Myunjebaegab
Encyclopedia
Myeonje Baegab is the world's first soft bullet-proof vest, invented in the late 1860s in the Joseon Dynasty
, modern day Republic of Korea.
It was invented following the French Campaign against Korea, 1866
and used in battle during the United States expedition to Korea in 1871. It was made of between 13 and 30 folds of cotton fabric and covered the upper torso.
, the military of the Joseon Kingdom, at the time using matchlock rifles, experienced the superiority of western rifles. As a result, Heungseon Daewongun, then acting leader of the Joseon Kingdom, ordered the development of bullet-proof armor. Through multiple live fire tests using matchlock rifles Kim Gi-Du (김기두, 金箕斗) and Gang Yun (강윤, 姜潤), who were national weapon developers, found that 30 layers of cotton fabric were effective in preventing penetration by rounds fired from a matchlock rifle at around 100 meters .
The vests were distributed to soldiers after its creation, and were used in battles fought on Ganghwa Island
against United States
Navy and Marine forces during the United States expedition to Korea in 1871.
Although the vests were effective against bullets, they were susceptible to fire because they were made of cotton. The vests were easily burnt by fragments from cannon fire; US records indicate that some Korean soldiers caught fire after a cannon attack. Also, the vests were too hot to wear in summer.
The US army captured one of the vests and took it to the US. The vest was stored in the Smithsonian Museum.
It seems that the related weapons taken by the US went to Korea with the flag, and they were displayed in the exhibition of "The Return Of The Flag In 136 Years" in GoGoong Museum, on April 1, 2008. MyunJeBaeGab was included in the exhibition. It was reported that they were stored in the Korean National Museum. It is not clear whether MyunJeBaeJab was permanently given to Korea, or just lent for 10 years with the flag.
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
, modern day Republic of Korea.
It was invented following the French Campaign against Korea, 1866
French Campaign against Korea, 1866
The French campaign against Korea of 1866 is also known as Byeong-in yangyo . It refers to the French invasion of Ganghwa Island in Korea in retaliation for the earlier execution by Korea's Joseon Dynasty of French Catholic priests proselytizing in that country...
and used in battle during the United States expedition to Korea in 1871. It was made of between 13 and 30 folds of cotton fabric and covered the upper torso.
Background
During the French Campaign against Korea, 1866French Campaign against Korea, 1866
The French campaign against Korea of 1866 is also known as Byeong-in yangyo . It refers to the French invasion of Ganghwa Island in Korea in retaliation for the earlier execution by Korea's Joseon Dynasty of French Catholic priests proselytizing in that country...
, the military of the Joseon Kingdom, at the time using matchlock rifles, experienced the superiority of western rifles. As a result, Heungseon Daewongun, then acting leader of the Joseon Kingdom, ordered the development of bullet-proof armor. Through multiple live fire tests using matchlock rifles Kim Gi-Du (김기두, 金箕斗) and Gang Yun (강윤, 姜潤), who were national weapon developers, found that 30 layers of cotton fabric were effective in preventing penetration by rounds fired from a matchlock rifle at around 100 meters .
The vests were distributed to soldiers after its creation, and were used in battles fought on Ganghwa Island
Ganghwa Island
Ganghwa Island is an island in the estuary of the Han River, on the west coast of South Korea. Ganghwa Island is separated from Gimpo, on the mainland, by a narrow channel, which is spanned by two bridges. The main channel of the Han River separates the island from Gaeseong in North Korea.About...
against United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Navy and Marine forces during the United States expedition to Korea in 1871.
Although the vests were effective against bullets, they were susceptible to fire because they were made of cotton. The vests were easily burnt by fragments from cannon fire; US records indicate that some Korean soldiers caught fire after a cannon attack. Also, the vests were too hot to wear in summer.
The US army captured one of the vests and took it to the US. The vest was stored in the Smithsonian Museum.
Return to Korea
The Korean army flag taken by the US during the United States expedition to Korea was found by a professor, and a movement to return the flag to Korea started [4]. Because the US had no legal provision for returning the flag, it was lent to Korea in 2007 for a 10 year period.It seems that the related weapons taken by the US went to Korea with the flag, and they were displayed in the exhibition of "The Return Of The Flag In 136 Years" in GoGoong Museum, on April 1, 2008. MyunJeBaeGab was included in the exhibition. It was reported that they were stored in the Korean National Museum. It is not clear whether MyunJeBaeJab was permanently given to Korea, or just lent for 10 years with the flag.
External links
- http://www.sciencetimes.co.kr/article.do?todo=view&atidx=0000025632
- http://weapon.tistory.com/entry/%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD-%EC%84%B8%EA%B3%84-%EC%B5%9C%EC%B4%88%EC%9D%98-%EB%B0%A9%ED%83%84-%EC%A1%B0%EB%81%BC-%EB%A9%B4%EC%A0%9C%EB%B0%B0%EA%B0%91
- http://issue.media.daum.net/0803_history/view.html?issueid=2945&newsid=20071005220415859&cp=khan
- http://www.voanews.com/Korean/archive/2007-05/2007-05-08-voa1.cfm
- 수자기 특별전
- 어재연 장군 '수자기' 136년 만의 귀환 특별전, 조선일보
- 특별전『수자기(帥字旗) - 136년 만의 귀환』, 고궁박물관
- 면 30겹 옷으로 대포에 맞선 강화도 조선군 <동아일보>
- http://www.nonsanmuseum.net/sangse_text.asp?kk=O10400528