Constitution of the Korean Empire

The Constitution of the Korean Empire (Korean: 대한국 국제; Hanja: 大韓國國制; MR: Taehan'guk kukche; lit. 'National Constitution of the Korean Empire') was proclaimed on August 14, 1899 (Gwangmu 3) in the Korean Empire under the authority of the Emperor of Korea, Gojong. Some historians regard it as Korea's first modern constitution. It was materialized as a demand for modernization as a part of the Kwangmu Reform. Although it outwardly adopted the form of a constitutional monarchy, the document in practice enshrined the emperor's absolute authority, omitting any provisions guaranteeing the rights of the people.

The constitution was drafted by Yun Yongsŏn (尹容善), President of the Law Codification Office (法規校正所, Pŏpkyu Kyojŏngso), together with legislative officials Sŏ Chŏngsun (徐正淳), Yi Chaesun (李載純), and foreign advisers Charles Le Gendre (李善得, Yi Sŏndŏk), John McLeavy Brown (柏卓安, Paek T'agan), and Clarence Ridgley Greathouse (具禮, Ku Rye).

The draft consisted of nine articles and received imperial approval in 1899. It was promulgated on August 17, 1899, by imperial decree (choch'ŏk, 詔勅) and pongji (奉旨, “by imperial order”).

The constitution remained in force until the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907, which significantly curtailed Korean sovereignty, and was effectively nullified with the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty of 1910.