Revisiting Jingbirok - Joseon Kingdom war memoir

Visitors look at the war memoir Jingbirok displayed at the War Memorial in Yongsan, Seoul. / Korea Times file

By Choi Yearn-hong

On the way to Kyungju this fall, I stopped by Hahoe Village, North Kyungsang Province and stayed one night at Okyonjungsa where he wrote the famous war memoir, Jingbirok, after he retired from the King’s court. Inside it, I had most unforgettable nightto think over and to remember his life and his memoir. I had visited Hohoe Village more than several times from my admiration and affection before and after Queen Elizabeth visited, but never crossed the narrow river to visit his Okyonjungsa, library or study. Before I did see the small but dignified house from the other side of the river, not necessarily his Jinbinrok, great war memoir, with Admiral Yi Soon-shin’s RanjungIlgi, great war diaries.

This opportunity came from kindness of Chung Wha-tae, retired career diplomat from the Korean Foreign Service, who arranged my trips to Kyungsang Province, including the first night at Okyonjungsa.

Yoo Sung-ryong was prime minister under King Sunjo who managed the Imjin War and Jungu War, during 1592-1598, making almost impossible diplomatic negotiations with Ming China army and navy commanders, while commanding the Joseon soldiers, including the people’s volunteer armies to resist the massive Japanese invaders with enormous fire power for seven years. If he was not in such a position, Joseon could most probably be divided into the Chinese and the Japanese territories, or be disappeared as an independent nation as we see today.

King Sunjo wanted to cross the Yalu River, entering Ming territory to save his own life, and almost all King’s men supported King’s humiliating escape from the War. The then war time prime minister strongly advised the King not to do so. If the King crossed the River, then the Joseon Kingdom would be easily lost to the Japanese warlord. That was in his clear vision.

If the Chinese and the Japanese negotiators agreed to divide Joseon and into two, northern and southern, parts for their colonies in the late 16th century, Korea could not be seen in the world atlas later. Yu was a heroic brave man in the War time to overcome all difficulties of declining Chosun’s sovereignty and pride as a kingdom. He was a fierce defender of Chosun on behalf of the King, very weak or feeble. In the war, Yu himself recommended Admiral Yi Soon-shin as the naval commander in the Southern Sea and General Kwon Yul to lead the fight the Japanese invasion on land, the two men of integrity, discipline and leadership.

Internally, he constantly fought the factional politics that did not care the Kingdom’s sovereignty and dignity. After the War was over, he was fired. His political opponents won the political game, and then resigned from the post. He never returned to capital city of Hanyang. In his hometown, he wrote Jingbirok, a war memoir, to review and record the seven year war for the future, objectively as possible.

However, his future policy recommendation in the last stage of Joseon Kingdom was totally ignored. Three hundred years later, Chosun was annexed by modern Japan, without any meaningful fight. Alas! Shameful demise of the Kingdom, at last.

One night in October 2014 at Okyonjungsa nicely persuaded me to see my home country again. Korean politics is still in such a fierce and shameful factional politics, under the different names of political parties. Politicians are crying for moral and ethical values, in which no debates of concrete policy proposals and reasonable policy implementations are conducted. For example, the so-called sunshine policy was a policy without concrete and tangible policy outcomes, other than unlimited giving to the North. Free meals for the school children and free house for newly married couple were not set up with available resources. No cost-benefit analysis at all. Korean politicians are still trying to appeal the immediate vote gain for their faction or party. They are seemingly not thinking of the nation’s future.

Years ago, one opposition leader told me that South Korea is #15 economic power in the world, and it could afford to feed the starving North Korean people. He did not see the limited resources at all. I was so shocked to know the level of his intellectual altitude. He was one of the key leaders to the past administration.

Jingbiroka nd War Diaries must be read by all Korean students, politicians and aspiring politicians.

They are two classic literatures for all people inside and outside the government.

The day after Ryoo resigned and returned to his hometown, Admiral Yi Soon-shin lamented the emerging grave political situation. He was killed in his last naval war in the Noryang Sea. Probably he did not see the hope after the war. The two were inseparable friends.Yu saved Yi’s life once when the latter was tortured under a crime of disobeying the King’s order, after the Imjin War and before Jungu War. King Sunjo in the Royal Court did not know what was going on in the Southern Sea, nor the military strategy and tactics at all. He should let the admiral run the naval war.

They were the two great leaders in the Royal Court and in the Southern Sea who kept Chosun’s dignity and pride from the Imjin and Jungu Wars, spanning seven years.

History repeats, but many do not know such a simple fact.

They see the history as the past tense, not the present tense. That is a common tragedy.

I have renewed my understanding of the Imjin War and two great leaders who ultimately saved Chosun Kingdom. I am proud of the great leaders. I urge you, readers of the Korea Times, to read Jingbirok and War Diaries, and renew their teachings to us, still relevant to present political, economic and military affairs.

Ryoo was a great scholar, philosopher and writer. Scholars must record their ideas and thinking objectively for the present and future. I learned a lesson from him.

Choi Yearn-hong is a columnist for The Korea Times.