No man was allowed to build a house beyond a certain size, save the King.  The only way to wealth or power was by enlisting in the King’s service.  The King’s governors were free to plunder as they would, and even the village magistrate, representing the King, could freely work his will on those under him.  The King had his eyes everywhere.  His spies were all over the land.  Let yang-ban (official or noble) however high show unhealthy ambition or seek to conceal anything from the royal knowledge and he would be called to Court and broken in an hour, and would count himself fortunate if he escaped with his life.

The Korean people are eminently pacific.  Up to a point, they endure hard thing’s uncomplainingly.  It would have been better for them had they not suffered wrongs so tamely.  The Yi method of government killed ambition—­except for the King’s service—­killed enterprise and killed progress.  The aim of the business man and the farmer was to escape notice and live quietly.

Foreigners attempted, time after time, to make their way into the country.  French Catholic priests, as far back as the end of the eighteenth century, smuggled themselves in.  Despite torture and death, they kept on, until the great persecution of 1866 wiped them and their converts out.  This persecution arose because of fear of foreign aggression.

A Russian war vessel appeared off Broughton’s Bay, demanding on behalf of Russians the right of commerce.  The King at this time was a minor, adopted by the late King.  His father, the Tai Won Kun, or Regent, ruled in his stead.  He was a man of great force of character and no scruples.  He slew in wholesale fashion those who dared oppose him.  He had the idea that the Christians favoured the coming of the foreigner and so he turned his wrath on them.  The native Catholics were wiped out, under every possible circumstance of brutality, and with them perished a number of French Catholic priests.  By one of those contradictions which are constantly happening in real life, the crew of an American steamer, the Surprise, who were wrecked off the coast of Whang-hai that year were treated with all possible honour and consideration, and were returned home, through Manchuria, officials conducting them and the people coming out to greet them as they travelled through the land.

The French Minister at Peking determined on revenge for the death of the priests.  A strong expedition was sent to the Han River, and attacked the forts on the Kangwha Island.  The Korean troops met them bravely, and although the French obtained a temporary success, thanks to their modern weapons, they were in the end forced to retire.