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 years of reign from his ascension to the throne at age 18 until his death at age 39. His adventurous ambition and accomplishments
are inscribed on his epitaph. The epitaph reads, “The king’s grace reached the sky and his greatness spread across the As he swept away outlaws, the people could safely focus on their livelihood. The kingdom became richer, and the people enjoyed good harvests. King Gwanggaeto led a naval force of 40,000 soldiers to conquer Baekje. He understood the importance of the ocean and used it to his advantage. The Gwanggaeto Stele’s epitaph reads, “In the sixth year of King Gwanggaeto (396), the king himself led the naval force and attacked and captured Baekje’s capital.” By using Goguryeo’s geographical advantage that connects the continent to the ocean, King Gwanggaeto made Goguryeo the most powerful kingdom in Korea’s 5,000 years of history across all areas, including military, diplomacy, trade, and culture. The Goguryeo people perceived Goguryeo as the center of the world and their king as a son of heaven and built the largest Korean kingdom.