| Myeonje baegab | |
| Hangul | 면제배갑 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Myeonje Baegap |
| McCune–Reischauer | Myŏnje Paegap |
Myeonje baegap(면제배갑, 綿製背甲) was a soft bulletproof vest invented during theJoseon in 1867.[1][2]
It was invented following the 1866 militaryFrench expedition to Korea and used in battle during theUnited States expedition to Korea in 1871. It was made of between 13 and 30 folds of cotton fabric and covered the upper torso.
During the French Campaign against Korea, the Joseon military, at the time usingmatchlocks, experienced the superiority of Western rifles. As a result, regentHeungseon Daewongun ordered the development of bulletproof armor.
The vests were distributed to soldiers after its creation, and were used in battles fought onGanghwa Island againstUnited States Navy andMarine forces during the 1871 United States expedition to Korea.
The US army captured one of the vests and took it to the US. The vest was stored in theSmithsonian until 2007. The vest has since been sent back to Korea and is currently on display to the public in theNational Palace Museum of Korea.[3]