Siege of Busan

The Siege of Busan was a battle fought at Busan on April 13th-14th, 1592, between Japanese and Korean forces. Along with Tadaejin, Busan was the site of the first battle in the Imjin War. This battle marked the beginning of a long war on the Korean peninsula.

Battle
To establish a beachhead and control Busan shores, a strategy was planned based on the local knowledge of So Yoshitoshi, lord of Tsushima. The plan consisted of dividing their forces and leading simultaneous attacks against the fort, and subsidiary harbor forts of Tadaejin and Seopyeongpo.

Early on the morning of May 24, 1592 (Tenshō 20, 4th month, 13th day, by the Japanese lunar calendar), So Yoshitoshi attacked within the main city walls of Busan, while Konishi Yukinaga led the assault on the harbor fort of Tadaejin.

The Japanese overwhelmed the Korean defenses by scaling the walls under cover of the arquebuses. This new technology destroyed the Koreans on the walls. Again and again the Japanese would win battles with arquebuses (Korea would not begin to train with these firearms until the Korean General Kim Si-min forged them at a Korean armory).

The Koreans retreated to the second line of defense after the surprise attack of So Yoshitoshi. General Jeong Bal (Hangul: 정발, Hanja :鄭撥) regrouped the Korean archers and counterattacked. By now, the Koreans had retreated to the third line of defence. After hours of fighting, the Koreans ran out of arrows. The Japanese were taking losses and regrouped to attack again.

General Jeong Bal was shot and killed. Morale fell amongst the Korean soldiers and the fort was overrun at around 9:00 in the morning--nearly all of Busan's fighting force was killed. The Japanese massacred the remaining garrison and noncombatants. Not even animals were spared. Yoshitoshi ordered his soldiers to loot and burn valuable items.

The Japanese army now occupied Busan. For the next several years Busan would be a supply depot for the Japanese. The Japanese continued to supply troops and food across the sea to Busan until Korean Admiral Yi Sun-sin attacked Busan with his navy.

Aftermath
With the fall of Fort Busan, the First Division of the Japanese Army completed its first objective. However, a few miles to the north of Busan lay the fortress of Dongnae; its garrison was a threat to the newly established beachhead. Early next morning, So Yoshitoshi led his wearied troops to attack Fort Dongnae.

These series of lightning-like attacks marked the beginning of the Seven Year War.