With pressures to modernize the ancient nation, the King on Korea's throne, Kojong, initiates some reforms. There are to be no divisive parties, no excluded or exclusive castes. The government of Korea is to be given to good men. All documents are to be dated from year 503 of the Chosun dynasty. Time to begin anew.

The oft-discussed ex-regent is elevated yet again. But he is to be under Japan's thumb, lest he bring the nation backwards. Disgusted with this new arrangement, the Queen, conservative by nature, recedes from politics altogether.

Prince Kunmung meanwhile rises to power with Kojong while the Japanese military is in control.

"The machinery was now all complete whereby Korea could be governed properly," says the historian. But as happens so often in this inconsistent land, strong pressure behind the scenes begins to move things in the opposite direction.

In 1895 all sign the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which puts an end, for awhile anyway, to China's status in Asia and specifically on the Korean peninsula. Japan seems to be going somewhere. Soon, the Japanese conquer Manchuria, the territory north of Korea, in what is today China. Another treaty: the Japanese are given Formosa by China, and the Chinese lose all interests in Korea.

Japan reinstalls Buddhism in its conquered lands. It won't be the only Japanese religion to confuse the citizens of Chosun over the years.

Yet another cholera epidemic sweeps through Seoul, the Tonghak attempts to rise but is crushed. But the big event of the period is the assassination of Queen Min.

A new Japanese minister, Viscount Miura, arrives in Seoul and befriends the ex-regent who is not on friendly terms with the Queen. This, while the Queen's friend and support is sent to America. There is some mystery about what happens next, but it is well known that the Queen is in the way of progress. Miura is approached by the ex-regent who has a plan. Some historians say that Miura was the instigator of the meeting, on behalf of the Japanese government.

The outcome is not in doubt. The Japanese are to allow assassins to come into the Korean palace. After her cruel slaying, the New York Herald tries to wire the story, but is blocked by Japanese agents. Instead the story is transmitted by wives of missionaries who know the queen.

Three Japanese are later executed by the Japanese government, but many believe they probably were not the murderers. Japan in fact never does formally admit complicity. Miura actually blames Koreans for the atrocity. In 1896 there is a court investigation in Hiroshima. Then the King investigates. But he goes through Korea's Japan-dominated courts and of course the findings are the same.

More and more the king is a puppet and a captive in his own realm. When a mob storms the palace, he takes asylum in the Russian legation. This is at least part of the background for the enmity between Russia and Japan that will follow.

Meanwhile, the world's opinion, per historian Oliver quoting Lord Curzon: "The spectacle of a country... well-endowed with resources, yet crippled by want of funds...is one to which I know no counterpart."

He refers to the fact that much money is wasted on the wrong kinds of things, eventually allowing a neighboring nation to enslave it.

In our day, the North Korean government continues to enslave its people by lavish spending on military to the demise of its agriculture