Maritime Exchange and the Development of Port cities along the Southern Coast of the Korean Peninsula, 4th~6th Centuries CE

A significant reexamination of the 'Rebellion of the Eight Port Polities' reveals it was not an internal Gaya conflict but a large-scale, multi-polity struggle spanning the southern Korean Peninsula's coast. This finding challenges prior assumptions and draws parallels with Southeast Asian maritime interactions, emphasizing the need for comparative historical and archaeological approaches. The study identifies Sogaya as a central player in diplomatic and military engagements along this coast during the 4th–6th centuries CE, with its influence radiating outward through concentric spheres of political, cultural, and material exchange. Evidence from Japan—including Korean-origin artifacts and Sueki ware—alongside Japanese-style tombs on the peninsula, underscores extensive maritime networks linking southern Korea to Kyushu and Kinai regions during this period.

Kwon, O.-Y., Choi, Y.-E., & Park, S.-Y. (2026). Maritime Exchange and the Development of Port cities along the Southern Coast of the Korean Peninsula, 4th~6th Centuries CE. Central Institute of Cultural Heritage, 50, 61–83. https://doi.org/10.20292/jcich.2026.50.61