Ancient Korea and Chinese World Order

An account of how Korea joined the Chinese world order in the fifteenth century.

During the Koryo period (918 - 1392) Korean leaders reportedly turned to appeasement when the Mongol hordes (pictured) rode across the Yalu River into northern Korea.

Korean monarchs formally recognized the new Mongol dynasty set up in China, and even complied with Mongol demands that Korea build and man two huge fleets for the Mongol invasions of Japan.

"However, this attempted appeasement backfired. The Japanese sought revenge against the Koreans for their assistance to the Mongols." (The Complete Idiot's Guide To Understanding North Korea by Dr. C. Kenneth Quinones and Joseph Tragert, Alpha Books, 2003).

These attempts led to pirate raids on Korean trading ships and ports in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. This was followed by a full-scale effort to conquer Korea at the end of the sixteenth century.

These moves forced Korean monarchs to decide that "the best way to protect their domain from marauding horsemen and seafaring pirate was to join the Chinese world order," as well as allowing China to manage its foreign affairs.

"Confident in Chinese ability to deter or deal with any invaders, Korea did not maintain any significant military forces after the 1598 expulsion of Japan's samurai invaders."