British extraterritoriality in Korea, 1884 – 1910 

LECTURER: Chris Roberts
DATE: Tuesday, November 9, 2021. 07:30PM (Seoul)
VENUE: ZOOM Online

SUMMARY:
The 1883 Anglo-Korean Treaty’s extraterritoriality provisions (which were followed in Korea’s subsequent treaties with western powers) constituted an exposition of how the British negotiators considered extraterritoriality should operate throughout nineteenth century East Asia. They represented the high point of British claims for extraterritoriality—even as they contained the first written concession by Britain that extraterritoriality might end.

Despite these fine provisions, very few cases and disputes came before the courts. The actual application of British extraterritoriality in Korea was very different from the experience in China and Japan and it appears to have left no lingering resentments in Korean-British relations.

Chris Roberts will discuss his latest research into the background to these provisions, how they were applied from 1884 to 1910 (when extraterritoriality ended) and what the cases tell us about the small British presence in Korea during the period—barely 100 residents at its peak.

BIO: 
Chris Roberts worked as a British lawyer for over 25 years and spent over ten years in East Asia between 1988 and 2003. Since retiring, he gained a PhD at SOAS and has published on the exercise of British extraterritoriality in Japan. In his latest book, British Extra-territoriality in Korea, 1884 – 1910: a comparison with Japan (published by Renaissance Books in June 2021), he turns his attention to Korea.

**  Zoom Meeting Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86787784716?pwd=V2JUcVpYR2M1M21RSkpiVnoyRWtaQT09
Meeting ID: 867 8778 4716
Passcode: 157081
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,86787784716#,,,,*157081# US (Tacoma)
+13017158592,,86787784716#,,,,*157081# US (Washington DC)

Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 867 8778 4716
Passcode: 157081
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcuGMujRqw