임진왜란사 인식의 문제점과 연구과제

Abstract

The most critical flaw in the current understanding of Imjin-War is the erroneous understanding of historical materials, which is the biggest reason that has hindered the progress of research on Japanese invasion of Korea. The most needed materials in terms of historiography are not dispersed evenly over Korea, Japan and China, as it is commonly speculated, but the primary historical materials found in historical documents of the Chosun Dynasty in Korea. Therefore, based on extensive collection of historical documents and diverse war journals compiled at the time by the Chosun Dynasty and court records in Seonjo-Sillok, there should be comprehensively re-examination of and new researches on Japanese invasion of Korea. In addition, what is most critical for proper understanding of Imjin-War is to accurately ascertain the reality of the 7 year war. Why did militia lead the battle during the early period of war, not the regular forces of the court? Why was Japanese navy defeated battle after battle by the Chosun navy? What was the objective of Jeongyu Reinvasion by Japanese force? How was it different from the first invasion? There must be proper answers to these questions. In the early phase of the invasion, Japanese captured the capital city of Seoul only after 18 days after the completely lopsided victories over Chosun forces in a series of battles. The primary reason was absence of regular standing army of Chosun. They did have what was called ""government force"", but it was not an army of trained soldiers. They were just soldiers comprised mostly of farmers conscripted by government official at the outbreak of war. They were not very different in terms of quality and composition from the army of militia led by Seonbi, Chosun scholars during the war. The Chosun Dynasty of the 16th century did not have the standing army of trained soldiers, which rendered them helpless during the early phase of Japanese invasion and therefore the privately organized militia led the war. Another issue that should be critically re-examined in the study of Japanese invasion of Korea is that Japanese invaders had started a reckless war without being properly equipped with battle ships and weapons of naval warfare despite the fact that they were crossing the strait to invade Chosun. In addition, there should be more systematic research on how Chosun navy came to have such a powerful traditional naval power incomparable to that of Japan, the reality of Chosun's navy organization and Panoksun battle ship with firepower. In addition, the stories of naval battles between both countries must be recorded in history textbooks so that students can learn that the Chosun Dynasty was a traditional naval power in East Asia. Because there has been almost no study on Jeongyu Reinvasion, proper understanding of how brutal the effect of war was at the time was not achieved. Joengyu Reinvasion was retaliation against Imjin Invasion that occurred prior. It devastated the entire region of Jeolado province, the fertile agricultural ground. However, due to lack of researches on the reality of the reinvasion, it has been understood only in terms of the Great Naval Battle of Myeongrang, which occurred at the very end of the war. There has been little awareness of how brutal the outcome of the reinvasion was as a result of thorough retaliation. There should be more thorough studies on how Jeongyu Reinvasion was an invasion with utter cruelty and brutality unprecedented in history of wars in the world, and that Japanese invaders committed indiscriminate slaughter of ordinary people-old or young, man or woman- according to the order of Hideyoshi, cutting off nose and ears from the dead and from even living people without discrimination.