Seo Hui’s 993 Negotiation: Gains and Conditions
Did Seo Hui secure six fully controlled strongholds through negotiation alone in 993? Seo Hui secured the Khitan withdrawal and opened the way for expansion east of the Yalu River. Control followed through fighting Jurchen forces and building fortresses. How resistance made negotiation possible Goryeo, the Korean kingdom, faced demands to surrender territory during the Khitan invasion. Its successful defense at Anyongjin set the stage for talks. Seo Hui argued that Goryeo inherited Goguryeo’s legacy and that Jurchen forces blocked routes for exchanges with the Khitan. Opening routes could serve Khitan diplomatic interests while supporting Goryeo’s northern expansion. Goryeo also accepted diplomatic conditions, including tributary visits through envoys and use of the Khitan era name, a system for naming years. Read Seo Hui’s arguments alongside the records In the original article on Injoys, you can compare the opposing demands in a table and follow fortress constru...