Culture1886 – 1894

Founding of Yugyeong Gongwon

The government invited the American teachers Hulbert, Gilmore and Bunker and founded Yugyeong Gongwon, the first modern state school.

After the mission to the United States (Bobingsa), the government saw the need for modern schools and founded Yugyeong Gongwon in 1886; earlier, in 1883, it had set up Dongmunhak on Möllendorff’s advice to train English interpreters. Yugyeong Gongwon selected young serving officials and sons of yangban, and American teachers taught mathematics, geography, history and politics in English.

Limited to sons of high officials and short of money, it closed in 1894. Its teacher Homer Hulbert later worked as Gojong’s envoy against the Eulsa Treaty and helped the Hague emissaries.

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The map in 1886

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States and rulers at the time: Joseon — Gojong
Places: Hanyang

People

Gojong1852 – 1919
monarch · Twenty-sixth king of Joseon and first emperor of the Korean Empire
Homer B. Hulbert1863 – 1949
participant · American teacher at Yugyeong Gongwon who wrote the Hangeul geography "Samin pilji" and, as Gojong’s secret envoy, protested the Eulsa Treaty and aided the Hague emissaries

Before and after

Earlier: 1885 Convention of Tianjin
Later: 1889 Grain Export Ban

Themes that include this event

Educational Institutions Through the AgesAD 372 – 1943
From the Taehak and Gukhak to the Gukjagam and Seonggyungwan, modern schools and the colonial education ordinances — state schools that trained officials and the private schools that filled the gaps