Joseon-era envoy ship returns to sea as Korea turns heritage into living history

The sailing route of the Joseon Tongsinsa ship from / Courtesy of the National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage

A 34.5-meter wooden vessel once used to carry Korean envoys to Japan has returned to Korea’s waters as a floating museum, offering the public a rare chance to step inside a reconstructed piece of 18th-century diplomacy.

The National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage said Thursday that the Joseon Tongsinsa ship is taking part in the 16th Hwaseong Sea Leisure Festival in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, running through May 29.

The ship is a full-scale reconstruction of a Joseon Dynasty diplomatic vessel built in 2018 and used in modern reenactment voyages along historic Korea-Japan maritime routes since 2023.

In 2025, the vessel entered Osaka Port for the first time in 261 years since the last official Joseon envoy mission, according to the institute, highlighting what officials describe as Korea’s traditional shipbuilding and navigation expertise.

The institute said a safety blessing ceremony for the voyage was held last Friday at its dock in Mokpo, attended by about 50 officials, including local government representatives and cultural tourism interpreters.

The ship departed Mokpo on Tuesday, stopping at islands including Wido and Sinjindo before arriving at Jeongok Port in Hwaseong.

From May 22-25, the vessel will operate as a “floating museum,” offering guided tours and onboard exhibitions as part of the festival program.

Visitors will be able to view historical displays on Joseon diplomatic missions, maritime exchange routes and restoration research on traditional Korean warships, along with video presentations and guided interpretation.

The institute said the ship will also host hands-on boarding experiences twice daily, totaling eight sessions and accommodating about 450 participants.

Tickets for the boarding program are available through the Hwaseong Cultural Foundation website, while additional information is provided through the institute’s official website.

Officials said the program is intended to promote maritime heritage as a cultural asset and strengthen public engagement with Korea’s historical seafaring traditions.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.