Політика США щодо франко-корейського конфлікту 1866 р.

Abstract

In the article comprehensively examines the process of formulating the Korean policy of the USA in the 1860-s, aimed at the «opening» of the Joseon state to foreign commerce. It is noted that this course was a direct continuation of the strategy, which passed the initial public test in the middle of the ХІХ-th century, during the violent «opening» of Japan. Examining the process of formulation of Washington's policy towards the Korean state of Joseon, the author proves that the reason for interference in Seoul's internal affairs was oppression and persecution by the «isolationist» government of the East Asian state. This problem became particularly acute in 1866, when the Joseon government massively persecuted the country's Christian community, which was developing under the patronage of the French Catholic mission. As a result of the conducted research, the author came to the following conclusions. The Korean policy of the USA became significantly more active in the 1860-s. Under the pretext of protecting French Catholic missionaries from repression by the Korean authorities, the White House advocated, along with other states (in particular, France) for the «opening» of Joseon to foreign trade. The latter was considered as a universal recipe for the spread of «civilized» rules of coexistence to the previously «isolated» countries of East Asia. The actions taken by Washington during this period can be interpreted as a «test of strength» in order to determine the further strategy of «opening up» Korea.