Battle of Pyongyang (1592)

Overview

In the sixth lunar month of 1592, the First Japanese Army under Konishi Yukinaga crossed the Imjin River and, passing through Hwanghae Province, reached the southern bank of the Daedong River. King Seonjo left Pyongyang on the 11th day of the sixth month (July 19 in the solar calendar). Yun Du-su, the Left State Minister, and Kim Myeong-won, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, who had remained to defend the fortress, abandoned it after a surprise attack failed. The Japanese army entered Pyongyang in mid-sixth month and made it their base. Then, on the 17th day of the seventh month (August 23 in the solar calendar), the first relief force from the Ming Dynasty, led by Zu Chengxun (祖承訓), Deputy Commander of Liaodong, attacked Pyongyang and suffered a crushing defeat.

Background

King Seonjo entered Pyongyang on the 7th day of the fifth month and stayed there. Pyongyang was a fortress with the Daedong River in front of it, and considerable grain had been stockpiled inside the walls, so some officials argued that the city should be defended to the end. However, when Japanese forces appeared on the opposite bank of the Daedong River, Seonjo again departed northward, and Yun Du-su, Kim Myeong-won, and Pyeongan Provincial Governor Yi Won-ik remained behind to defend the city.

Course of Events

Japanese Occupation of Pyongyang

• Early sixth month: The First Japanese Army reached the southern bank of the Daedong River. Korean forces collected all the boats, so the Japanese could not cross the river.
• Around the night of the 14th day of the sixth month: Korean forces sent elite troops, including Ko Eon-baek, across the river toward Neungna Island to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese camp. At first they killed a considerable number of enemy soldiers, but as dawn broke they came under counterattack and withdrew. At this time, Japanese troops who saw the Korean forces crossing back over the shallow ford of Wangseong Rapids (王城灘) followed the same route across the river.
• Fall: Yun Du-su and Kim Myeong-won judged that they could no longer hold the city, threw their weapons (軍器) into a pond, and slipped out of the fortress. The Japanese entered Pyongyang Fortress and took the grain remaining inside the walls.

Zu Chengxun's Attack on Pyongyang

• 15th day of the seventh month: Zu Chengxun led 5,000 Ming troops (『한국민족문화대백과사전』) to the vicinity of Pyongyang.
• 17th day of the seventh month: In the dawn rain, Ming troops entered the city through Chilseong Gate, but on the narrow streets they came under fire from Japanese arquebuses (鳥銃), and Yugyeok (Regional Commander) Sa Yu and others were killed, and the force was crushingly defeated. Zu Chengxun led the remaining soldiers back to Liaodong.