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Koguryo also had versatile diplomatic relations with nomadic tribes in the faraway northwestern area and even with Japanese islands across the sea, through which it materialized its policy demand and had close economic and cultural intercourse with them.
According to historical records, 35 countries rose or fell in the west and the northwest of Koguryo during its existence. It established diplomatic ties with 24 countries, nearly 70 percent of those countries, and had brisk diplomatic and trade relations with them.
A nomadic tribe in a north-western area far away from Koguryo disguised huge armed forces as merchants going for commercial intercourse with Koguryo for the purpose of conquering its neighboring tribe. Beguiled by this trick, the neighboring tribe slackened defence posture and met with disaster. This story shows part of the wide-range external trade of Koguryo.
All the neighboring countries were willing to maintain good terms with Koguryo which was strong in national strength and independence.
They wanted to establish friendly state relations with Koguryo and sent their envoys to ask for assistance in contingency.
They gave most-favored nation treatment to Koguryo envoys and built shrines to hold a memorial service for the founder of Koguryo. Rulers of neighboring countries in mourning clothes participated in memorial services when kings of Koguryo demised.
As the dignity of Koguryo was so high, its envoys went to Samarkand in central Asia, a transit town of the "silk road" through a long and rigorous journey.
The route that the envoys of Koguryo took was not the existing stabilized "silk road" but a "silk road" paved anew by them in an independent way.
Such historical facts bespeak that Koguryo held a full-fledged position as a powerful nation and had a great international influence in diplomatic relations.
