Military
Main article: Military history of GoguryeoThe unified military of Goguryeo was actually a conglomerate of combined local garrisons and private militia. Military positions were hereditary, and there is no evidence of uniform structure or chain of command. A centralized military command structure was not instituted until the Goryeo Dynasty. Most likely in times of war manpower was hastily conscripted from local populace, and a standing army of Goguryeo of about 50,000 remained extant at any time.
A Tang treatise of 668 records a total of 675,000 displaced personnel and 176 military garrisons after the surrender of King Bojang.
Every man in Goguryeo was required to serve in the military, or could avoid conscription by paying extra grain tax.
Archeological finds over Guonei and in the tombs of neighboring kingdoms found spiked iron bronze sandals about 11 cm long. They were probably used for military applications. Similar copies were also found in Japanese imperial tombs of the Kofun era.
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