Republic of Korea History FDC

Republic of Korea FDC
Name: Centennial Anniversary of Special Envoy to the Hague
Issue date: 2007 June 27th

"A truly great country is not one with extensive territory nor population. Even though its territory and population may be small, a country with great people becomes a great country. A great person, for the sake of his mother country, becomes the blood of his country's life." - Patriot Lee Chun.

The Eulsa Treaty signed in 1905 under Japan's coercion put Taehan Cheguk (the Empire of Korea) into the crisis of losing its national sovereignty and diplomatic privileges. Faced with this crisis, Korean Emperor Gojong dispatched in secret a cadre of special envoys made up of Lee Sang-Sol, Lee Chun, and Lee Wi-Jong to the Second Hague Peace Conference being held in The Hague, Netherlands in June 1907. Their mission was to engage in diplomatic activities aimed at appealing to the world's great powers to invalidate the Eulsa Treaty and restore Taehan Cheguk's national sovereignty. Carrying Emperor Kojong's credentials and secret messages, the suite of special eonvoys arrived at The Hague after two months of journey via Russia. At The Hague, they sent letters to the delegation of each country attending the Conference to elicit support to allow their participation in the Peace Conference. They also strived, through open speeches and media broadcasting, to inform the international community of the wretched situation that Korea was in. After Japan's interruptions stifled their plan, Lee Chun died in a fit of anger while Lee Sang-Sol and Lee Yi-Jong toured Europe, continuing to conduct diplomatic activities aimed at recovering Korea's national sovereignty.