Korea, surrounded by the sea on three sides and with well-developed rivers inland, has a long history of using ships for travel and trade. This history also includes defending our seas and territories from foreign invasions. Since the prehistoric era, Koreans have been actively engaged in maritime activities. Notably, during the Goryeo Dynasty, Korea dominated trade in East Asia, engaging in active exchanges with neighboring countries like the Song Dynasty in China and Okinawa in Japan. Additionally, King Seongjong of Goryeo’s introduction of a system that collected grain as tax led to the further development of grain transport ships.

With this as the background, let's examine two representative Korean ships on display. On the left is the "Model of Taean Mado No.1," a grain transport ship from the Goryeo Dynasty. Discovered and excavated by the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage between 2008 and 2010 in the Taean County waters, this ship was found carrying various grains, ceramics, and foodstuffs, confirming its use as a grain transport ship that sank while en route to Gaegyeong, the capital of Goryeo.

After the Goryo Dynasty, during the Joseon Dynasty, to combat Japanese invasions, the "Panokseon," displayed on the right as the "Model of a Board-roofed Ship,” was developed. These ships played a key role in several naval victories during the Imjin War, making them a mainstay of the Joseon navy. The Panokseon, developed after the biggest Wokou raid in 1555, was designed to counter the invading Japanese forces along the coast of the Jeolla Province. The term 'Panok' refers to a roof constructed by erecting pillars at the ship's four corners, covering the sides with planks, and then adding a wooden roof. The Panokseon had a two-tiered structure: an upper deck for attacking and a lower deck for rowing. The flat-bottomed design was made to work well in fast and rough waters, and the Panok allowed for artillery attacks by numerous soldiers simultaneously.

Moving to the first showcase on the right wall, we can observe the chronological evolution of Korean ships. Thanks to our proximity to water, Koreans have been building ships since ancient times. For instance, one log boat found in Changnyeong County, Gyeongsangnam-do dates back approximately 8,000 years.

Various ship-shaped pottery and physical artifacts have been discovered in tombs and dwellings from the Three Kingdoms period. exhibit #3, pottery from the Silla and Gaya regions, gives us a glimpse at the ship designs at the time. After unifying the Three Kingdoms, Silla interacted with the Tang Dynasty through a "Gyeon-dang ship," and Jang Bogo, a general of Unified Silla, established Cheonghaejin in Wando County, Jeollanam-do, connecting Korea, China, and Japan through maritime trade. Below, exhibit #6 depicts a typical Korean sailboat, a "Dottanbae," used for wind-powered travel along rivers and coastlines.