조선 숙종대 경기지역 군사체제의 정비

Abstract

The military system of early Joseon Dynasty operated in two different structures during peacetime and wartime. The national army in time of peace was divided into the central army and the provincial army, and two were combined and deployed as the integrated field army in wartime. The field army was commanded by officials such as ‘Chechalsa(體察使)’, a temporary garrison commander commissioned by the King. Thus, temporary officials including Chechalsa, Sunchalsa(巡察使) and Bangeosa(防禦使) were appointed by the central government in time of emergency in early Joseon Dynasty period to command the field army. These officials were dismissed upon resolution of issues and were reinstated back to the central government. However, this military system of the early Joseon Dynasty period was pointed out as one of the cause for the early-stage defeat of the Imjin(壬辰) War. Soldiers were not properly trained in peacetime prior to the occurrence of war, and both commanders and soldiers were completely unaware of the development of the situation; resulting in a complete failure in commanding and controlling. As a corrective measure, the management of the national army was restructured to be consistent in peacetime and in wartime by the late Joseon Dynasty period. The temporary officials such as Chechalsa, Sunchalsa and Bangeosa obtained permanent position status along with the establishment of military camps designed to take immediate action in time of crisis. As such, the military systems both in time of peace and in wartime were aligned to take an uniform approach in late Joseon Dynasty period to be better prepared against external invasion. The kings and the ruling class continued to add military forces and strengthened the defense system in areas they found vulnerable. In addition, the government established three major camp gates, including Hullyeondogam(訓鍊都監), Eoyeoungcheong(御營廳), and Geumuiyoung (禁衛營) in the capital city of Hanyang(漢陽), and also established Sueocheong(守禦廳) and Chongyungcheong(摠戎廳) in Gyeonggi(京畿) Province to defend the outskirts of the capital city. In addition, the government went on to establish three defense bases in Suwon(水原), Jangdan(長湍) and Gwangju(廣州), as well as Jinmuyeoung(鎭撫營) in Ganghwa(江華) Island and Gwanlicheong (管理廳) in Gaeseong(開城), doubling and tripling the national defense system. In the 18th century, a rising suspicion and distrust of the utility of the existing defense bases and fortresses, including Ganghwa Island, Namhansanseong(南漢山城), and Daeheungsanseong(大興山城) led to the emergence of the defense theory based on the capital city as an alternative solution, and additional capital fortress, Bukhansanseong(北漢山城) and Tangchundaeseong(蕩春臺城), were constructed. With the alignment of the military system in time of peace and war in the centralized dynasty, the kings and the ruling class expanded the redundant defense system in an attempt to secure their own safety, and sought yet another defense system if any doubt arose about the utility and effectiveness of their safe havens. The military system in modern democracies should be organized with the safety of the people as the primary consideration but the military system in the medieval dynasty placed the highest priority on the safety of the kings and the ruling class instead.