壬亂前의 西北邊界 政策

Northwest Border Policy Prior to Hideyoshi’s Invation

The foreign relations of the Yi Dynasty were formed under a foreign policy of “Serving the great and associating with neighbors.” Early in the dynasty the establishing of four counties and six forts(四郡六鎭) did help to firmly establish the nation’s domain but any further expansion was refrained from as it would bring about corder troubles with other nations. Therefore, there was no major border fighting from the time of Taejo to Songjong. However the domestic discord and chaos following the reign of Yonsangun brought about many setbacks in relations with neighboring nations. On the southern and western coasts Japanese pirates were raiding and the Djurchin of Manchuria were causing trouble on the northwest frontier. Such developments increased in proportion to the destruction of the political order due to the corruption of the domestic government. The Yi government was deeply concerned over the raids of the Japanese and Djurchin and was more worried about relations with the Djurchin, with whom there was direct contact at the border, than about the Japanese across the sea, even though the Djurchin were not a united force prior to Hideyoshi’s invation, but the dynasty could not afford to over look their local raids. In provision against Djurchin attacks the Korean government attempted to ensure the safety of the people in the border regions and pressed the strengthening of the frontier forces. However, it was difficult to accomplish the desired reextreme oppression of the border generals. The frontier generals, thinking only of personal desires, did not mo―bilize their forces fully and through their defeats exposed the nation’s weaknesses to the Djurchin and brought about thc diminishing of national prestige. Each time the Djurchin struck at Korea, the question of an expedition against them was discussed but this was only local expeditions on the part of the frontier generals and only brought about more border trouble. A full scale expedition was only considered and never realized due to domestic problems. The policy of association with the Djurchins gradually collapsed and even while the government continued to debate the strengthening of the frontiers out of fear of the power of a united Djurchin, there was no source of revenue to support such a policy in bankrupt Korea. The’ debated simply ended in calls to action.