Role of handguns in Korean warfare in the XVII century

Korean warfare of XVII century is almost not studied within the military history of Korea. But the major changes caused the radical transformation of Korean traditional weapon and tactic took place in that period. The fulcrum of those changes was the adaptation of Japanese matchlock for Korean infantry. Basing upon the complex analysis of artifacts, documental and iconographic sources authors make the conclusion that the adaptation of the new armament led to the new tactic when the gunners became the core of battle array backed with archers, pikiners and armored cavalry. That tactic proved to be useful in clashes with Manchu and Russian troops and existed in Korea till the second half of XIX century in almost intact condition.