In 2018, the Korean Peninsula is once again facing a crisis of turning into a battleground of competing powers. The clash between the superpowers, the United States and China, has begun, with Japan and Russia also paying attention to the situation on the peninsula. However, the geopolitical crisis unfolding in the gaps of superpowers is not new this time. Over the past 5,000 years, we have experienced countless crises between superpowers. It's a challenging situation. Moreover, the era of struggle for dominance between the major powers has returned to the Korean Peninsula through the history of Taekwondo, a book found in the history of the peninsula. Starting now, the journey of 5,000 years begins. On April 12, 1636, a new reign of terror began in Sinyang, ushering in a new era.

His name was Hong Taizi, the second ruler established by the Jurchen people, who later became the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. He made all Jurchen, Mongol, and surrendered Korean officials swear allegiance. However, at the moment when all envoys and messengers bowed to him, there were two people standing stiffly, namely the Korean envoys Na Thekom and Yi Hwagi. They were subjected to a group beating by enraged Qing officials, putting their lives in danger. Fortunately, Hong Taizi saved them and sent them back to Joseon. Under Hong Taizi's orders, these two people risked their lives, but this was not the end of the situation. Emperor Chengtian Hong Taizi sent a final ultimatum to Joseon through these two individuals. War or surrender?

It demanded a clear choice. Contrary to common sense, at that time, Joseon maintained neutrality between Ming and Qing. However, the flames of war eventually reached Joseon through the Imjin War. How did Joseon end up being dragged into a war it did not want? What is the true lesson we should learn from this war? In the center of the Qing Dynasty and the Manchurian region, the first Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Huang Taiji, held power. In the early 17th century, East Asia was in turmoil. Nurhaci, the founder of the Qing Dynasty, established his presence in history by defeating the Ming in the Battle of Sarhu in 1619. Within just two years, key areas of Manchuria, including Gaizhou and Haizhou, fell under the control of Nurhaci.

Also, the 100-won bridge toll was approaching in the car, but the Ming Dynasty was not having an easy time. In 1626, Nurhaci, who mobilized his army to advance into Zhongyuan, was defeated in the Battle of Ningyuan and died from the aftereffects. Although he lost, the power of the empire that had ruled East Asia as a loser for nearly 300 years was never to be underestimated. Therefore, for Hom Taizu, who succeeded Nurhaci, the challenge was how to overcome the might of the Ino Empire. At that time, when Hom Taizu succeeded his father, his military strength became much stronger than during the Watchi period. Consequently, he almost continuously won battles on land. However, now that the Jin was approaching Beijing, the heart of the Ming Dynasty, they had to break through the mountainous terrain. It's unclear what they saw in the mountain pass, but the mountain pass...

It is truly an unparalleled fortress in the world. Therefore, it is very difficult to break through the exterior of this initial fortress. However, if instead of attacking the fortress exterior with military force, one departs from the vicinity of the Amnok River through this waterway, it is possible to land on the Jinyi or Sandong Peninsula without passing through the fortress. However, the problem now is that from the perspective of the Houjin, it is not easy to agree to such a proposal and there are no traps. That's why the Houjin repeatedly requested Joseon to send troops over many times. Of course, Joseon's response was always negative. However, an unexpected event that could overcome this obstacle occurs. In 1632, military officials from the Ming Dynasty, including Gwang Hyeon-jung, who were in charge of the military, incited a rebellion in Liaodong Province in the Ming Dynasty. However, the rebellion was not successful. Instead, it led to the brink of the government army's fierce suppression.

The leader of the rebels, Yu Deok-hwa, is in a situation where he is completely defenseless and facing inevitable annihilation. However, in this situation, Dal-rang's army unexpectedly takes a gamble to escape to the sea. The rebels, using over 100 warships and the latest cannons, break through the escort and head to the sea all at once. The suppression operation quickly turns into a pursuit. At that moment, Gong Yoo-kabo, who incited the rebellion, leads the Ming navy and traps the rebels, causing them to wander after the rebellion is suppressed. Now, from Hood's perspective, if they can persuade them to join their side and secure the navy and the stronghold, the military power itself will change fundamentally. Therefore, Hong Tai-ji, upon hearing the news of the rebellion of these two individuals, exerts a great deal of effort to persuade them to surrender to his side.

[MUSIC] Upon hearing the news that the Home Ties, the main naval force of the Ming Dynasty, had rebelled and fled, the Minister of Justice, who was in charge, immediately sent out officials to intercept them. Eventually, the rebel forces, who had decided to surrender to the palace of Huguo, turned their boats back to the Yalu River. Since the naval forces were completely powerless, they had to pass through the Yalu River to enter the territory of Huguo. As the rebel forces headed towards the capital with gold, the Ming Dynasty court was put on high alert. At that time, it was an extremely serious matter. Since the appearance of Hong Taizi, the military power of the Wumei army has continued to strengthen. The only thing they believed in was the gunfire regarding the mountain I mentioned earlier, Daisy Mountain. However, if Hong Taizi were to possess a navy that could bypass the mountain and hold a trap, the appearance of the mountain would lose its significance. But as I mentioned earlier, they were riding on a boat on the Yalu River.

Landing directly on the shore of Cheongjin, Sangdoseong, or Pyongyang allows for an immediate attack on Beijing. Therefore, the military strategists of the Ming Dynasty have concerns and emotions, as the very foundation of protecting oneself in this Ming Dynasty is fundamentally collapsing. The Ming Dynasty court immediately requests support from the Joseon government. The internal issues of the Ming Dynasty have now become an international issue due to the rebellion of the Central Army. However, the internal problems were also complex for the Joseon government at that time. In the early 17th century, Joseon was in a constant state of turmoil due to rebellions and coups. In 1623, the Injo Rebellion occurred, where King Gwanghae was driven out of the throne and his nephew Injo ascended to the throne. The Injo Rebellion overturned many of Gwanghae's policies, especially in terms of diplomacy.

I aimed to completely deny the legitimacy of the Indian government. When the Indian government emerged through the Guomindang, they promoted the legitimacy of the government by not relying on pronouns and found the legitimacy of the government from the day of their establishment. Therefore, their stance on the issue of indemnity was clear. Supporting a practical utilitarian policy towards indemnity, they gradually backed up the pro-Japanese policies of the bureaucrats. As the pro-Japanese government emerged through the Guomindang, they supported the policies that betrayed our country, leading to the so-called indemnity 100 years policy. They took a hostile stance against the neutral diplomacy of the Huanghe government, which led to the Imjin War. It is a kind of historical common sense that this tough diplomacy on indemnity brought about the Imjin War. However, if we follow the specific diplomatic policies of Joseon at that time, we can see our historical

You may find a point that is a little different from common sense. In fact, Joseon never pursued a strong diplomatic stance towards the Later Jin. First of all, King Injo and his officials did not have the intention to actively confront the Later Jin. In a situation where the military was not properly prepared and capable, facing the emerging military power of the Later Jin could potentially lead to a serious loss of the hard-earned stability. Therefore, the Joseon government outwardly declared a policy of deterrence, but the actual deterrent power against the Later Jin was significantly weaker compared to the reign of Gwanghaegun. However, stating it as a slogan is one thing; in reality, there was no sign of any military conflict or honor being trampled upon by the Later Jin and demanding tribute from Joseon.

Maintaining power was an urgent issue, so in fact, this reality and slogan could be seen as the essence of this text. In the end, the fate of the artificial regime was limited to a slogan to secure their own political legitimacy. The actual intention was to maintain the status quo without provoking the Qing Dynasty as much as possible. Therefore, the actual diplomatic policy was to remain close to neutrality with the Qing military. Especially after the invasion of the Manchu in 1627, every effort was made to avoid being caught in either side. The Ming Dynasty claimed to be the father's country, while the Qing Dynasty was considered the stepmother's country, trying not to offend either side. It was probably the best choice given the delicate balance between the two powerful countries. However, the problem was that even the Qing Dynasty continued to interpret Joseon's position in a negative way.

EBS 다큐프라임 - '한국사 오천년, 생존의 길' 제4부- 병자호란, 궁지에 빠진 중립외교_#001

EBS offers a wide range of high-quality documentaries dealing with subjects, such as knowledge, science, culture and others.

EBS는 지식, 과학, 문화, 교육 등 다양한 고품질의 다큐멘터리를 선보이고 있습니다.

EBS 다큐프라임 - '한국사 오천년, 생존의 길' 제4부- 병자호란, 궁지에 빠진 중립외교_#001

EBS 다큐프라임 - '한국사 오천년, 생존의 길' 제4부- 병자호란, 궁지에 빠진 중립외교_#001

Scripts