Asia 763
Participants: 713 Taiwan/365 Russia
Outcome (and Settlement): Released (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Taiwan seized the Soviet tanker Tuapse as protest for Soviet trade with
Communist China.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from June 24, 1953. End day changed from
Missing.
MID#1448
Started in May 1954. See the narrative in the 290 Poland/713 Taiwan dyad dispute list.
MID#173
Started in July 1958. See the narrative in the 710 China/713 Taiwan dyad dispute list.
365 RUSSIA/730 KOREA
MID#131
Dispute Number: 131
Date(s): September 14, 1899 to April 1, 1900
Participants: 365 Russia/730 Korea, 740 Japan
Outcome (and Settlement): Yield by side B (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: In 1899 Russia wanted Masampo (around the area of present-day Masun)
off the south coast of Korea, since the area would be of great utility to Russia as a
middle point between its ports in Vladivostok and Port Arthur.
Conspiring of ways to achieve the fertile harbor, Russia’s opportunity finally
came when, in May 1899, Masampo was declared open to foreign trade.
According to international law of the time, a port open to foreign trade was able
to have land purchased by foreigners within a three-mile radius of the port.
The Russian minister to Seoul arrived at Masampo and began to mark off the most
strategic part of Masampo as Russian territory, to be acquired and nominally owned
by a private Russian firm. The Russians were displeased to learn that the Koreans had
already sold the land marked by the Russians to the Japanese. Russia demanded that
the Koreans cancel the contract with the Japanese. The Koreans refused. On Septem-
ber 14, 1899, the Russian minister threatened the Korean government with a vow to
use force to secure Russian interests if the Japanese contract was not canceled. Russia
followed with another similar threat on October 4, that the land would be forcibly
seized if Korea was unwilling to sell it outright.
The Koreans and the Japanese were alarmed when Russian ships began arriving at
Chemulpo. After a high alert from the Japanese and rapid mobilization, the Russians
eventually evacuated Chemulpo. A lease was signed between Korea and Russia that
allowed Russia to occupy a coaling station of lesser value in exchange for a guarantee that