https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Japan-decide-to-annex-Korea-What-did-Korea-have-that-Japan-wanted Alex Kim , I am just a guy with an avid interest in Korea and its history Answered February 17, 2019 I wrote a lot in this answer, a lot more than I initially intended. So, if you want a short answer, skip down to the bottom to the conclusion. I forget who exactly, but I remember reading a quote by a Japanese government official at the time that went something like, “Chosēn (Korea) is like a dagger pointing at the heart of Japan.” On its own, Korea wasn’t much of a problem. After all, by the time it was made a Japanese protectorate in 1905 and annexed in 1910, Imperial Japan had become a full-fledged industrialized empire while Korea was only beginning to make some progress toward modernization. On the surface, it would seem Japanese officials were almost paranoid to think Korea would pose a threat to Japan anytime soon. But, while Korea internally was struggling to develop, it had made con