近代美朝建交之初福久如何拓展美国在朝商业利益及其成败

Case Studies on the Success and Failure of George Foulk to Expand American Commercial Interest in Korea in Early US-Korea Relations

美朝条约的签署及最终换文于1882~1883年完成,美国成为第一个打开朝鲜国门的西方国家。美国在汉城设置驻朝使馆,福久以使馆武官和代理公使身份积极推动美朝关系的发展,在拓展美国在朝商业利益方面进行了很多尝试。为维护美国商业公司合同权益与朝鲜官方进行交涉、支持美国商人在朝鲜开矿建厂、为美商能够顺利开展商贸活动积极建言美国政府在济务浦等地设置领事以及为美商争取朝鲜近海珍珠贝商机等,这些都是福久扩大美国在朝商业利益的表现。福久的上述努力多具事倍功半之特点,其主观意图是通过这些加强美国在朝影响,但其做法与美国对朝政策及美国东亚政策的总体方向不吻合,加之清政府的阻挠等外部因素,最终带有理想主义色彩的福久未能完全如愿。福久的活动不同程度地维护了美国商人及商业公司的利益,客观上也丰富了早期美朝关系的内容,对其进行研究有助于从侧面加深对同期东亚国际关系的认识。

The signing and ratification of US-Korean treaty during 1882-1883 marked the US as the first western nation to open the door of Korea.George C.Foulk,as a naval attache at the Legation and later Charge d’Affaires in Korea,performed actively and fruitfully to improve US-Korea relations in mid-1880s,especially in the aspect of expanding US commercial interest.To push the American businessmen to establish factories and exploit the mines,to suggest the set-up of consuls in Chemulpo and Pusan in order to facilitate the commercial activities of American businessmen,to negotiate with Korean government so as to protect the contract interest of American business companies,and to spare no efforts to crate the pearl business opportunities for the American businessmen,are all that Foulk did to maximize US9 commercial interest in Korea.What Foulk insisted went against the basic principle of US’policies towards Korea and East Asia then,which became one of the fundamental reasons for the failure of his efforts.Foulk’s activities,however,protected in a way the interest of American businessmen and companies,enriched the contents of early relations between the two nations.This case study is helpful to have a deep understanding from a profile on the real picture of the US policy towards Korea and NE Asia at the same time.