War is always a human-made calamity. The Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598), known as the Imjin War, that began in the Year of the Dragon in 1592 were no different. While Korea of the Joseon era had superior battleships, muzzle-loading cannons and large weapons that could rapidly fire several rounds of explosives, which Japan lacked, the combat-ready standing army at the time of the Japanese invasion was only around 2,000 men. Goryeo Kingdom inventor and engineer Choi Mu-sun (1325-1395) h

Yun Jeung (1629-1714) was a representative “sarim,” a scholar who was highly educated and virtuous but who lived in seclusion without a government post. He is considered the head of “Soron,” a minor group in the “Seo-in” political faction in the late Joseon Dynasty. Until his death at the age of 86, he never held a government office. King Sukjong conferred him the post of prime minister without ever having seen Yun and Yun declined the appointment. He live