The purpose of this study is to examine various aspects of the civilization policy and education movement of King Gojong, who tried to protect independence through the modernization of the Empire of Great Han (1897~1910) and to trace the establishment process and spirit of Myeongshin girls’ school, which was established and supported by the royal family. This study will give readers an opportunity to reconsider their perspective of King Gojong, which has been distorted by Japan, and to grasp a better idea of how the royal family supported the national salvation movement through education.
King Gojong demonstrated his will for enlightenment by often signing protective trading treaties with powers of the West despite violent opposition by the conservatives in the cabinet against his opening policy after 1880, and by emphasizing that education is the basis for the preservation of state through his “national salvation movement through education.” Gojong sought to establish a modern educational system, thus positively promoting the project of educational modernization and the educational project through missionaries.
Myeongshin girls" school was a royal women’s school established by Wunheon Hwang-gwibi, the wife of the king, in order to educate and train elite persons to restore the sovereignty of the state. Even though it was established based on the Japanese noble women’s school as a model, the school actively and continuously participated in the protest movement against Japan with an outstanding sense of sovereignty and patriotism against the colonization of Korea. This school was different in its characteristics compared to the Japanese noble women’s school in that it was established with the objective of training and nurturing wise mothers and good wives who could learn and accept the modern education of the West. Myeongshin girls" school was in fact a private school established by the sponsoring and support of Soonheon Hwang-gwibi, the wife of King Gojong. More specifically, it was the monarchy’s best education agency for training elite women operating with the financial support of the royal court.