통신은 거의 모든 분야에 걸쳐져 있는 가장 기본이 되는 동시에 핵심이 되는 기술입니다. 본지는 이번 기획 시리즈를 통해 통신의 역사부터 소소한 사건, 기술, 트렌드까지 통신과 관련된 이모저모를 다뤄보겠습니다.
▲Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, Bongdon Jeong-side view (Source: The Academy of Korean Studies)
Ancient Communications Started with Fire, Continued for Thousands of Years
From beacon systems, post stations, and radio stations to the invention of Morse code and the telephone
[Editor's Note] The history of communication is the history of human's ceaseless efforts to connect. Since prehistoric times, the function of communication has served as a means of communication and promise for humans, who are social animals. In Korea, telecommunications was first introduced in 1888 during the Joseon Dynasty, and the information age began in the 1980s after liberation with the rapid development of communication businesses and technology. Now, as we enter the 5G and 6G eras, we are looking at satellite communication and quantum communication, which are considered the next-generation communication. With the development of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robots, cloud, and UAM, communication is becoming increasingly important and is expected to continue to develop endlessly. Communication is the most basic and core technology that spans almost all fields. Through this series, our magazine will cover various aspects related to communication, from the history of communication to minor events, technologies, and trends.
■ Ancient communication using audiovisual means JRR In Peter Jackson's film 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King', based on Tolkien's original story, the White Wizard Gandalf orders the hobbit Pippin to light the beacon of Minas Tirith. The beacon, which was lit in an instant, filled with smoke, and this light and smoke connected the regions and reached the final destination, Rohan. Through the beacon, Gandalf was able to receive a response from Rohan and receive military support for the war.
Here, we can see that Gandalf and Rohan succeeded in communicating. 'Communication' means conveying some information to the other party. In order for communication to be established, there must be someone other than me. Communication represents the nature of humans who dream of solitude but still want to be connected to someone. Communication also implies sending and receiving signals with someone who is physically far away.

▲Korean printing technology - movable type (Source: Academy of Korean Studies)
There are various means of communication, and even before the smartphone, the most essential means of communication today, existed, there were many means of communication. Human language and writing are means of communication that transcend the limitations of space and time. It became possible to record events through writing, and more detailed information could be written in letters to convey a large amount of information. In Korea, the metal type developed during the Goryeo Dynasty also contributed to social and cultural development.
Even after the invention of writing, humans used audiovisual means such as light, sound, and smoke to convey messages to distant parties. For example, the Emile bell and drum of the Silla Dynasty are means of communication using sound. Beacon fires and signal fires were used as important means of communication until the end of the 19th century. Information was transmitted using smoke during the day and fireworks at night.
In ancient Egypt, a method of sending letters by attaching a note to the leg of a pigeon and flying it was used as a means of communication. The cabal was used as a means of sending official documents from the Silla Dynasty through the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties. In historical dramas, you can often see a subject running with a letter to deliver it to a military stationed in the province. The cabal, which was used to quickly send military information in urgent situations, lasted until the introduction of telecommunications and the modern postal system.
The postal system of the Joseon Dynasty was an old postal system that delivered public and private mail. It was a method of establishing a postal system at stations located throughout the country and having messengers on horseback deliver letters from one station to the next. The word 'hancham', derived from the postal system, refers to stations installed at intervals of 5 to 10 ri, or approximately 40 km.
■ The communications revolution that began in the 1800s 
▲Korean Morse code
The telecommunications revolution began in the 1800s with the introduction of telecommunications. In 1844, Morse invented the famous Morse Code. Some say that Morse Code is relatively easy to learn, so much so that Dasong, who appeared in the movie 'Parasite', learned it in the Boy Scouts. Morse Code is a communication device that uses dots and dashes to create its own alphabet symbols. The electric telegraph is considered to have played a major role in the establishment of modern communication systems.
The invention of the telephone by Graham Bell in 1876 is considered one of the innovations of the century. The year after Bell invented the telephone, it became widespread and some people began using it. Meanwhile, there is controversy over who the first inventor of the telephone is. In addition to Bell, Philip Rice, Elisha Gray, and Antonio Meucci are mentioned. It is argued that it was not a solo creation like Edison's invention of the light bulb, but that Bell was the first person to patent the telephone and that other people's research and efforts were conducted at the same time. Nevertheless, Bell's contribution is acknowledged as he quickly applied for a patent by improving the perfection through numerous studies and experiments.
It is estimated that the first telecommunications were introduced in Korea in September 1885. Telegraph facilities were established between Incheon and Seoul (Hansung) with capital from the Qing Dynasty and technology from Denmark. The telephone was actually introduced in 1899 when Sechang Trading Company opened a telephone line between Incheon and Gangwon-do on a private level. The telephone business began around March 1902 with the establishment of a telephone office and the opening of the local telephone exchange service at the Hansung Telephone Office around June of the same year.
The first telephone used in Korea was a telephone exchange installed in the palace in the 1890s, or some experts suggest a wall-mounted telephone from Ericsson. There is a record of orders being given by telephone when Korea opened a telephone service exclusively for children in the palace in 1898. It is also said that Ericsson's magnetic telephone (model 301) was very popular due to its aesthetically pleasing design.
With the introduction of the telephone, telegraph facilities were built and the telephone business became active, and in 1903, the government of the Korean Empire abolished the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce's Telecommunications Bureau and established an independent telecommunications agency. However, when the introduction of telephone-related devices and technology began, our country lost its right to communicate by the Japanese in April 1905, and lost the opportunity to develop the communications industry.
The next part will cover the history of communications before and after liberation, during the dark ages of communications before full-scale wireless communications began.