Introduction
Korean armour were generally scale armours consisting of: vest, pauldrons, skirting; with groin and/or underarm protections. Kings and nobles would also wear shoulder protections. Mesh armours developed late in Korean warfare as piercing weapons for up close fighting were rarer than slashing and striking edged weapons. Shields protected against arrows for infantry.
Korean armour tended to be of one piece, somewhat similar in appearance to costume of that time. In the fog of battle it was essential that Korean armour be distinguished quickly from the multi-piece Chinese armour and the leather and metal-studded Mongolian armour. Korean armour was designed to allow fast kicks, ground fighting, and upward strikes while Chinese armour was designed for downward strikes, and more positionary warfare (This is merely a generalization since both cultures have had extensive evolution in warfare through the ages).
To some extent Chinese military tactics were designed for attacks and attacking from height downwards onto the enemy; and Korean for attacks from below with the Koreans commanding heights on mountains, strategic chokehold passes, and mountain fortresses or seong, with attackers and arrows moving upwards. This was naturally dictated by the Chinese plains past the Yalu river, and the Korean mountain ridges and passes inland which were the historic battlegrounds. The armour responded to both these needs.
Read more about this topic: Korean Armour
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