Ernest Bethel
Encyclopedia
Ernest Thomas Bethell who is also known by his Korean name
Bae Seol (배설, 裵說), was a British journalist working in Asia as a correspondent for the Daily Chronicle
.
As a correspondent
for Daily Chronicle
, he originally came to Korea, from Japan where he had been in the export business, in 1904 to report on the Russo-Japanese War
, but then stayed in Korea
and reported on Japanese imperialism
in Korea. Bethel soon noted the abuses by Japanese soldiers towards Koreans, and how Koreans were treated unfairly and as inferior.
He founded an early newspaper in Korea
with Yang Gi-tak
, a Korean independence activist, in 1904 called Daehan Maeil Sinbo
(대한매일신보, 大韓每日申報, The Korea Daily News) which was published in both Korean and English. The publication was strongly antagonistic to Japanese rule in Korea. The paper was available in three versions - English, Korean
, and Korean mixed script
. Many people who opposed Japanese, such as Park Eun-sik and Sin Chae-ho, wrote articles and columns on the paper.
At the time British subjects enjoyed extraterritorial rights
in Korea. Because the paper was published by a British subject it was, therefore, not subject to local law. In 1907, he was prosecuted in the British Consular Court in Seoul for breach of the peace and given a good behaviour bond of 6 months. In 1908, at the request of the Japanese Residency-General, Bethel was prosecuted in the British Supreme Court for China and Corea
(sic), sitting in Seoul, for sedition against the Japanese government of Korea. He was convicted of sedition and was sentenced by judge F.S.A Bourne to three weeks of imprisonment and a 6 months' good behaviour bond. As there was no suitable jail in Korea, he was taken to Shanghai and detained at the British Consular Gaol in Shanghai.
After being released, he returned to Seoul to continue his business. He died of cardiac enlargement
on May 1, 1909. The monument
that Koreans erected in for him was defaced by the Japanese. Another monument was erected near the original one in 1964 by journalists living in Korea. Both can be seen at his grave at Yanghwajin Foreigners' Cemetery
.
Korean name
A Korean name consists of a family name followed by a given name, as used by the Korean people in both North Korea and South Korea. In the Korean language, 'ireum' or 'seong-myeong' usually refers to the family name and given name together...
Bae Seol (배설, 裵說), was a British journalist working in Asia as a correspondent for the Daily Chronicle
Daily Chronicle
The Daily Chronicle was a British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the Daily News to become the News Chronicle.-History:...
.
As a correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
for Daily Chronicle
Daily Chronicle
The Daily Chronicle was a British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the Daily News to become the News Chronicle.-History:...
, he originally came to Korea, from Japan where he had been in the export business, in 1904 to report on the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, but then stayed in Korea
Korean Empire
The Greater Korean Empire was an empire of Korea that succeeded the Joseon Dynasty.In October 1897, Emperor Gojong proclaimed the new entity at Gyeongungung Palace and oversaw the partially successful modernization of the military, economy, land system, education system, and various industries...
and reported on Japanese imperialism
Japanese nationalism
encompasses a broad range of ideas and sentiments harbored by the Japanese people over the last two centuries regarding their native country, its cultural nature, political form and historical destiny...
in Korea. Bethel soon noted the abuses by Japanese soldiers towards Koreans, and how Koreans were treated unfairly and as inferior.
He founded an early newspaper in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
with Yang Gi-tak
Yang Gi-tak
Yang Gi-tak was one of the leaders of Korean independence movement who served as the 9th president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea from 1933 to 1935....
, a Korean independence activist, in 1904 called Daehan Maeil Sinbo
Seoul Shinmun
The Seoul Shinmun is a daily newspaper based out of Seoul, South Korea. Originally, it was the Daehan Maeil Sinbo . The Seoul Shinmun is the oldest newspaper in Korea based in Seoul...
(대한매일신보, 大韓每日申報, The Korea Daily News) which was published in both Korean and English. The publication was strongly antagonistic to Japanese rule in Korea. The paper was available in three versions - English, Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
, and Korean mixed script
Korean mixed script
Korean mixed script is a form of writing that uses both Hangul and hanja .The script has never been used for languages other than Korean. In North Korea, writing in mixed script was replaced by writing only in Hangul in the middle of the 20th century and has not been used since...
. Many people who opposed Japanese, such as Park Eun-sik and Sin Chae-ho, wrote articles and columns on the paper.
At the time British subjects enjoyed extraterritorial rights
Extraterritoriality
Extraterritoriality is the state of being exempt from the jurisdiction of local law, usually as the result of diplomatic negotiations. Extraterritoriality can also be applied to physical places, such as military bases of foreign countries, or offices of the United Nations...
in Korea. Because the paper was published by a British subject it was, therefore, not subject to local law. In 1907, he was prosecuted in the British Consular Court in Seoul for breach of the peace and given a good behaviour bond of 6 months. In 1908, at the request of the Japanese Residency-General, Bethel was prosecuted in the British Supreme Court for China and Corea
British Supreme Court for China and Japan
The British Supreme Court for China and Japan was a court established in the Shanghai International Settlement in 1865 to try cases against British subjects in China and Japan, and from 1883, Korea, under the principles of Extraterritoriality. The court also heard appeals from consular courts in...
(sic), sitting in Seoul, for sedition against the Japanese government of Korea. He was convicted of sedition and was sentenced by judge F.S.A Bourne to three weeks of imprisonment and a 6 months' good behaviour bond. As there was no suitable jail in Korea, he was taken to Shanghai and detained at the British Consular Gaol in Shanghai.
After being released, he returned to Seoul to continue his business. He died of cardiac enlargement
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
on May 1, 1909. The monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
that Koreans erected in for him was defaced by the Japanese. Another monument was erected near the original one in 1964 by journalists living in Korea. Both can be seen at his grave at Yanghwajin Foreigners' Cemetery
Yanghwajin Foreigners' Cemetery
Yanghwajin , also known as the Hapjeong-dong International Cemetery, is a cemetery overlooking the Han River in the district of Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Designated in 1890 as a site for foreign missionaries by King Gojong, the site is currently open to the public from 9:00am to 6:00pm and is...
.