Editing Treaty of Portsmouth (section)

==Criticism==
Korean historians (such as Ki-baik Lee, author of ''A New History of Korea'', Harvard University Press, 1984) believe that the Treaty of Portsmouth violated the [[Korean–American Treaty of Amity and Commerce]] signed at [[Incheon]] on May 22, 1882, because the [[Joseon Dynasty|Joseon]] government considered that treaty constituted a ''de facto'' mutual defense treaty, unlike the Americans. The problem was Article 1: "There shall be perpetual peace and friendship between the President of the United States and the King of Chosen and the citizens and subjects of their respective Governments. If other powers deal unjustly or oppressively with either Government, the other will exert their good offices on being informed of the case to bring about an amicable arrangement, thus showing their friendly feelings."

The treaty has been cited in contemporary South Korea by some as an example that the United States cannot be relied upon with regards to issues of South Korean security and sovereignty.<ref>Yun Ho-u 윤호우, [http://newsmaker.khan.co.kr/khnm.html?mode=view&code=117&artid=10468&pdate=%EB%89%B4%EC%8A%A4%EB%A9%94%EC%9D%B4%EC%BB%A4-640%ED%98%B8 "'Katcheura-Taepeuteu Miryak'eun hyeonjae jinhaenghyeong" '가쯔라-태프트 밀약'은 현재진행형 (Katsura-Taft Agreement is Present Progressive)], Gyeonghyang dat keom 경향닷컴 (Kyunghyang.com), September 6, 2005 (in Korean).</ref>