Choryang Waegwan built

The Japan House at Dumopo in Dongnae was moved to Choryang and greatly enlarged. Late Joseon trade with Japan was conducted there.

From the mid-17th century trade with Qing and Japan grew. With Qing, official markets (gaesi) were held at Junggang on the Yalu and at Hoeryeong and Gyeongwon in Hamgyeong, while private trade (husi) flourished at Chaengmun and other points on the envoys’ route. With Japan, after the Giyu Treaty (1609), official and private trade took place at the Japan House (waegwan) in Busan. In 1678 the waegwan was moved from Dumopo to Choryang and rebuilt on a site of some 330,000 square metres.

The Mansang merchants of Uiju traded with Qing, the Naesang of Dongnae with Japan, and the Songsang of Gaeseong profited greatly by brokering between the two. From Qing Joseon imported silk, medicinal herbs and writing materials and exported silver, paper, cotton cloth and ginseng; from Japan it imported silver, copper, sulphur and pepper and exported ginseng, rice, cotton cloth and goods brought in from Qing.