placed all trade through Korean ports under Imperial Japanese supervision. Treaty provisions This treaty deprived Korea of its diplomatic sovereignty, in effect making Korea a protectorate of Imperial Japan. As a consequence, the Korean Empire had to close its diplomatic representations abroad, including its short-lived legation in Beijing, and its legation in Washington, D.C. The provisions of the treaty took effect on November 17, 1905, and it laid the foundation for the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907, and subsequent annexation of Korea in 1910. The treaty was deemed to have gone into effect after it received the signature of five Korean ministers: Minister of Education Lee Wan-yong () Minister of Army Yi Geun-taek () Minister of Interior Yi Ji-yong () Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Je-sun () Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry Gwon Jung-hyeon () Emperor Gojong of Korea did not assent or sign the treaty. Other officials who disputed the treaty included: Prime Minister Han Kyu-seol () Minister of Finance Min Yeong-gi () Minister of Justice Yi Ha-yeong ( Controversy Emperor Gojong sent personal letters to major heads of state to appeal for their support against the illegal signing. As of February 21, 1908, he had sent 17 letters bearing his imperial seal, to the following eight heads of state: King Edward VII of the United Kingdom President Armand Fallières of France Emperor Nicholas II of Russia Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy King Leopold II of Belgium Emperor Kuang-hsu of China Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, which was personally handwritten by Gojong In 1907, Emperor Gojong sent three secret emissaries to the second international Hague Peace Convention to protest the unfairness of the Eulsa Treaty. But the great powers of the world refused to allow Korea to take part in the conference. Not only the Emperor but other Koreans protested against the Treaty. Jo Byeong-se and Min Yeong-hwan, who were high officials and led resistance against Eulsa treaty, killed themselves as resistance. Local yangbans and commoners joined righteous armies. They were called "Eulsa Euibyeong" (을사의병, 乙巳義兵) meaning "Righteous army against Eulsa Treaty". After completing the treaty, Emperor Gojong tried to let the world know the unfairness of the treaty, including sending a special envoy to The Hague. This directly contributed to the forced retirement of King Gojong. Rescission Gojong's declaration of rescission Thereafter, Gojong tried to inform the international community of the injustice