ABSTRACT
Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s desire to invade the Korean peninsula proved to be an unprecedented test to the peaceful relationship between Chos ŏ n Korea and Ming China. Soon after the Korean envoys to Japan returned in the fi rst month of 1591 and submitted confl icting reports on Hideyoshi’s military plot to King S ŏ njo, the Chos ŏ n court had to wrestle with the issue of whether or not to report the new intelligence on Japan to the Ming emperor. This issue became a diplomatic headache for two reasons.
