임진왜란 종결기 명군 ‘質官’과 강화 교섭의 역학 관계

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the diplomatic power dynamics among Joseon, Ming China, and Japan by focusing on the issue of Ming ‘Hostage Officials’ that arose during the withdrawal of Japanese forces at the end of the Imjin War. Following the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Japanese military negotiated with Ming commanders to ensure a safe withdrawal, a process which resulted in Ming personnel being sent to Japan. This incident unfolded in a complex manner due to the divergent interests of the three nations. Ming commanders made the pragmatic choice of dispatching hostage officials to conclude the war with minimal casualties, yet they attempted to deny or reframe this fact to avoid censure from the Ming imperial court. In doing so, the Ming military pressured Joseon, using issues such as military provisions as leverage, to prevent the matter from being reported to the court. Conversely, Japan utilized these individuals as diplomatic leverage to compel Joseon into peace negotiations, employing subtle strategies such as having returning Joseon prisoners of war deliver letters demanding peace talks. Joseon was caught in a diplomatic predicament between Japan’s demands for peace and the Ming's attempts at concealment. It faced the dilemma of resisting the diplomatic pressure exerted by the clandestine negotiations between Ming and Japanese forces while simultaneously needing to counter Japan's military threats and maintain its relationship with the Ming military. In conclusion, the Ming hostage officials issue was more than a mere source of conflict among Joseon, the Ming military, and the Ming court; it was a pivotal event that reveals the intricate diplomatic and military interactions among the three nations as they sought to protect their respective interests during the conclusion of the war and the subsequent reshaping of the post-war order. By re-examining the nature of these hostage officials based on the reciprocity of negotiations and providing a multi-faceted analysis of each country’s perceptions and strategies surrounding their repatriation, this study seeks to illuminate the dynamics of international relations in East Asia following the Imjin War.