Joseon Tongsinsa Mission Ship’s Voyage to Osaka Revisited After 261 Years

Special Exhibition by the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage
Sharing the Achievements of the Joseon Tongsinsa Mission Ship Reproduction and Voyage

A Ship Reproducing the Joseon Tongsinsa Mission Ship Photo by Yonhap News

The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage will hold a special exhibition titled "Connecting, Crossing, Advancing: The Voyage of the Joseon Tongsinsa Mission Ship" at the Mokpo Maritime Museum from October 28, 2025, to February 22, 2026.

This event will showcase the achievements of the "Reproduction Project," which revived the sea route of the Joseon Tongsinsa mission after 261 years. Previously, the institute created a full-scale replica of the Jeongsa Giseon, the official ship used by the chief envoy, based on the "Records of the Joseon Tongsinsa Mission" and artifacts from the Mado No. 4 shipwreck. The large wooden ship measures 34 meters in length, 9.6 meters in deck width, and 5 meters in height. It was constructed in the traditional manner using 900 pine trees from Gangwon Province. Equipped with an engine and navigation equipment, the ship is capable of actual sea voyages.

This ship successfully completed its journey to Tsushima in 2023, Shimonoseki in 2024, and this year reached Osaka, retracing the Korea-Japan exchange route that began with the first mission in 1607 and continued through the twelfth mission in 1811, now revived with modern technology.

The exhibition will feature UNESCO Memory of the World items such as "Gye-mi Susarok," "Shin-mi Tongsinsa Ilrok," and "Hwajodo," as well as the "Joseon Tongsinsa Jeongsagwan Ship Painting" from the Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum in Japan and the "Tsushima Diary" from the Taku City Board of Education Local History Museum.

Lee Eunseok, Director of the institute, stated, "The Joseon Tongsinsa were historical figures who transformed a path of conflict into a road of peace. Through this exhibition, I hope that Korea and Japan will carry forward the spirit of past exchanges and seek new paths for future cooperation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.