The West's Role in the Opening of Korea

I was recently asked about early Korean business ventures by the West. For most of the 19th century, Korea's Neo-Confucian elites held strong isolationist beliefs. They saw the West's inroads into China and Japan as polluting and foul. Gradually Korea opened to the West--American missionaries and businessmen playing an important role.

For a detailed study on the opening of Korea to the West, and the early entrepreneurial efforts in Korea see: Intrepid Americans: Bold Koreans—Early Korean Trade, Concessions, And Entrepreneurship