self-named

Koryo dynasty, establishing its capital in Sondong.
The years between 918 and 1391 A.D. saw many changes in the
fabric of Korean society. Although undue taxation was eliminated
and a high level of education maintained, the Koryo population
suffered many hardships at the hands of the marauding
Japanese and Mongol forces, pushing the nation’s spirit and
defenses to the limit. During this period, gunpowder and other
forms of advanced weaponry made an appearance on the field of
battle resulting in what was to become a gradual decline in the
practical application of the martial arts. Still, the Koryo kings
used the native disciplines of subahk and taekkyon as forms of
entertainment during state rituals and sporting events. However,
the repeated attacks by Japanese pirates and roving bands of
Mongols finally took their toll during the latter part of the fourteenth
century, destabilizing the government to the point of
dissolution.