Just a bit of context: While not nearly as populous or powerful as its East Asian neighbors, Korea sits on both valuable resources and an immensely important strategic point in East Asian politics (as a gateway to both China and Japan). In 1897, it had been under the rule of the Joseon Yi family for the better part of 500 years and a tributary of the Qing Empire for 230 years. Despite what modern animosities with its neighbors would imply, the Joseon dynasty only fought one war with the Japanese (in the 16th century) and two with the Manchu (in the 17th century) in all those 500 years, making it considerably more peaceful than most of the rest of the world in the same time period.
This all changed in the aftermath of the Sino-Japanese War, where the Empire of Japan defeated the Qing and upturned the whole order of East Asian politics. In response to growing pressures and new geopolitical realities, the Joseon King, Gojong, declared Korea to be a fully independent (the first time in 500 years, nominally or otherwise) as the Empire of Korea. This accompanied modernisation efforts across the nation, westernised dress and styles, and the budding of industrial growth in the peninsula.
Of course, as we all know, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea was first made a Japanese protectorate and then annexed as a colony, which it would remain as until the second half of the 20th century.
With a PoD after the declaration of the Korean Empire (eh, 1897 is close enough to 1900), how could the Korean Empire survive to the modern day and how would that change the geopolitics of East Asia (Japanese imperialism, Chinese communism, republicanism in the Far East in general)? Where would it stand economically, culturally, and diplomatically (obviously better off than North Korea but compared to South Korea)?
I imagine it'd take Russian victory in the Russo-Japanese War (so butterflying away Dogger Bank) but, beyond that, what divergences would be required and what developments would occur in response to the Empire of Korea's survival?
This all changed in the aftermath of the Sino-Japanese War, where the Empire of Japan defeated the Qing and upturned the whole order of East Asian politics. In response to growing pressures and new geopolitical realities, the Joseon King, Gojong, declared Korea to be a fully independent (the first time in 500 years, nominally or otherwise) as the Empire of Korea. This accompanied modernisation efforts across the nation, westernised dress and styles, and the budding of industrial growth in the peninsula.
Of course, as we all know, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea was first made a Japanese protectorate and then annexed as a colony, which it would remain as until the second half of the 20th century.
With a PoD after the declaration of the Korean Empire (eh, 1897 is close enough to 1900), how could the Korean Empire survive to the modern day and how would that change the geopolitics of East Asia (Japanese imperialism, Chinese communism, republicanism in the Far East in general)? Where would it stand economically, culturally, and diplomatically (obviously better off than North Korea but compared to South Korea)?
I imagine it'd take Russian victory in the Russo-Japanese War (so butterflying away Dogger Bank) but, beyond that, what divergences would be required and what developments would occur in response to the Empire of Korea's survival?