At the time,
Heungseon Daewongun, who had implemented policies to avoid contact with the
West for ten years, lost
political power. Although trade with Europeans began and foreign policies were adopted, the situation worsened, and Kim meddled in the internal conflicts in the palace.
Dongnipdang Kim advocated for more open policies to the West so that Korea might adopt Western European ideals, knowledge, and technology, thereby securing its existence in the rapidly modernizing world of the 19th century. During his national civil service, Kim found many others who agreed with him, and they formed the
Dongnipdang, or "Independence Party." Among their various contacts, the group met a Buddhist monk at
Bongwonsa, who showed them a peculiar European device. It was a projector that displayed different photographs of West European, such as the streets of
London and a
Portuguese soldier. He also showed a Japanese book that contained scenes of foreign nations. The activists asked the monk to obtain more Western European artifacts for them. The monk then spent two months journeying to and from
Japan bringing more Western European products. These had to be kept hidden due to the policies of the time which prohibited foreign contact.
First plan After the conflict with the
Imperial Japanese Navy and the implementation of the
Treaty of Ganghwa, which Kim was against, Kim realized that Japan, regarded by the
Korean government as a barbaric nation, had westernized and become a much stronger country. Therefore, Kim wished to visit Japan to learn how the Japanese had western Europeanized. In November 1881, Kim was granted permission to visit Japan under the mission of finding out whether Japan was planning to invade Korea. After arriving in
Tokyo, he met with various influential Japanese politicians during his stay, and was sponsored by
Fukuzawa Yukichi to study at
Keio University from February to August 1882. Kim concluded that for now Japan would not invade Korea because its military strength was not comparable to
Qing China. Kim felt that, in order to ensure survival when China was in decline, Korea would have to borrow Japanese help to modernize itself, and that the only solution to the situation was to introduce a new political force to wipe out the present dominant party. During his stay in
Japan, he sought assistance, and Japanese statesman
Inoue Kaoru promised him 3,000,000
won (Korean currency) if Kim were to obtain permission from Korean
Emperor Gojong for reforms. Unfortunately, conflicts with a German ambassador and a change in Japanese policy on Korea caused Inoue to break his promise. Kim returned home in March 1884 without having attained his goal.
Second plan: Kapsin Coup The Gaehwapa activists continued to meet at Kim's private house and discuss the ongoing events concerning
East Asia and the international politics. In a feast offered by Kim for the members of the Min Yeong-ik political faction, several Japanese government officials were present, including Inoue and several of the Gaehwapa activists. Under the uncomfortable atmosphere, the discussions soon led to the
Sino-French War. The Min Yeong-ik faction fiercely supported Qing China (which they felt would ensure the survival of Korea), and Japan fiercely supported France (which they felt would allow Japan to overtake Korea). The meeting broke up as Kim and others tried to stop the heated exchanges of debate. From this meeting, Kim could clearly predict that Japan would try to take advantage of the
Sino-French War by extending its influence on Korea. Clandestinely, Kim visited the Japanese embassy after the feast. During a discussion with Shimamura, Kim questioned Japan's stance for the Gaehwapa and complained about the incident with Inoue. Shimamura explained that the Japanese still support the movement, and that the internal conflicts and misunderstandings contributed to the ill relationship for Kim with
Inoue. He added that the
Sino-French War was a great chance for spurring another movement, to which the Japanese government would definitely respond to. In a meeting of the Gaehwapa activists and Japanese supporters, Kim outlined a plan for the revolution. It consisted of the assassinations of certain political figures, and creating a major chaos on the day of the reception for the founding of "Ujeongchongguk" (), or
Office for International Postal Service. They would select potential enemies as scapegoats to whom the blame would rest. The Japanese embassy strongly pledged their active military support to this plan. The young
Philip Jaisohn and
Soh Kwang-pom also supported Kim's efforts to overturn the old retrograde regime. On the night of December 4, 1884, near the post office opening reception, a fire occurred. While the activists created chaos with explosives and gunshots, the assassins proceeded in their murders. Over the night, the
Gaehwapa became the prevailing party in the government. This event is known as the Kapsin Coup.
Chinese interference , the assassin of Kim Okkyun, ca. 1895 The truths behind the Kapsin Coup were leaked to Queen Min (posthumously known as
Empress Myeongseong), and the plans of the Gaehwapa threatened her political rights. Therefore, the queen secretly requested the Chinese military for their presence. The Korean and Japanese soldiers fought outnumbered against the Chinese army, but were forced to retreat. With the predominance of the Chinese army, the Gaehwapa activists lost power to the Sadaedang, and their lives were threatened. The Gaehwapa activists headed toward the city port of Jemulpo (
Incheon) under the escort of the Japanese ambassador Takejo, and boarded a Japanese ship,
Sensei. When there was a request to the Japanese ambassador Takejo to hand over the activists, he yielded; the Japanese captain Sujikas scolded Takejo and prohibited their release. The activists fled, many to the
United States, but Kim Okkyun to Japan. Because his Korean name would be unfit for living in Japan, the captain gave Kim a new name, Iwata Shusaku. He led a life under the protection of the Japanese government, staying in Tokyo, then in
Sapporo, and also visiting the
Ogasawara Islands. Following the failure of the Kapsin Coup, Kim lived in fear of assassination. However, when invited to meet with
Li Hongzhang (李鴻章) in
Shanghai, he felt that he could not refuse. Before departing Kim gave his personal diaries to Koyama, one of his close Japanese friends, in case something should happen to him.
Hong Jong-u, who had travelled to Japan in 1893 to assassinate Kim Okkyun and
Pak Yŏnghyo, another reform-minded Korean, learned of the voyage and managed to obtain passage to China on the same vessel. While en route to Shanghai he killed Kim Okkyun with a pistol. Hong later returned to Korea where he was appointed to high office. Kim's body was turned over to a Chinese warship, where it was dismembered. Parts of the body were put on public display in several towns in Korea as a traditional humiliation and punishment for treason. In Japan, there was an official protest to the Chinese government over the treatment of Kim's remains.
Fukuzawa Yukichi led a memorial service in Japan in Kim's honor, and erected a gravestone for him at the
Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo. The assassination of Kim Okkyun was cited by the Japanese as one of the events leading to the
First Sino-Japanese War. ==After his death==