Yeongseonsa Mission to Tianjin

Kim Yun-sik led students and artisans to learn arms-making at the Tianjin arsenal; on their return Korea built its first modern arsenal, the Gigichang, in Seoul in 1883.

In the 9th lunar month of 1881 Kim Yun-sik took 38 students and artisans to China to learn to make gunpowder and ammunition and to run machinery at the Tianjin arsenal. Kim also used the trip to discuss relations with the United States with Li Hongzhang, paving the way for the Korea–US treaty of 1882.

Lack of funds and the Imo Incident brought the students home within a year, but with what they learned Korea built its first modern arsenal, the Gigichang, in 1883.