ing ▁alleg iance ▁to ▁the ▁king ] ▁ ▁Em press ▁My e ong se ong ▁( re ferred ▁to ▁as ▁" Que en ▁Min ") ▁had ▁attempted ▁to ▁counter ▁Japanese ▁inter ference ▁in ▁Korea ▁and ▁was ▁considering ▁turning ▁to ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire ▁or ▁to ▁China ▁for ▁support . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁Em press ▁My e ong se ong ▁was ▁assass in ated ▁by ▁Japanese ▁agents . ▁The ▁Japanese ▁minister ▁to ▁Korea , ▁Lieutenant - General ▁Vis count ▁Mi ura , ▁almost ▁certainly ▁orch estr ated ▁the ▁plot ▁against ▁her . ▁A ▁group ▁of ▁Japanese ▁agents ▁entered ▁the ▁G ye ong b ok g ung ▁Royal ▁Palace ▁in ▁Se oul , ▁which ▁was ▁under ▁Japanese ▁control , ▁and ▁Queen ▁Min ▁was ▁killed ▁and ▁her ▁body ▁des ec r ated ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁palace . ▁ ▁The ▁Q ing ▁acknowled ged ▁defeat ▁in ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Sh imon ose ki ▁( 1 7 ▁April ▁ 1 8 9 5 ), ▁which ▁officially ▁guaranteed ▁Korea ' s ▁independence ▁from ▁China . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁step ▁toward ▁Japan ▁gain ing ▁regional ▁h eg em ony ▁in ▁Korea . ▁The ▁Jose on ▁court , ▁press ured ▁by ▁enc ro achment ▁from ▁larger ▁powers , ▁felt ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁rein force ▁national ▁integrity ▁and ▁declared ▁the ▁Korean ▁Empire , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁G w ang mu ▁Reform ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁King ▁Go j ong ▁assumed ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁Emperor ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁assert ▁Korea ' s ▁independence