Oldest known gunpowder weapon in Korea discovered near minefield
The Hwangja Hwatong / Courtesy of Naju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
Deep inside a hazardous zone once marked for landmine detection on Mount Geumseong in Naju, around 280 kilometers south of Seoul, archaeologists have uncovered what is now confirmed to be the oldest surviving gunpowder weapon in Korea.
The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage said Monday that a three-year study has authenticated the artifact, known as the "Hwangja Hwatong" or Yellow-Character Hand Cannon.
Measuring just under 25 centimeters long and weighing roughly 1 kilogram, the bronze handheld firearm offers unprecedented insight into early East Asian military technology.
"This is an extraordinary discovery with immense academic, historical and cultural value," Cho Mi-soon, director of the National Naju Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, said during a press briefing at the National Palace Museum of Korea. "It comes from a crucial transitional period between the late Goryeo and early Joseon dynasties, when physical artifacts of firearms are exceptionally rare."
A detailed reading of a 28-character inscription etched onto the barrel revealed the weapon’s exact specifications, including its name, weight, supervising official and the artisan who cast it — a craftsman named Suk.
The inscription dates the weapon to a Jeongsa year, narrowing its creation to either December 1377 or December 1437. In 1377, the Goryeo Dynasty established its first state arms agency under the famed inventor Choe Mu-seon to counter naval raids by Japanese pirates. If it was forged in 1437, it originates from the golden age of King Sejong the Great, who spearheaded major artillery standardization.
A digital rendering shows a soldier of the late Goryeo and early Joseon periods wielding a Hwangja Hwatong, or "Yellow-Character Hand Cannon. Courtesy of National Naju Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
Either timeline solidifies the hand cannon as the earliest verifiable firearm ever found on the Korean peninsula.
X-ray and metallurgical analyses revealed the cannon was cast from a traditional bronze alloy of copper, tin and lead. Researchers noted that the tin content was kept strictly below 10 percent — a precise engineering choice designed to give the barrel enough ductility to withstand explosive internal pressure without shattering. Residual traces of silver and sulfur further confirmed medieval smelting techniques rather than a modern reproduction.
Uncovered by accident in November 2023 during safety sweeps prior to trail construction, the portable firearm represents a pivotal evolutionary leap from traditional archery to explosive weaponry. Its internal chamber features a rounded design typical of early experimental cannons, preceding later Joseon-era models that used wooden wads to maximize explosive propulsion.
The public will get its first look at the artifact during a special exhibition running from opening Wednesday and running through Nov. 22 at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Seoul.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.