At the end of the 19th century Korea took the first steps towards developing a modern model of diplomacy. This process was hampered by the inertia of vassal-suzerain relations with China and the uncertain status of Korea on the global arena. The author analyzed the indications of incomplete sovereignty of the Joseon Kingdom and its attempts to conduct sovereign diplomacy. The attitude of the great powers to Joseon has been considered. The uncertainty of Korea's diplomatic status at the end of the 19th century can be illustrated by the following contradiction. On the one hand, the great powers recognized Korea's sovereignty as a limited one and assigned a minister resident or consul general, which corresponds to the third and fourth level of a diplomatic representative. On the other hand, the Qing government prevented Joseon from pursuing an independent foreign policy, but could not shape it at its discretion. In 1901-1902, the diplomatic status of the Joseon Kingdom finally became fully sovereign de jure, de facto though internal problems and weaknesses did not disappear, and in 1904–1905 a Japanese protectorate over Korea was established.

Kozlov Leonid Evgenyevich, Candidate of Sciences (Political Science), Associate Professor, Department of International Relations, Far Eastern Federal University, 10, Ajax Bay, Russky Island, Vladivostok, 690922, Russian Federation, e-mail: leonidkozlov@yahoo.com, kozlov.le@dvfu.ru

Kozlov L.E. The Diplomatic Status of the Joseon Kingdom in the Context of the Competition among China, Japan and Russia on the Korean Peninsula (Late 19th Century). The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies, 2020, vol. 34, pp. 83–89. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2020.34.83 (in Russian)

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