Imperial Korean Army

 

Starting in the 1880s, Korea began forming a modern military. The Byeolgigun was the first modern-style unit, trained by Japanese officer Horimoto Reijo. However, in 1882, a mutiny by the traditional army led to the suspension of the modern military project. Afterwards, the Qing Dynasty intervened in Korean affairs and reorganized part of the old army, the Ogunyeong, into a Qing-style modern army called Chingunyeong. While modern Western weapons were introduced during this period, the uniforms still retained traditional Korean elements.

 

When the Donghak Peasant Movement broke out in southern Korea, the Korean government overestimated the threat and requested assistance from the Qing. This, in turn, prompted Japanese intervention, leading to the First Sino-Japanese War. Japan occupied Seoul and established a Japanese-style modern regiment-sized unit called the Hunryeondae. From this point, a Western-style military ranking system was adopted. The existing troops of the Ogunyeong were reorganized into 14 auxiliary battalions called Mabyeongdae and Gongbyeongdae. The Hunryeondae later participated in the assassination of the Korean queen, in cooperation with Japanese agents.

 

As a result, the Korean king lost trust in the modern military, viewing it as a hotbed of pro-Japanese sentiment. In 1896, the king took refuge in the Russian legation, leading to the collapse of the pro-Japanese cabinet. With the intervention of Russia, France, and Germany against Japan, the king seized an opportunity and declared the Korean Empire in 1897, restarting the effort to build a modern military.

 

To defend the political center of Seoul, the units Chinwidae and Siwidae were formed, each later expanding to regiment size. A unit called Howidae was also created to protect the royal family. These central army units totaled around 10,000 troops according to official organization tables. The core was infantry, but cavalry, artillery, engineering, and logistics units were also included.

 

In the provinces, regional forces such as Jinwidae and Jibangdae were established, and in 1899, they were consolidated under the name Jinwidae. These provincial forces were considered second-line reserves and were infantry-heavy. Artillery was deployed at the battery level, but support was less robust than for central forces. In the northern regions bordering Qing China and Russia, the Jinwidae units received priority in resources. Jinwidae was structured into six regiments, with three based in Pyeongan-do and Hamgyong-do. The two regiments in Pyeongan-do formed the Gwanseo Command, led by a lieutenant general. A battalion stationed in Pyongyang was sometimes redeployed to Seoul to support the central army. Since the king considered Pyongyang as a fallback political center in case of unrest in Seoul, a temporary palace and military facilities were established there and managed similarly to central forces.

 

As of 1902, the Imperial Korean Army (IKA) had an organized strength of approximately 28,000 troops. When the Russo-Japanese War broke out in 1904, the IKA fell into disarray, and Seoul was occupied. According to records from the Japanese legation, Japan estimated the actual IKA strength at around 16,000 troops at the time.

 

In 1905, the Chinwidae was disbanded, and Jinwidae was reduced from 18 battalions to 8. That same year, Japan established the Residency-General, making Korea a protectorate. In April 1907, the Siwidae was reorganized into the Siwi Mixed Brigade, and in August, the Korean army was officially disbanded. Japan cited budgetary concerns and claimed it was a temporary measure, promising future re-enlistment.

 

Major Park Seung-hwan, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment of the Siwi Mixed Brigade, protested the disbandment and committed suicide. His battalion, along with the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment, resisted the disbandment order. At the time, the IKA had already been stripped of its armories and was poorly equipped. In the Battle of Namdaemun, they fought against Japanese forces; 68 were killed, over 100 wounded, and 516 captured. Some of the disbanded troops later joined the righteous armies (Uibyeong). The 1907 righteous armies were considered more combat-capable than those of 1895 or 1905. In September, Japan ordered 1,200 remaining officers, who had been retained without positions, to be discharged.

 

Some forces remained as battalion-level units like the Geunwi Infantry Battalion. Japan used these remaining units to suppress Korean insurgents, and by 1909, as the Uibyeong resistance had largely collapsed, even the residual units and facilities of the IKA were disbanded. Only a ceremonial guard unit for the Korean royal family remained. These ceremonial units continued to exist even after Japan formally annexed Korea in 1910, but were completely abolished by 1931.