General Government of Korea (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)



The Dominion of Korea (Korean: 조선자치령 Joseon Jachilyeong) was a designation of Korea from 1933 to 1949 when the country was an associated state of Japan. The Dominion was created by the Japanese-Korean Treaty of Independence Restoration, which was passed by the Congress of Japan in 1932. When Kim Gu was inaugurated president in 1933, he became the first Korean head of state since its annexation by Japan in 1910.

The Dominion government was in exile from 1942–1945, when Korea was under Japanese occupation. In 1949, the Dominion ended and Korea was proclaimed a republic.

Structure
The Dominion of Korea had its own constitution, which remained effective from 1933 to 1950, and was self-governing although foreign policy and defence affairs would be under the responsibility of Japan. Certain legislation and policy required the approval of the Parliament of Japan.

The unicameral National Assembly of Korea (國會 Gughoe) serves as the parliament of the Dominion and responsible for formulate the Dominion main policies. All members of National Assembly directly elected every four years and only Koreans who required to voting and to get vote as the members of Assembly. Since 1933, the pro-independence nationalist Korean Independence Party (朝鮮解放 黨 Chosŏn Haebangdang) dominated most of the seats in the Assembly

The President of Korea (國家大统领 Gugga Daetonglyeong) serves as the nominal head of state of the Dominion of Korea. The President of Korea nominated by the President of Japan elected by the National Assembly of Korea every four years. The President of Korea must a native Korean, held a Korean nationality and not from the military.

The Council of the Ministers of Korea (閣僚理事會 Gagryo Risahoe), headed by the Prime Minister who assisted by two Vice Prime Ministers. This Council modeled after the Council of People's Commissars of Soviet Union and became the main executive body of the Dominion. The Council only responsible for the National Assembly, not to the Government of Japan.

The National Court of Korea serves the Dominion's supreme judicature in charge of judicial matters and supervision and administration of lower courts. All of judges of the Court appointed by the National Assembly. Every Korean citizens is the subject of Korean law and under the authority of Korean National Court, not to the Japanese law

History
As the Korean Independence Party and majority of ethnic Koreans took a part in Japanese Civil War in the side of Republican troops, the Republican Government of Japan reciprocated Koreans action with the talk about Korean independence restoration with the delegation of Korean residents in Japan on Kyoto in July 14, 1931.

Japan initially planned to grant the former royal family of Korea to re-established the Monarchy of Korea under Japanese protection. But, this plan rejected by the Shanghai-based Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the Chosŏnhaebangdang.

The talk continued in August 27, but met with deadlock. Japanese Chosŏnhaebangdang leader, Lee Hyeong-shin give the petition to the Japanese government for negotiated with the Provisional Government in Shanghai which regarded by many of Koreans as the centre of Korean independence movement.

With the establishment of Dominion of Manchuria in January 1932, Shanghai Government finally sent their delegation to Minkyo, led by Kim Gu and Kim Kyu Sik to met President Yoshida. The negotiations lasted over two months in Osaka to formulate the Japanese-Korean Treaty of Independence Restoration on March 13, 1932.

The treaty guaranteed Korea to became the self-government dominion republic for 10-year period of peaceful transition to full independence. Korea allowed to have their own head of state, own government, own parliament, own constitution, the right for managed their own political and cultural affairs and an autonomous army while Japan still maintained its military bases on Korean territory, control of foreign affairs, and the right for imposing tariffs and quotas on Korean exports. The Dominion officially inaugurated on March 1, 1933.

The Constitutional Assembly of Korea was convened in Pyongyang on November 4, 1932. On January 27, 1933, the 1933 Constitution of the Republic of Korea was approved by the convention by a vote of 278 to 46. The constitution was approved by President Nagayama Yoshida on March 23, 1933 and ratified by the popular vote on April 3, 1933. Hong Jin, the senior leader of Chosŏnhaebangdang elected as the first Prime Minister of the Dominion on March 14, 1933.

During the Fascist regime in Japan between 1942 to 1945, Korea placed under full Japanese military occupation. 1932 Treaty declared "null and void" by the regime and the office of Government-General of Korea re-established. Korean citizens fully mobilized and forced to work for war efforts, caused millions to death.

In 1943, the Korean unit of Anti-Fascist Japanese Liberation Forces (AFJLF) formed by the decree from Vladivostok-based Japanese Provisional Government and later became the basic for modern Republic of Korean Armed Forces after the country's independence.

After Fascist defeat in 1945, the country placed under occupation of United States Military Government for Korean Reconstruction (USMGKR). As the Dominion government still in exile in Vladivostok, the People's Republic of Korea founded in Seoul by the left-wing parties in September 1945 with Yeo Un-Hyeong as the head of government.

In 1946, the Dominion government and the PRK reconciled and formed the coalition government headed by Yeo Un-Hyeong as the Prime Minister. This government provided the transition of power from Japanese authority to Korean peoples in three years of constant negotiations until Korea gained its independence in 1949.