Hence, Sunjong has been characterized by historians as being a powerless puppet ruler of the Japanese, reigning for just three years before Korea was officially annexed in 1910.

She died at the age of 31 on 5 November 1904 due to a severe depression, after trying to protect her mother-in-law (Empress Myeongseong, also a member of the Yeoheung Min clan) from her assassination on 8 October 1895 by the Japanese military.

[7] Sunjong's reign was limited by the gradually increasing armed intervention of the Japanese government in Korea.

[8] While under Japanese supervision, the Korean army was dismissed on the pretext of a lack of public finance regulations.

Japan, in effect, officially abolished the Korean Empire on 29 August 1910, ending 519 years of the Joseon dynasty.

[7] Sunjong died on 24 April 1926, in Changdeokgung and is buried with his two wives at the imperial tomb of Yureung (유릉; 裕陵) in the city of Namyangju.