Singijeon

Singijeon
Korean name
Hangul	신기전
Hanja
Revised Romanization	Singijeon
McCune–Reischauer	Shin'kichŏn

Singijeon or shinkichon (magical machine arrows) was a type of Korean (Joseon) fire arrow rocket, used during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897). Multiple singijeon could be launched by hwacha (multiple rocket launcher).

During the late 14th century, in order to gain ascendancy at sea against Japanese pirates (wokou, also known as waegu in Korean), fire arrows called hwajeon or hwajon were used, which were the predecessor of the singijeon. The Koreans had tried to acquire rockets and gunpowder and their production methods from China. The Chinese, however, regarded the technology of gunpowder as a state secret and restricted access to it and trade in its nitrous raw materials (which could only be found in China). The Koreans therefore sought to acquire the manufacturing secrets of gunpowder for themselves and, in 1374 (~1376), Choe Mu-seon was able to bribe a Han Chinese merchant to obtain the secret formula for manufacturing gunpowder, as well as technical knowledge about Chinese firearm and cannon technology. He also successfully extracted potassium nitrate from the soil and rocks from Japanese trade routes, and developed Korea's first gunpowder.

The singijeon saw most of its early use in the northern borders of Joseon, in the campaign to expand its northern borders by driving out the "Orangkae" ("Barbarians", especially referring the Jurchen people). Later, its uses expanded to coastal defence against Japanese pirates and was much used throughout the conflicts during the Joseon Dynasty. During the Imjin War, General Gwon Yul attributed his successful defense of the Haengju mountain fortress against numerically superior Japanese forces to the singijeon.

...
Wikipedia