Koguryo, first feudal state in our country, lasted for nearly a thousand years from 277 B.C. to 668 A.D., holding the central position and playing a leading role in the development of history of our country.
The founder is Sejo, King Tongmyong (Ko Ju Mong). When he became the lawful successor to the king of Kuryo, he formed a new feudal system in 277 B.C. and named it Koguryo. He had its capital Jolbon Castle (castle on the mountain) built within a few years and merged several neighbouring countries in ten years’ time, enlarging Koguryo into a fairly big country that stretched 2 000 ri (1 ri = about 393m) from east to west.
The capital moved from Jolbon Castle to Kuknae Castle (Jipanhyon) in 3 A.D., to Pyongyang Castle (Mt. Taesong area) in 427, to new Pyongyang Castle (Jangan Castle) in 586. Hwando Castle 2 (North Pyongyang Castle, Ponghwang Castle) and South Pyongyang Castle (Mt. Jangsu area, later Han Castle) became the second capitals between the late 4th century and the early 5th century, forming a system of 5 capitals.
With rapid progress in several fields of politics, military affairs, economy and culture after the establishment, Koguryo emerged as one of the most developed countries in Asia in those days and demonstrated its prominently advanced culture out to the whole world.
For some centuries B.C. and A.D., feudal relationship was consolidated and developed and the whole well-regulated feudal system was established in Koguryo, which became the main framework of the state and social systems of subsequent several feudal states in our country as well as Paekje and Silla.
From the end of the 2nd century B.C. Koguryo people loaded with a high sense of patriotism and military spirit played the role as a fort and a shield to defend the entire land and fellow countrymen by repulsing foreign forces of aggression.
Koguryo set territorial unification as its important policy and put a lot of effort to realize it. As a result, in the west it merged several small countries in the southeast of Ryodong Peninsula by the 70s in the first century, in the southwest the northern part of Raknangguk, and in the east and the south Kaema, Kuda, Jona, Juna, East Okjo and other 7 small countries. In the north it defeated Ancient Puyo at the end of the 3rd century B.C. and took several small countries subject to Puyo under its control. After the establishment of Later Puyo feudal state in the early 2nd century B.C., it took control of the southern part of Jilin area and merged Kalsaguk.
The struggle of Koguryo for territorial unification was carried out along with anti-aggressive struggles. In 529 Koguryo extended its territory to the faraway bounds of Asan Bay, which brought unification of Three Kingdoms to the verge of completion in the first half of the 6th century.
Moreover, Koguryo developed various fields of its economy and culture, exerting a great influence upon the development of economy and culture of the neighbouring countries of the same blood and spreading its advanced culture even abroad.
In summary, Koguryo was a strong country with vast territory and advanced culture, which is a great pride of Korean nation possessed of a time-honoured history, ardent patriotism, strong national self-respect and unexcelled resourcefulness and wisdom.
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