Illustrating overlooked aspects of a hegemonic conflict surrounding the Korean peninsula amidst changing geopolitical dynamics in the Far East before the Russo-Japanese war, this analysis provides an alternate reading of international history during the age of ‘New Imperialism’. With Korea’s railroad system enmeshed with Russo-Japanese rivalry in Northeast Asia, a technologically inferior Korea could only resort to concession diplomacy and, relatedly, neutralisation – also attempted by Russia – to preserve its fragile independence. Despite the high hopes that accompanied them, such efforts were unable to protect Korea and its railroads from Japanese control as the clouds of the Russo-Japanese War overshadowed the region.