history of kuk sool won:
1:6 The Yi or Chosen Dynasty: 1392 - 1910

The YI dynasty saw a number of developments in the martial arts, which included a more widespread practice of the arts in response to Chinese and Japanese aggression, and a more rigorous documentation of the traditional Korean martial arts.

General YI moved the capital from SON DO to HAN YANG (now SEOUL, present capital of South Korea), and in 1392 was crowned King YI TAE JO II – 1st YI dynasty king. Soon after King YI TAE JO II came to power, many leading scholars and government officials refused to recognise him as king, preferring to stay loyal to the deposed King SHIN YU (last KORYO dynasty king), and they retired to a place called TU MAN DONG. King YI TAE JO II, asked them to return to the new capital to assist in rebuilding the nation after years of corruption in government and misrule, however, they refused to listen to the king’s pleas. Finally, in a last, forceful effort, the king sent officials and troops to TU MAN DONG with orders to set fire to the dissidents' houses. With nowhere to live, the king would then offer them new homes in the new capital.  Once there, he would then gradually be able to entice them back into government and other important duties. This plan was to go terribly wrong as all the scholars and officials stayed in their homes and perished with their families. This grave misjudgement by King YI TAE JO II was to deprive Korea of some of the finest scholars of the day, and the tragedy made acceptance of the new dynasty all the more difficult to achieve.

Buddhism, which had greatly contributed to the downfall of the KORYO dynasty due to its interference in political matters, was replaced with Confucianism as the main ideology of the nation, both officially and privately. This further suppressed the martial ways and encouraged scholarly pursuits. It was during this time that the first national university was established. Once again, the martial arts had to go back to the secret confines of the monasteries and temples to be practised and developed surreptitiously as they had been for centuries previously.

A new era emerged under King YI SE JONG (1418-1450), 4th YI dynasty king. Developments in science, technology, literature, music and philosophy were impressive, although the greatest achievement of this enlightened monarch was the invention of HAN GUL, the Korean phonetic alphabet.  This alphabet is considered to be one of the most scientifically efficient ever conceived. The author H. G. WELLS once said:

“ The Japanese writing system remains a clumsy system, though not so clumsy
as Chinese. Korea long ago went a step further and developed a true alphabet.”

In the year 1592, during the reign of King YI SON JO (1567 - 1608), 14th YI dynasty king, Korea was invaded by Japan under the Emperor TOYOTOMI HYDEOSHI. In battle after battle, the unprepared Korean armies were defeated as the Japanese invaders mounted merciless attacks. The capital SEOUL fell within two weeks, causing the king to flee north. Within three months, the Japanese occupied most of Korea. Many homes, temples and palaces were either looted, burnt or destroyed, as the Japanese continued with their ultimate goal of the invasion of China.