The Command of the Northern Approaches was a military camp established during the late Joseon Dynasty in order to strengthen the defense of the outskirts of Hanseong through the Bukhansanseong Fortress. The Command of the Northern Approaches was established to strengthen the authority of the Seoin faction, which accompanied the king and princess and provided security after the Injo Coup. It also organized the local military and defense forces in Gyeonggi Province into a unified command structure.

The Joseon Army of the late 19th century was the modernized army of the Korean dynasty of Joseon. After the Treaty of Ganghwa, King Gojong and Queen Myeongseong spearheaded the modernization of the armed forces. The army was known for the Donghak Peasant Revolution, its defense of Gyeongbokgung Palace, and defending Queen Min from the Japanese. Despite this, the new modernized army was too weak to defend itself from foreign threats and could not prevent the assassination of Queen Min. Gojong declared Joseon the Empire of Korea and contributed the modernization of the armed forces.