김종의 『임진일록』으로 본 강화江華 피란 생활과 의병 활동

Abstract

This study reviews Imjin-illok, Kim Jong’s diary written during the Imjin War (the Japanese invasion of Korea) in 1592, to investigate the aspects of Hanseong (漢城), the capital of the Joseon Dynasty, and Ganghwa-do in the initial stage of the war. Kim Jong, who had served as a officer for the Joseon Dynasty, consistently managed his official tasks even after the outbreak of the war. When the Joseon government left Hanseong, he sought refuge with his family in Ganghwa-do. Beyond his status as a refugee, he raised a righteous army with his colleagues in the yangban, the highest social class of the Joseon Dynasty, in Ganghwa-do to resist the Japanese invasion. He passed away in May 1593, immediately after Joseon’s recapture of Hanseong. As a diary written during the Imjin War, Imjin-illok exhibits the following characteristics. First, it describes the early stage of the Imjin War in Ganghwa-do, a key strategic military location close to Hanseong. Specifically, it depicts Joseon refugees who used waterways and land routes to move from Hanseong to Ganghwa-do and highlights Ganghwa-do’s dual roles as a significant refuge base and a key strategic military point. It also illustrates the transformation of Kim Jong’s position from refugee to the leader of an army he himself raised. Kim Jong initially participated in a military advisory role in a righteous army but eventually took the initiative to establish his own righteous army. Through Imjin-illok, one can ascertain the characteristics of those who participated in a righteous army, as well as the army’s composition and operational methods. Imjin-illok includes brief contents written from January 1592 to May 1593, but its records provide crucial information on the response of a region near the capital of the Joseon Dynasty to the Imjin War in the initial stage of the war and the actions of yangban refugees. Thus, Imjin-illok is expected to significantly contribute to further research on the Imjin War.