You may not know it, but Korea actually has a rather substantial war history. I guess that should be assumed since they’ve been around since the BC era. More than most, however, the history of Korea has still witnessed mostly peace during its time. The main fighting that usually took place was in-fighting within ranks.
There were factions that wanted power, like Paekche, Silla, Parhae, and Goguryeo. There were only two dynasties, both lasting, combined, about 1,000 years, which is very uncommon for dynasties. These two dynasties were Koryo and Joseon.
The War Memorial of Korea demonstrated the start of Korea and how its military remained viable against the likes of the Japanese and the Chinese, including the Mongols, although the Chinese were typically allies and utilized a tribute system.
There were various busts representing great warriors of the past. Of course, as I mentioned in a previous post, Admiral Yi Sun Shin is my favorite Korean warrior thus far. There are tons of things dedicated to him, including the Turtle Ship, which is a centerpiece in the museum.
The presentation of Korea’s history through its military was well organized and beautifully orchestrated. There was just so much to see. As I said, I think this museum was my favorite part of my trip for various reasons.
So that’s it for the War Memorial of Korea. My next post will be about the rest of my day after the memorial, which included some very interesting food and a disastrous time getting to the Seoul Tower. Till then, I am off to sleep.