Background of Mongol Takeover of Korea
-During the 13th century, the Mongolians were intensively expanding their territories throughout the world and Korea initially was their ally that eventually aided the Mongol’s complete takeover of China in 1219, defeating the Kitans at Pyongyang.
-Despite their allegiance, the Mongols demanded Koryo to pay them burdensome tributes and required Koryo to host the Mongol army as they prepared to invade Japan a price of being allies, clearly knowing their dominance over Koryo.
-Although the Mongol-Koryo relationship grew stronger as they worked together to achieve victories as allies, it became very unstable and was finally disrupted in 1225 when a Mongol envoy was killed in Koryo.
-This became all the anticipated reason for the Mongols to invade the Koryo.
-As a result, the Mongols initiated their first six invasions of Koryo beginning in 1231.
-Fearing their extinction, the Koryo government hesitantly agreed to pay the tributes and to allow Mongol envoys to stay in Koryo to collect the payments once again just a year after their invasions.
-However, later that year, the Choe rulers moved the entire Koryo government to Kanghwa Island, off the southern coast of Koryo, and once again killed all the Mongol envoys.
-The entire government was moved to Kanghwa Island, where it could continue to function without having to worry about Mongol’s quickly taking over the vulnerable capital.
-New temples, palaces, and government buildings were built, and the Koryo government under the leadership of the Choe resisted the Mongols for almost 40 consecutive years.
-However, the government could not protect the countryside from its position on the island, and many areas of Koryo were destroyed by the Mongols in a new series of invasions beginning in 1233.

-The Koryo-Mongol relationship never settled despite their effort when finally arrived at a truce in 1241.
-However, Koryo still refused to pay tribute to the Mongols. The truce ended with another Mongol invasion in 1247.
-Fighting continued for the next several years, including a particularly devastating attack in 1254.
-The Mongol strategy was to wear down the people in the countryside to erode support for the central Koryo government.
-This strategy proved effective in 1258 when the Choe leaders were overthrown. Nevertheless, the new leader, Kim Chun, continued to resist the Mongols.
-Finally, the Mongols completely conquered Koryo in 1273 and ruled it in a form of Yuan Dynasty for almost a hundred years.
-During this period of Mongol rule, Koryo came into contact with Chinese culture which had a major impact on Korean culture.
-The weakening of the Yuan Dynasty in the mid-14th century emboldened Koryo, and the Koryo king Kongmin overthrew Mongol supporters in the Koryo government and reestablished Koryo's independence, ending the period of Mongol domination.
-The Yuan were overthrown by the Ming in China, who established the Ming Dynasty in 1368.
-After adopting pro-Ming policies, Koryo was recognized by the Ming court, and became a tributary state of Ming in 1369.

Mongol Influence in Korean Politics
-Through their allegiance, the relationship between Korea and the Mongols grew stronger, which increased Mongols' influence in Korea.
-Evidently, the Koreans adopted Mongol forms of government and culture through their interactions with the Yuan Dynasty.
-When the Mongols took control of the Chinese empire, they established the Yuan Dynasty and incorporated Koryo into the empire.
-Koryo kings and princes lived at the Yuan capital in Beijing and married Yuan princesses, thereby becoming sons-in-law of the Yuan emperors.
-Consequently, The Koryo monarchy was seriously weakened, as the Yuan emperors could appoint a new Koryo king whenever they wanted.
- In addition, the Yuan emperors appointed members of the Koryo royal family as kings of Shenyang, a region in southern Manchuria that was also part of the Yuan