no wrong is
done. His Majesty acquiesced, and six agents have been appointed.
The Japanese gendarmes have been asked for permission to form another
political organization by several prominent Koreans.
Human bones are said to have been found scattered along the road-side
near the railway outside of South Gate, probably having been disinterred
when the many graves were removed by railway workmen. The Home Department
has ordered policemen to see that the bones are properly interred.
The former secretary to the Korean Legation in Russia returned to Seoul
this month.
The Minister of War, Kwan Choong-hyen, has repeatedly sent in his
resignation because of the reduction in the allowance for military
expenditure. He has now been dismissed and Yi Yong Ik, formerly governor
of North Kyeng-san province, has been appointed Minister of War.
The magistrate of Si Heung district complains that the conduct of
Japanese workmen on the railroad is such that the Koreans are all leaving
the district. A reply has been returned that of course such conduct will
cease on completion of the railway.
The kamni of Chemulpo reports the request of the Japanese authorities for
the removal of all the inhabitants from Walmi Island, and the people are
in an uproar.
The chief of Police has proposed to the Home Department to employ a
force of ten men in each ward at ten Yen per month to keep the streets
and gutters free from filth. As there are no funds for the purpose he
proposes to tax each jinrikisha one dollar per month, and after defraying
the expenses of the department he will pay any remaining money into the
Royal Treasury.
In the Chunju district the magistrate has been requested to furnish one
hundred and thirty men daily for work on the Japanese railway with a
daily wage of seventy cents. It is very difficult to take the men from
their fields during the sowing and cultivating season, and if the fields
are neglected the crops will be a failure. The magistrate asks the
government what he shall do.
Special thanks have been sent in an official communication to the
Japanese Minister for exceptional greetings to the Korean Envoy to Japan,
such as providing a Royal ship for his journey and one of the Royal
palaces for his hotel.
The governor of Pusan reports that since the action of the Home Minister
in relation to the police force many police inspectors are resigning,
and he asks that new police regulations be promulgated as speedily as
possible.
A complaint is made to the Foreign Office by the Chinese Minister that
many Koreans are crossing the border into China and causing disturbances.
He asks that this be stopped at once.
The Finance Department has authorized the governor of North Chulla
province to collect taxes by accepting copper cash.
All the governors of the thirteen provinces have been cautioned by the
Finance Department to collect the taxes with great care.
In a cabinet meeting the Ex-minister of communications, Gen. Min Sang
Ho, is said to have created a sensation by declaring the agreement
between the Korean and Japanese governments on postal matters to be sheer
nonsense, and the other Ministers are said to have remained silent after
his denunciation.
By a special Edict the Minister of the Royal Household, Min Yeng Chul,
the General of Royal Officers Yi Koun taik, and the Minister of the War
Department, Yi Yong-ik have been decorated with the First Degree of Pol
Kevai. Yi To-Chai, Minister of the Home Department, resigned and Yi
Chi-yong, Minister of the Law Department, has been appointed to take
his place, and Yi Keun-ho, governor of Kyeng-kea province has been made
Minister of Law.