Timeline of the Japanese invasions of Korea ( 1592 – 98 ) Prewar . 1418 Japanese pirate attack during King Sejong the Great ' s rule . Results in Oei Invasion of Tsushima . 1443 Joseon Dynasty and Japan signed a Treaty of Gyehae . 1510 Japanese riot in Three ports ( Busan , Ulsan and Jinhae ) . 1512 Joseon Dynasty and Japan signed a Treaty of Imsin . 1543 Japan trades with Portuguese ships . Japan acquires and begins the manufacture of arquebuses . 1547 Treaty of Jeongmi : Korea and Japan reopened diplomatic relations . 1567 King Seonjo becomes the monarch of Joseon . 1578 Yi I , a scholar , strongly suggests that Korea should train an army of 100 , 000 , but his suggestion is rejected . 1582 Toyotomi Hideyoshi comes to power in Japan . 1586 First reference of Toyotomi Hideyoshi ' s plan to attack Korea and China . 1586 Yi Sun - sin soldiers repel a Jurchen attack . 1588 Yu repeatedly urges for castle reconstruction and soldier training but rejected . 1590 Conspiracies against Yi Sun - sin keep him from being appointed as district magistrate Jeongeup . 1590 Japanese ambassadors send an arquebuse to King Seonjo as a gift . 1591 Admiral Yi finally becomes Commander of Western Jeolla Fleet and begins his naval career . 1591 Admiral Yi begins to construct the innovative Turtle ship s and strengthens the navy . 1591 King Seonjo sends mission to Japan , who confirm that Japan is not going to attack Korea . 1592 . April 13 – 14 , 1592 158 , 000 Japanese forces land in Korea and capture Busan and Dadaejin in a shock attack . Japanese First and Second Divisions under Konishi Yukinaga and Katō Kiyomasa begin to march north . April 24 , 1592 Battle of Sangju , Japanese victory . April 1592 Korean forces fail to repel Japanese at Choryang Pass . This consequently leads to the capture of Seoul . April 28 , 1592 Battle of Chungju : Japanese victory . April 30 , 1592 Japanese capture a deserted Seoul . May 1592 Battle at Uiryong . May 7 , 1592 King Seonjo and his court flee to Pyongyang . May 7 , 1592 Admiral Yi attacks the Japanese navy and wins the Battle of Okpo . May 29 , 1592 Admiral Yi attacks and wins the Battle of Sacheon ( 1592 ) . Turtle Ship s make their first appearance . June 2 , 1592 Battle of Dangpo . Korean naval victory . June 4 , 1592 Battle of Danghangpo . Korean naval victory . August 1592 Armies including Korean commoners and Buddhist monks form under leaders Yeong - gyu and Jo Heon . August 14 , 1592 Battle of Hansan Island . Large Korean naval victory by Admiral Yi . Japanese forces fail to capture Yeosu and retreat back to Busan . October 5 , 1592 Siege of Jinju ( 1592 ) . Korean victory and the failure for Japanese forces to enter Jeolla Province . December 1592 Chinese forces begin to move into Korea . 1593 . January 1593 Japanese Second Division under Katō reach the northern border of Korea and win a string of victories along Korea ' s eastern coast in the north . ( Hamgyong campaign ) January 1593 43 , 000 Chinese and Korean force attacked Pyongyang and forced the First , Third , Fourth , and other division to retreat after a one - day battle . January 27 , 1593 Battle of Byeokjegwan , Japanese divisions successfully stop Chinese pursuits . February 12 , 1593 Korean forces under Kwon Yul defend and win a large battle against Japanese forces at the Battle of Haengju . Japanese forces retreat again . April 19 , 1593 Korea recapturing the Hanseong , capital of Korea . April 1593 Japanese retreat to Busan . July 1593 Admiral Yi moved naval camp to Hansan Island . August 1593 Admiral Yi was appointed command of the entire Korean navy . ( Samdosugun Tongjesa , English Translation : Lord Admiral of Three Provincial Navies , Hangul : 삼도수군통제사 , Hanja : 三道水軍統制使 ) by the Joseon government . August 1593 King Seonjo ordered establishment of the " Hunnyeon Dogam " ( Training capital garrisons ) . 1594 . March 4 , 1594 Admiral Yi attacks the Japanese navy and wins the Second Danghangpo Battle . 1596 . June 1596 Yi Mong - hak rebellion . 1597 . January 15 , 1597 Japanese Second invasion begins . February 1597 Admiral Yi dismissed as commander of the Joseon Navy . July 16 , 1597 Battle of Chilcheollyang . Japanese naval victory . August 13 – 16 , 1597 Siege of Namwon . Japanese victory . August 1597 King Seonjo reassigns Admiral Yi as the commander of the Joseon Navy . September 7 , 1597 Joseon and Ming allied forces achieve victory in Jiksan . October 26 , 1597 Battle of Myeongnyang . Korean naval victory . October 1597 Japanese , retreat on Southern Gyeongsang province . 1598 . February 1598 Admiral Yi moves naval camp in Gogeum Island . July 1598 Admiral Yi and Chinese naval commander Chen Lin organizes the union fleet . September 18 , 1598 Hideyoshi ' s death . Hideyoshi orders the withdrawal of forces from Korea on his deathbed . December 16 , 1598 Battle of Noryang Point . Final naval battle and the death of Admiral Yi . 1604 . 1604 Buddhist monk Yu Jeong travels to Japan on King Seonjo ' s orders to negotiate a peace accord with Tokugawa Ieyasu . 1609 . 1609 Joseon Dynasty and Tokugawa shogunate signed a Treaty of Giyu .