All the battlefields described here that lie within South Korea are easily accessible and worth visiting. In most cases there is a shrine and a museum commemorating the event. These have nearly all been built within the past 30 years because few original monuments survived the Japanese occupation of the 20th century or the devastation of the Korea War.
Travel within South Korea is easy and comfortable. A high-speed train runs between Seoul and Pusan. There are many motorways, and car hire is straightforward, but South Korea is one of the few countries that still requires an International Driving Permit in addition to the normal driving licence. I found long-distance buses to be convenient and very reasonably priced.
In Seoul two of the city gates have been restored, as have several of the ancient palaces, and the National War Memorial Museum is a good place to begin a study of the samurai invasion. North of Seoul the site of the battlefield of Pyŏkjeyek lies almost underneath a motorway, but memorials and a museum mark the site of the siege of Haengju, as befits a Korean victory. The topography of the hill is largely unchanged and there is a stunning view of the Han River.
In what is now an outer suburb of Pusan a fine shrine and memorials commemorate the defenders of Tongnae. Similar shrine complexes are to be found at Kŭmsan and Namwŏn, where the progress of the battles may be traced. The city of Chinju, with its fortress overlooking the river, is a very fine example. The sites and battles associated with the Japanese wajō castles are to be found in my book Japanese Castles in Korea 1592–98 in the Osprey Fortress series.
Korean victories on land are therefore well memorialized, but even they do not compare with the degree of reverence and preservation that has gone into remembering the naval victories of Admiral Yi Sunsin. His statue seems to be everywhere, and every battlefield associated with him contains memorials and museums. All are located around the island-studded south coast, much of which is a National Park. The site of Yi’s greatest victory at Hansando is suitably adorned. The island is reached by a ferry from the mainland, which takes one through the sea area where the battle of Hansando actually happened. On the island itself Yi’s headquarters have been restored.
I have never visited North Korea, so have no information about the accessibility of sites associated with the Japanese invasion. However, I note from guidebooks and tourist information that visitors to P’yŏngyang are allowed to walk quite freely around the city. As the site of the siege now includes a park I assume it would not be difficult to trace its progress, but visitors must of course show great sensitivity, particularly in regard to anything that may be regarded as a military installation, so it is essential to check with the tour operator.