李德馨의 전쟁경험과 일본인식

Abstract

This study examines Lee Deok-hyeong(李德馨)'s diplomatic activities toward Japan and perspectives he took to look at the country during Japanese Invasion of Joseon in 1592. Lee Deok-hyeong began his involvement in Joseon's relations with Japan in 1588 when he entertained the envoys dispatched from Japan as Seonwisa(宣慰使). During the war, he was solely responsible for talks with the Japanese forces. When Japan made a request on peace in the middle of the war, he rejected it because he believed that Ming Dynasty would definitely provide supports to Joseon. However, he had no objection to a peace agreement between Ming and Japan, estimating that Ming would make peace real as long as it wanted peace. Lee Deok-hyeong placed huge importance on Tsushima in the process of Joseon's resuming its relations with Japan after the war ended. That is, he insisted Joseon should conquer Tsushima by force and put it under its influence before resuming its relations with Japan. At the same time, he also argued that Joseon should accept the trade request of Tsushima because he believed Tsushima should return to the pre-war state of being within the perimeter of Joseon. Regarding Japan as an enemy, Lee Deok-hyeong made it clear that Joseon was superior to Japan in all the aspects. He, however, acknowledged that the Japanese forces were strong through the war. In addition, he chose a realistic diplomatic route in making a peace agreement with Japan and resuming Joseon's relations with it and tried to obtain information about Japan by deploying Joseon's warriors to the camps of Japanese forces. Those changes illustrate that there were differences in his perspectives of Japan before and after the war.