Joseon’s adoption of the Western concept on ‘Intercourse’ and modification on the Foreign Office in the early 1880s: Focusing on Kim Yun-sik’s perspectives and contribution on foreign affairs

As the existence of the Foreign Office(統理交涉通商事務衙門) shows, modern diplomacy in Joseon was institutionalized in the name of ‘intercourse(交涉)’ with some restrictions. Originally, ‘intercourse’ had a negative connotation of interacting with foreigners and was perceived as a kind of disruption in Joseon. But its meaning was redefined to correspond to intercourse, which refers to the dispatch of a envoy according to the Western custom in treaties signed by East Asian countries. This paper identifies this as the Western concept of intercourse and explores the process of limited institutionalization of modern diplomacy by adopting this concept in Joseon, focusing on the activities of Kim Yun-sik.<br/> The Western concept of intercourse is particularly relevant to the function of the resident envoy system. In principle, ‘intercousrse(交涉)’ corresponds to the relationship between states, but it can also refer to the correspondence(交涉往來) between consuls and local officials, as well as to judicial proceeding/justice(交涉事件, 案件).<br/> Despite some limitations, it should be noted that Joseon sought to institutionalize the functional aspects of diplomacy represented by envoys through the Western concept of intercourse. Rather, it is symbolic of the historical situation of Joseon in the 1880s that the presence of Qing forced Joseon to adopt only the functional and practical aspects of modern diplomacy centered on envoys through the name of ‘intercourse’ instead of explicit and full diplomacy.