경인통신사의 활동과 일본의 대응

Abstract

It was in June, 1586 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi expressed his intent to invade Joseon to So Yoshitoshi, ruler of Tsushima island for the first time. His intended to have So Yoshitoshi make preparations for his planned advance to Jeosun soon after his subjugated Kyushu. In June, next year, Toyotomi Hideyoshi went on the war in Kyushu, commanding the expeditionary forces of 200 thousand solders, and ordered the ruler of Tsushima island to request the King of Joseon to pay a personal visit as a official foreign envoy to him. Interestingly, Toyotomi Hideyoshi recognized the King of Joseon as being subjected to the ruler of Tsushima island. The ruler of Tsushima island already knowing that it is impossible to make the King of Joseon pay a personal visit as a official foreign envoy, entreated Joseon to dispatch the envoy to Japan after unnoticeably changing the scheme originally ordered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. At this, Joseon suggested a condition to So Yoshitoshi that Joseon would dispatch the envoy if So Yoshitoshi arrest Sa Hwa-dong, rebel of Joseon and send him in custody to Joseon, who pillaged the coast of Jeonra Province so many years. The Gyeongin envoy was dispatched in May, 1590 after So Yoshitoshi fulfilled the condition. At that time, in Joseon, they recognized that Toyotomi Hideyoshi was in need of an authority granted by Joseon, and thought that he would propagandize domestically on a large scale the dispatch of envoy as congratulations on him who became ‘a new King of Japan’. So, Kim Seong-IL, head of envoy group performed his duty with a conviction that the envoy dispatched once in over 100 years should set a good role model rather than in the aspect of spying-out to Japan. Kim Seong-IL rebuked So Yoshitoshi in response of his discourtesies in every case, and demanded him to correct inappropriate terms stated in the reply letter of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and insisted that Yeongyoibae(kowtow performed on the floor) should be proper for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, ganpaku(an assistant to King of Japan in political matters) who was not the King of Japan, and that Jeonghabae(kowtow performed in the yard) must not be accepted in any case. Although the envoy group stayed in Kyoto in July, 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi went to battle field for 3 months in order to conquer Hyjyo shogun in Kanto Province(Odawara conquest), and even after he returned to Kyoto, the envoy had to wait until November to be granted an audience to Toyotomi Hideyoshi due to repair work of Royal Palace of Japanese King. Looking at Toyotomi Hideyoshi who was busily engaged in suppression of rebellion and committed to the enhancement of dignity of Japanese King, we are wondering if Imjinwaeran(Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592) was hardly conceivable to Kim Seong-IL. In the mean time, the ruler of Tsushima island has intended to expand the trading relationship with Joseon on the occasion of envoy dispatch. He plotted to revive the special carrier, and increase the number of merchant vessels and permission stamps issued by Joseon. When Kim Seong-IL investigated the fall of Shyoni gyochu(shogun in each district) and Ouchi gyochu, which was kept in secret, and rebuked So Yoshitoshi for his concealment of the fact, So Yoshitoshi deceived him again mentioning that Gobayakawa shogun and Mori shogun in possession of the land hoped to trade with Joseon succeeding the name of collapsed gyochu. In view of this, we can see that at that time, the ruler of Tsushima island had not yet expected the outbreak of Imjinwaeran, either. It was because that they plotted to expand the trading relationship based on the continuance of peace. We can sure that Kim Seong-IL never conceived the possibility of coming Imjinwaeran.