Korean Movable Type Printing

Timeline

1. c. 1234–1377Gaeseong · GoryeoGoryeo created metal type during Choe Ui's regency; the 1377 surviving leaves of the Seopoejangjeol (Jikji) are among the world's earliest surviving metal type prints, establishing the Korean movable type tradition.
2. 1401–1410Hanseong · Joseon dynastyThe Joseon dynasty established institutions such as the Jiphyeonjeon to print histories and legal codes; Taejong's court made extensive use of metal and wooden type to print official documents such as the Taejo Sillok, bringing movable type into institutionalized state application.
3. 1434–1450Hanseong · Joseon dynastySejong's court expanded the type inventory and improved casting techniques, providing the technical foundation for the later printing of Hunminjeongeum and large-scale official book production, as Korean movable type printing entered a mature stage.