Korean cannon


Cannons appeared in Korea by the mid 14th century during the Goryeo dynasty and quickly proliferated as naval and fortress-defense weapons. Major developments occurred throughout the 15th century, including the introduction of large siege mortars as well as major improvements that drastically increased range, power, and accuracy.
The Imjin War in the 1590s marked the beginning of a Korean military revolution which saw improvements in cannon design and the introduction and adaptation of foreign-based firearms. This included the en masse adoption of muskets and the adoption of volley fire and rigorous drill techniques. Breech-loading swivel guns were particularly popular as light anti-personnel artillery.
In the early 17th century, a Culverin called Hongyipao was introduced and used until the 19th century.
With the rising threat of European powers in the 19th century, the Joseon dynasty made attempts at reverse-engineering European firearms but eventually had to simply buy them from foreign entities.

Early history

The earliest possible references to firearms in Korea is to what might have been gunpowder-ignited flamethrowers in 1104 and explosive bombs in 1135. The next reference is to a cannon which fired large arrows being tested for use on the northwestern frontier in 1356.
In 1373, King Gongmin visited a new fleet which was being constructed for use against the Wokou, including the firing of cannon. He then requested a shipment of cannon, gunpowder, and gunpowder ingredients from Ming, which was granted the following year.
However, these weapons were not produced locally and had to be secured from elsewhere.
Ch'oe Mu-sŏn, a minor military official, managed to learn the methods of potassium nitrate purification from a visiting Chinese saltpeter merchant. After petitioning the court for several years, the Firearms Directorate was established in 1377 to oversee firearms production and development.
A fleet of ships was trained in cannon use in 1378 and in 1380 saw its first use defeating a Wokou pirate near the mouth of the Geum River. Three years later in 1383 the Korean navy again defeated the Wokou with cannon.
By 1395, a number of weapons were in use: a series of cannons called the daejanggunpo, ijanggunpo, and samjanggunpo, a shell-firing mortar called the jillyeopo, series of yuhwa, juhwa, and chokcheonhwa rockets, which were the forerunners of the singijeon, and a signal gun called the shinpo.
In 1410, Korea had 160 ships equipped with gunpowder artillery.

Joseon era cannons

Early Joseon (early to mid 15th century)

During Taejong's rule, improvements were made. Among the people responsible for the developments was Ch'oe Hae-san, the son of the aforementioned Ch'oe Mu-sŏn. The cheon "heaven" or "sky", ji "earth", hyeon "black", and hwang "yellow" or "gold" names are not significant, being the first four characters of the Thousand Character Classic, thus making them equivalent to Cannons A, B, C, and D. The following is a list some of the main cannons of this time period:
  • The cheonja-hwapo "heaven" or "sky", with a maximum range of about .
  • The jija-hwapo "earth", with a maximum range of about with an arrow or dart.
  • The hyeonja-hwapo "black", with a maximum range of about with an arrow or dart.
  • The hwangja-hwapo "yellow" or "gold", with a maximum range of about .
  • The gaja-hwapo, with a maximum range of about .
  • The se-hwapo "slender" or "small", with a maximum range of about . This was a very small hand-cannon which functioned as a pistol or a cavalry weapon.
Written records for cannons of this era come from the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty .

Early Mid Joseon (mid 15th century to mid 16th century)

The small-but-powerful cannons of this era saw extensive use during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98), by both the Joseon Army and the Navy. They were very effective against the weaker-built Japanese ships.
Sejong made many improvements, and increased the ranges of these cannons :
  • The cheonja-hwapo, with a maximum range of about with an arrow or dart, and about with four arrows or darts, with less powder. This later came to be called the janggun-hwatong "general fire tube".
  • The jija-hwapo, with a maximum range of about with an arrow or dart, and about with four arrows or darts, with equal powder. Later called the il-chongtong "first chongtong".
  • The hyeonja-hwapo is not mentioned among the improved cannons. This was later called the i-chongtong "second chongtong".
  • The hwangja-hwapo, with a maximum range of about with an arrow or dart, and about with four arrows or darts with equal powder. This was later called the sam-chongtong "third chongtong".
  • The gaja-hwapo, with a maximum range of about with an arrow or dart, and about with four arrows or darts with equal powder.
  • The se-hwapo, with a maximum range of about with an arrow or dart with equal powder. This gun was about long and had a bore of about. It was later called the se-chongtong.
In the early 1500s, the bullanggi, a breech-loading swivel gun, was introduced to Korea from Portugal via China. It was divided into sizes 1 through 5, in decreasing size. There was also a mortar of this period called the chongtong-wan'gu.
Written records of these cannons come from the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty and the Gukjo Orye Seorye, published in 1474.

Late Mid Joseon (late 16th century to late 18th century)

Improvements were made on the earlier designs.
The following is a list of some of the cannons:cheonja-chongtong jija-chongtong hyeonja-chongtong hwangja-chongtong byeorhwangja-chongtong
Mortars used during this period:Byeoldae-wan'gu Dae-wan'gu Jung-wan'gu
Written records for this period are the Shin'gi Bigyeol in 1603, Hwagi Dogam Uigye in 1615, and Hwaposhik Eonhae in 1635.

Late Joseon (Late Mid 19th century)

Written records from this time period come from the Yungwon Pilbi in 1813 and the Hun'guk Shinjo Gun'gi Doseol in 1867.
  • Hong'ipo
  • bullanggi
  • Daepo was a bronze muzzle-loading cannon made in 1874
  • Jungpo was a bronze muzzle-loading cannon made in 1874 with a caliber of.
  • Sopo was a bronze muzzle-loading cannon made in 1874 with a caliber of.

Operation and projectiles

A unique method of loading the Koreans was that they used a block of wood and some paper as a wad. This increased range, power, and possibly accuracy. Then, jolanhwan and sand were repeatedly placed on top of it, and finally a cannonball covered with lead was loaded.
Cannonballs of stone or iron, iron shot were used, but a large wooden dart with iron fins and head was preferred. These were more accurate. Test firings in Seoul noted that the darts buried themselves into the ground up to their iron fletching. When the Korea Naval Academy tested one shot out of a cheonja-chongtong, it flew and penetrated into a granite wall.
The Mortars used for sieges fired bombs called stone balls or Bigyeokjincheolloe. Like the Coehorn, this one was equipped with a primitive Time fuse, so the fuse would light when fired and explode after a certain period of time when it fell to the ground.