 While the geopolitical issues of the Korean peninsula seem a result of the Cold War, they actually date back more than a century ago. The event that starts Korea’s 20th century history was the Sino-Japanese War of 1894. The Sino-Japanese War is significant because it not only marks Korea being handed to Japan, but it also signified a turning point in history: the handover of East Asia from Qing China to Meiji Japan. This war would also set the geopolitical climate of East Asia for the 20th Century resulting in China’s decline and Japan’s rapid expansionism. Tensions between Qing China and Japan started within the Korean Kingdom of Goseon. Japan had become more and more imperialist and increasingly influenced the local politics in Korea. However, this interference was enormously unpopular among Koreans which gained the attention of China, the de jure imperial power over Korea. Japan had aims of building a sprawling East Asian empire rivaling those of western imperial powers. This meant the seizure of several Chinese territories and strongholds throughout the region which at the time included Korea. As such, the conflict of interest between the Japanese and Chinese led to the outbreak of war. The war was an enormous embarrassment for the Qing empire while pride-inducing for Meiji-era Japan. The Japan had not only defeated the Chinese navy, but crushed it. Japan gained the additional control of Formosa (Taiwan) and several strategic islands off the coast of China. The end of China’s dominance also signified the end of China’s old form of empire--vassalage of several states--to a new western imperialist system with direct control over foreign territories. The new imperialist order would come at the expense of the nation of Korea. The Kingdom of Goseon was to be completely annexed by Japan in 1910. Japan used Korea to serve its own interests, namely as a door into the resource-rich Manchuria. As a result, Korea’s development would stagnate as Japanese interests superseded. 
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