Korea, a great maritime cultural power

Not many people know that Korea had a great victory in the world’s first naval artillery battle. In western history, the Battle of Lepanto between the allied Christian forces of the Holy League and the Ottoman Turks in 1571 is considered the first major naval battle with artillery. In Korean history, Goryeo led a major…

There was a Korean king who shared the same ambition and genius as Alexander the Great, who built the largest empire in the ancient world with shrewd military and diplomatic tactics. It was Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo. King Gwanggaeto, the nineteenth king of Goguryeo, expanded Korea’s territory to its largest extent during his 21…

There was a great military leader of Silla who led a major naval victory against Tang China, a powerful dynasty in ancient Chinese history. It was General Kim Sideuk. He brought victory to Silla in the Battle of Gibeolpo. After defeating Goguryeo and Baekje through its alliance with Silla, China tried to subjugate Silla. In…

An old Korean history book series titled Samgukyusa includes a story about a great king, who left famous last words: “After my death, do not bury my body in the ground. Cremate it and put my ashes in the East Sea. I will become a dragon in the East Sea and continue to protect our…

French scholar Paul Pelliot discovered a 1,200-yearold scroll in 1908 at the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang at the crossroads of China and Arabia. It turned out to be a travelogue titled “Wangocheonchukgukjeon” or Memoir of the Pilgrimage to the Five Kingdoms of India. It was written by Hyecho, a Buddhist monk of Silla, who travelled…

“I still have twelve ships!” Admiral Yi Sunshin wrote this in his report to King Seonjo during the Japanese invasion of Korea in the late sixteenth century. His successor lost the majority of Joseon’s naval forces and vessels that Yi had diligently prepared. Then, Yi was reinstituted, but the king ordered to dissolve the navy…

Isabu was a military general and politician of Silla who acquired Silla’s first maritime territory in 512 by subjugating the Usan Kingdom, today’s Ulleungdo in the East Sea. Isabu was a bona-fide military man, who rose to a general’s rank in his teens and fought on the battlefield until his late 70s. As the head…

Dokdo in the East Sea consists of two islands, Dongdo and Seodo. On Seodo, there is a street called “Anyongbok Street,” named after a fisherman in Joseon. An Yongbok, the man whose name is chosen for Koreans’ most beloved island, appears in Joseon’s official historical record of the Annals of King Sukjong. Although he was…

An old Korean history book series about Goryeo titled Goryeosa includes a story about the founder of Goryeo, who built a unified kingdom by controlling the sea. The story is about the Battle of Deokjinpo where Goryeo’s founder Wang Geon took control of a strategic seaport. The name Korea originated from Goryeo. In 912, Wang…

In ancient Korean history, there was a king who had a large influence on China and Japan. It was King Geunchogo, the thirteenth king of Baekje, who used the ocean to expand its economic and cultural influence across the region. Several Chinese and Japanese history books describe how Baekje influenced their kingdoms with its naval…

Korea annually celebrates Ocean Day on May 31. May 31 is the day when General Jang Bogo of Silla established the Cheonghaejin garrison. Naval hero Jang Bogo safeguarded Silla’s international trade by building Cheonghaejin on today’s Wando in Jeollanamdo and sweeping pirates from the sea. He was regarded as the king of the ocean because…

In 2016, the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced 17 ocean heroes, who defended the nation during Korea’s 5,000 years of history. The majority were male, such as kings and well-known generals who defended the country in times of national crisis. A surprise was the inclusion of a women diver group called Jeju Haenyeohoe…