King of Commerce, Yeonsan-gun Ch.29

Oh No! My 100,000 Ironclad Soldiers!!!

As Kyung-sik reflected on the excitement and productivity that had taken over the Armory Department in Hanseong, he knew there were challenges ahead. Despite the progress made in producing weapons and armor, there were looming issues, particularly with the supply of iron, which was critical to sustaining these advancements.

The Reality Check

It was summer, and the hectic spring had given way to the hot, bustling months in Hanseong. The kingdom was abuzz with the incredible productivity surge Kyung-sik had initiated. But as the seasons changed, so did the kingdom's fortunes.

With the upcoming civil service exams and diplomatic missions to China, the Ministry of Rites (예조) was in a frenzy. The king's absence from Hanseong only compounded their stress.

Meanwhile, in Mapo, where Kyung-sik had established his temporary palace to oversee the production efforts, the Ministry of War (병조) was reveling in the progress. Their newfound ability to produce iron armor and muskets filled them with unprecedented national pride.

"With the king's miraculous methods, we can endlessly produce these weapons. This is a great blessing for our nation!" exclaimed one official.

"In the days of Goguryeo, our ironclad army of 100,000 conquered Liaodong and defeated the Sui and Tang dynasties. Recently, we have become a poor nation, unable to field even 10,000 soldiers. But now, with the king's guidance, we can be like Goguryeo again!" proclaimed another.

"I've even instructed the weavers to follow the king's principles of division of labor!" added another, enthusiastically.

"Long live the king!" they chanted.

Kyung-sik, witnessing their overzealous praise, felt as if he had accidentally manufactured not just gunpowder but some sort of euphoria-inducing substance. And what was that about mass-producing straw sandals?

"It seems you haven't fully grasped the principles of management I've been teaching. I emphasized the importance of ensuring a steady supply of materials," Kyung-sik pointed out.

The Ministry of War officials realized they had been so caught up in the excitement and managing the quality of the weapons that they had neglected the crucial aspect of raw material supply.

Relying on the Public Works Office (공조) to manage the iron supply had been a grave oversight. This "they’ll figure it out" mentality was undermining Joseon's industrial efforts.

When the officials finally checked with the Public Works Office, they were shocked by the response.

"We initially purchased 60,000 geun of iron, then another 40,000 geun over two months. But now, we have only 50,000 geun left."

It was astounding. How could they burn through 50,000 geun of iron in just two months?

"The Public Works Office has been negligent in acquiring iron! Don't they realize the urgency of the king's reforms?" the War Ministry officials lamented.

"It's all been used by the Armory Department! Every ship coming into the Han River with iron has been bought up, and the price of iron in Hanseong has doubled!" the Public Works officials retorted.

Historical records estimate Joseon’s annual iron production in the early period at around 200 tons. In just two to three months, the Armory Department had consumed about 15% of this annual production, roughly 30 tons. If this pace continued, they would use 90% of Joseon’s annual iron production within a year.

The officials counted the weapons and armor they had produced so far. Combining swords, spears, arrows, and armor, the total amount of iron used was equivalent to about 45 geun per fully equipped soldier.

They had produced enough for just over 1,000 soldiers, consuming 50,000 geun in the process. Their dream of equipping 100,000 ironclad soldiers was shattered before it even began.

Facing the Iron Shortage

Desperate, the Armory Department officials sought an audience with the king, pleading, "Your Majesty, we have a dire situation!"

Even calculating the slowest production rate of 80 suits of armor per day, their current iron supply would be exhausted in just two weeks.

Kyung-sik had allowed direct petitions from his departments to handle critical issues swiftly, but this situation felt like the officials were treating him as a magic solution to all problems.

In fact, he had anticipated issues with iron supply as soon as their daily production exceeded 20 suits of armor. But he continued pushing forward to demonstrate the power of efficient management and division of labor to the officials.

A shortage of iron was not merely an obstacle to producing weapons. The rising iron prices in Hanseong were a problem, but more importantly, there was a risk that soldiers would sell the iron components of their equipment to profiteers if they were distributed now.

The behavior of the soldiers was predictable. If the value of iron spiked, they would likely strip their gear and sell the iron pieces.

To address this, Kyung-sik had already planned to restructure the nationwide supply chain and enhance iron production capabilities. This was why he had brought the Public Works Office to Mapo in the first place.

Planning a New Industrial Network

When Kyung-sik relocated the Public Works Office and Ministry of War to Mapo, he intended to establish a comprehensive industrial and logistical network across Joseon. This plan included developing new iron production technologies, registering and organizing ironworks throughout the country, and expanding the fleet to increase transportation capacity.

How would they develop these new iron production technologies?

Kyung-sik had the knowledge. His university thesis, though a nightmare to write, included insights on historical technologies that paralleled early Industrial Revolution techniques.

One of these was the 18th-century British reverberatory furnace technology, remarkably similar to ancient Chinese methods.

"How much iron can the new furnace handle in a single operation?" Kyung-sik asked.

"As per Your Majesty’s instructions, it can hold up to 1,000 geun at a time," the officials replied.

Kyung-sik had ordered the construction of brick furnaces, including reverberatory furnaces, to increase iron production capacity.

Henry Cort's 1784 reverberatory furnace for wrought iron production was strikingly similar to the ancient Chinese Chaogang method, which involved exposing molten iron to air to decarburize it, producing steel-like iron.

In ancient Korea, during the Hanseong Baekje period, similar techniques were employed. However, such advanced methods had seemingly disappeared in Joseon.

Currently, Joseon's technology was akin to medieval Europe’s bloomeries, producing bloom iron—a technique long surpassed in the West.

For the new furnaces, Kyung-sik utilized the refugee laborers for tasks like brick-making, tile-making, and charcoal burning.

These non-specialized tasks were suitable for the refugees, who would eventually transition to weaving next year once proper infrastructure was in place.

Ironworks began melting scrap and crude iron in the reverberatory furnaces. While this initial phase was manually intensive, using bellows operated by the refugees, it proved successful.

The ironworkers, accustomed to small-scale operations, marveled at the efficiency of the large-scale furnace. Kyung-sik, surprised by the smooth operation, witnessed the potential of industrializing Joseon's iron production.

The workers' familiarity with similar ancient techniques reassured them, though they grumbled about the laborious process.

The ancient methods were not far removed from these new techniques. With the proper tools and understanding, they adapted quickly.

Organizing the Ironworkers

As part of Kyung-sik's reforms, he aimed to register and organize the ironworks into formal guilds, centralizing production and distribution to prevent resource shortages.

Lee Deok-sung, a former censor with experience in public works, was tasked with overseeing these operations in Chungcheong Province, particularly in the Malheulgeum Ironworks in Chungju. This area was crucial for supplying iron to Hanseong, connected by the Namhan River.

Accompanied by Park Hee-sun, a royal inspector, Kim Nap, a local ironworker, and several refugee laborers, Lee Deok-sung arrived at the Malheulgeum Ironworks.

"Public duties are now abolished. What does this mean for us?" the ironworkers asked, confused and wary.

They were familiar with the state's complex public duty system, which had intertwined their livelihoods with the centralized demand for iron.

Explaining the new system, Kim Nap assured them that their iron would still find a market in Hanseong.

The ironworkers, initially skeptical, dispersed without much concern, seeing little immediate impact on their operations.

However, Park Hee-sun, unfamiliar with the ironworkers' autonomy, was shocked by their indifferent reaction to government officials.

"These ironworkers are unruly and rebellious, showing no respect for government authority!" Park exclaimed.

Historically, the ironworkers had always maintained a degree of independence. They were vital for the kingdom’s iron supply and were not easily coerced or exploited by local officials.

The historical context made it clear why the ironworkers were so nonchalant. They had long operated outside the usual governmental control due to their crucial role in iron production and the tools they wielded.

"How can we compel them to follow our directives if they don't even need the government’s money?" Park wondered aloud, realizing the depth of their self-sufficiency.

As Kyung-sik had often reminded his officials, to gain the cooperation of the people, the state must first offer them tangible benefits.

'When the state exploits the people, they will hide their resources. But if the state benefits them, they will willingly contribute. This is the principle behind the Gobeon Plan,' Kyung-sik had explained.

While Park struggled with the concept, he understood that the king's approach was fundamentally different. The state's role was not to extract but to foster prosperity through cooperation and mutual benefit.

Realizing the challenge ahead, Park turned to Lee Deok-sung for advice. Together, they needed to find a way to integrate the ironworkers into the kingdom’s new economic framework, making them see the value of participating in the broader market economy.

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Annotations:

1. Reverberatory Furnace: An 18th-century innovation allowing for the efficient production of iron, similar to ancient Chinese methods used in the Hanseong Baekje period.
2. Bloom Iron: An early method of iron production involving small-scale furnaces, used in medieval Europe and continued in Joseon.
3. Chaogang Method: A historical Chinese technique for steel production involving the decarburization of molten iron.

Reference Literature:

• Nam-Kyu Lee. (2019). A reexamination of ancient Korean iron-making processes. Korean Archaeological Society, (111), 116-151.
• Young-Min Choi. (2015). Considerations on ancient iron refining techniques in central Korea. Journal of Central Archaeology, (18), 39-66.
• Dae-Yeon Cho. (2017). Review of ancient iron smelting processes and experimental reconstruction - focusing on European cases. Soongsil Historical Studies, 38, 47-76.

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