Together with Kim Ok-gyun, Pak was a strong supporter of the Dongnipdang, or "Enlightenment Party", which sought to reform the government, economy, and military by incorporating Western technology and methodology, so that Korea would become stable enough to withstand increasing foreign encroachment.

He accompanied Kim on his visit to Tokyo, meeting with various influential Japanese politicians, including Fukuzawa Yukichi.

Following the Japanese Occupation of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Pak returned to Korea with some of his entourage, such as Lee Kyu-wan and Ryu Hyeok-ro.

But because public ideas about reforms remained so negative due to the Gapsin Coup, Pak was not able to gain great political power, and instead fled to Incheon.

Following the Japanese victory of Battle of Pyongyang, the Korean public started to regard Japan as the new leading power in Asia.

[3] Pak did not enjoy being a puppet of Japan; he started to build his own political basements by appointing Lee Kyu-wan as the commander of police and Ryu Hyeok-ro as the Director of Artillery.

After the removal of Pak, the new cabinet became pro-American, Russian, and English, consisting of Bak Jeongyang, Ye Wanyong, Yi Bum-jin, and Min Young-hwan.