<a href="http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9F0CEED71438E033A2575BC1A96F9C94629FD7CF" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://magazine.joins.com/_data/photo/2009/05/org_11171748.jpg" target="_blank"></a><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><b><span></span></b><a href="http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=100&oid=001&aid=0003331008" target="_blank"></a><br>
<br>Hello Everyone,<br><br>King Kojong sent the first ever Korean Embassy to the United States to reciprocate the opening of the U.S. Legation in Seoul.<br><br>
The New York times reports on their arrival in New York City to present their credentials to then President Arthur:<div><br><a href="http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9F0CEED71438E033A2575BC1A96F9C94629FD7CF" target="_blank">http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9F0CEED71438E033A2575BC1A96F9C94629FD7CF</a></div>
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<div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;"><br>This is how they greeted the President:<br><br><a href="http://magazine.joins.com/_data/photo/2009/05/org_11171748.jpg" target="_blank">http://magazine.joins.com/_data/photo/2009/05/org_11171748.jpg</a></div>
</div><div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;"><br>The
Korean Embassy was well served by Percival Lowell, of future Lowell
Observatory fame. Lowell was a well educated Harvard man with a very
good family connection. He took the Embassy to his hometown of Boston from New York by boat. </div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;"> </div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;">He
later returned to Japan with the Embassy. There he received an
invitation from the Korean Court to visit Korea. He stayed three
months and kept himself very busy while in Korea, as we will see. Based
on the experience and material gathered during his stay, he wrote
the now famous book, <i>Choson: The Land of Morning Calm. </i>But
Lowell's work and actions while in Korea did not escape the scrutiny of
U.S. Navy Ensign,* George Clayton Foulk, who was acting Minister in
Korea at the time. King Kojong on down called him Pok Kongsa(복 공사), Minister Foulk.<br><br>In a letter to his father dated March 13, 1886,** The American Man In Korea, Foulk writes, "Ever so many thanks for the newspaper slips on <span>Lowell</span>'s book (Choson: The Land of the Morning Calm). They were interesting and useful.<span> Lowell</span>
will hardly
send me a copy of the book. I hear he is very bitter against me, but I
forgive him and am glad his book is favorably received. I judge,
however, it throws but real light on Korea. If I write a book it will be
a sober exposition of facts, not flowery in any way. <span>Lowell</span>
has done very well considering the time he spent here. I notice several
great mistakes, about the King's divine origin (not so) and the status
of women,which is not complete. <b>The evils women's seclusion are
abominable and obscenity and filth exist which probably have no
counterpart in the world. In other ways, however, Koreans are better
than <span>Lowell</span> makes them."</b><br><br>In the same letter, Foulk writes, "<span>Lowell</span> ought to know something about the women, as he lived with the fair creature he describes, and is said to have a child here."<br>
<br>Understandably there are no records of the Korean woman or his child he fathered with her,
as they could not be made public at the time in Korea.<br><br>In the meantime, there was a very informative article on Pok Kongsa in the Yunhap News, Seoul, June 15, 2010:<br><div><a href="http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=100&oid=001&aid=0003331008" target="_blank">http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=100&oid=001&aid=0003331008</a><br>
<br>* Foulk was interpreting for the Korean Embassy in Japanes while they were in the U. S. before he was appointed to the post of the Naval Attache to Korea. <br></div>
</div><br>* *America's
Man in Korea<br>
The Private Letters of George C. Foulk, 1884-1887, page 150<br>Edited by <span>Samuel</span>
<span>Hawley</span>(전 연세대 교수)<br>Lexington Books, 2008<br><br>Thank
you.<br><font color="#888888"><br>Kwang-On Yoo</font>