1 week Ago By Korea Bizwire
The Joseon Tongsinsa replica ship is seen at the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, on the 21st of this month. This vessel, a reproduction of the ships used by the Joseon envoys who traveled between Korea and Japan, is set to depart from Busan on the 28th and, for the first time this year marking the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic normalization, sail all the way to Osaka, Japan. BUSAN, April 28 (Korea Bizwire) — A replica of a historic Joseon-era diplomatic ship set sail for Osaka on Monday, marking the first such voyage in 261 years as South Korea and Japan commemorate the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations.
The Busan Cultural Foundation announced that the vessel departed from Yongho Starlight Park in Busan’s Nam-gu district on April 28. The ship is modeled after the Jeongsa Giseon , the main vessel historically used by the head envoy ( jeongsa ) of the Joseon Tongsinsa — diplomatic missions dispatched by Korea’s Joseon Dynasty to Japan. The replica spans 34 meters in length, 9.
3 meters in width, and features a mast standing 22 meters high. Constructed using approximately 900 aged Geumgang pine trees, each between 80 and 150 years old, the ship can accommodate up to 72 people. The voyage marks the first time the replica will sail all the way to Osaka.
After crossing the Korea Strait, the ship will pass through Tsushima and Shimonoseki before arriving in Osaka on May 11, 2025. A large-scale reenactment ceremony is scheduled for May 13 at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, in celebration of “Korea Day.” The ship is set to depart Osaka on May 16 and return to Busan by May 27.
The Joseon Tongsinsa missions symbolized peaceful diplomacy and vibrant cultural exchange between Korea and Japan. From 1607 to the early 19th century, a total of 12 such missions traveled between the two nations. In 2017, South Korea and Japan jointly inscribed the “Archives of the Joseon Tongsinsa” on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, underscoring their shared historical significance.
A scene from the arrival ceremony of the Joseon Tongsinsa replica ship held in Shimonoseki, Japan, last August. A local resident tours the interior of the replica ship, a symbol of Korea-Japan exchanges during the Joseon Dynasty, and takes photographs. Image credit: Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.
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