The Imjin War and the Invasion of Jeolla

The late 16th century saw one of East Asia’s most devastating conflicts—the Imjin War (1592–1598), in which Japan, under the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, launched a massive invasion of Korea. By August 1597, Japanese forces had already secured key victories, and their next target was Jeolla Province, a strategically vital region in southwestern Korea. The fall of Jeolla’s capital, Jeonju, marked a turning point in the war, exposing both the ferocity of Japanese tactics and the collapse of Korean resistance.

Japanese generals, including Konishi Yukinaga, Ukita Hideie, and Katō Kiyomasa, spearheaded the campaign. After the Korean commander Jin Eui-jong abandoned Jeonju, Japanese forces entered the city on August 19, setting it ablaze and filling in its defensive moats. The ease with which they captured Jeonju revealed the disarray of Korean defenses, as local officials fled rather than resist.

The Advance of Japanese Forces and the Scorched Earth Strategy

Following the capture of Jeonju, Japanese forces split into multiple divisions, each tasked with subduing surrounding regions. Katō Kiyomasa, leading the right army, marched northwest, encountering little resistance as Korean officials like the magistrate of Jangsu County fled in terror. Villages along his path were burned, and civilians hiding in the mountains were massacred.

Meanwhile, the left army, under Ukita Hideie and Konishi Yukinaga, consolidated control over Jeonju. They established markets to display spoils taken from Ming Chinese forces at the Battle of Namwon—a psychological tactic to demoralize remaining resistance. By August 25, the full Japanese army had assembled in Jeonju for a critical war council.

The Jeonju War Council and Divergent Strategies

The war council revealed deep divisions among Japanese commanders. Some, like Katō Kiyomasa, advocated for a full-scale advance toward the Korean capital, Hanseong (modern-day Seoul), while others, wary of Korea’s harsh winter, proposed retreating to the coastal stronghold of Busan. A third faction suggested splitting forces to blockade Korea’s supply routes by land and sea.

Historical records, including the Giwonrok (乱中杂录) and Japanese clan documents, provide conflicting accounts of the council’s outcome. Some sources claim the Japanese opted for a dual strategy: Katō would push north toward Hanseong, while Konishi and Ukita would withdraw south. However, other accounts suggest that Japanese forces continued ravaging Jeolla before shifting focus to Chungcheong Province.

The Atrocities and the “Nose Tomb” Campaign

One of the war’s most gruesome aspects was the Japanese practice of collecting noses instead of heads as proof of kills. Toyotomi Hideyoshi had ordered this shift to prevent exaggerated battlefield reports. The result was systematic mutilation of Korean civilians and soldiers alike.

– Chōsokabe Motochika, operating in Gochang, slaughtered thousands, sending 6,006 noses to his superiors.
– Kikkawa Hiroie reported multiple massacres, tallying 480 and 792 noses in separate incidents.
– Kuroda Nagamasa boasted of collecting over 3,000 noses near Cheonan.

Korean records, such as the Annals of King Seonjo, lament the near-total collapse of local governance. Magistrates like Han Su-seong of Geumgu and Go Bong-sang of Gimje abandoned their posts, leaving civilians defenseless.

The Push into Chungcheong and the Korean Collapse

By September, Japanese forces had penetrated Chungcheong Province. Konishi Yukinaga and Shimazu Yoshihiro advanced north, burning towns like Buyeo and Seocheon. Meanwhile, Katō Kiyomasa clashed with Korean forces at Jinsan, where a rare counterattack led by Magistrate Shin Taek resulted in his death and the slaughter of his troops.

The Japanese right army, led by Mōri Hidemoto and Kuroda Nagamasa, seized Gongju and Cheonan, bringing them within striking distance of Hanseong. Korean and Ming forces, demoralized and outmatched, retreated en masse.

Legacy: A Province in Ruins

The devastation of Jeolla was catastrophic. Korean court officials lamented the “complete collapse” of regional defenses, with entire counties left depopulated. The war exposed systemic weaknesses in Korea’s military bureaucracy, prompting later reforms under King Seonjo.

For Japan, the campaign was a pyrrhic victory. Hideyoshi’s death in 1598 led to a rapid withdrawal, but the war’s brutality left enduring scars in Korean memory. Today, the “Nose Tomb” in Kyoto stands as a grim reminder of the conflict, while Korean historiography remembers Jeolla’s fall as a cautionary tale of leadership failure in the face of invasion.

The Imjin War’s lessons resonate beyond history—highlighting the human cost of ambition, the fragility of unprepared defenses, and the enduring impact of wartime atrocities.