At that time in the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, as Heungseon Daewongun was abducted to Qing under the Imo Incident (1882), the Min clan of Yeoheung, including the Empress Myeongseong, had turned to serving the great Qing from the pro-Japanese policy.
当時の李氏朝鮮は、壬午軍乱（1882年）で興宣大院君が清へ連れ去られており、閔妃をはじめとする驪興閔氏一族は、親日派政策から清への事大主義へと方向転換していた。