[Kang Seung Jae]

Originally Posted by tkdtiger

Well the largest design difference in the ancient korean swords is that it doesn't have a blood-groove, which the Japanese swords do contain. Even the replicas of ancient Korean swords can cost a pretty penny as they don't make too many of them since the japanese swords tend to be more popular. Also the folding techniques used never became as refined as it did in Japan. This is for many reasons.

Slight problems with what you wrote: Umgeoms were made during the Joseon Dynasty, so it isn't that old. Also, Korean sowrds DID have blood-grooves, although they tended to be from the Goryeo era, when the Korean art of swordcraft was at its height.

And finally: The folding technique WAS on par or even surpassed the Japanese, until most of the sword-makers were killed during the Japanese Invasion of Korea that started in 1592.