농수정에 앉은 고종 - A black and white photo of a man and a woman sitting on a bench

In 1897, King Gojong returned to Gyeongun Palace from his refuge at the Russian consulate, proclaiming the Korean Empire. Faced with increasing pressure from Japan on Korea's sovereignty in the aftermath of the Japanese assassination of Queen Min, Gojong hoped to hold off encroachments by declaring Korea a free and independent Empire. The Korean Empire lasted a short time, from the Gwangmu Restoration of 1897 until Japan's annexation of Korea in 1910.