It is estimated that from the 6th to 7th century, Kunju(軍主), known as the governor of Chu(州), the district of the highest level, was recognized as a government post showing the military characteristic most clearly. However, based on Ch’angnyongbi(昌寧 碑: The monument was erected at Ch’angnyong in 561), it was shown that in the mid-6th century, Kunju and Broad-area Chu were operated as separate system. Based on this, it was intended to review the army of Kunju and to understand the military operation system in Silla.
First, I examined whether the broad-area Chujung(州停) could be regarded as Kunju's army. The broad-area Chujung can be identified with the Expeditionary Force. The Expeditionary Force was a temporary army organized at per war and the admiral of the Expeditionary Force was not the additional post that Kunju could always get. Also, in the 6th century, the four broad-area Chus corresponding to Sabangkunju(四方軍主) weren't established, so it can be concluded that Kunju's army and broad-area Chujung were separate.
Kunju's army was a permanent presence in the provinces. Kunju's army, like Tanju(幢主)'s, would have been based on central castles and surrounding fortresses and villages(城·村). Considering Kunju's rank and subordinate, it is believed that Kunju's army were larger and had a different composition than Tangju's army. The military officers consisted of the people from the capital and potentates from Kunju's post. The soldiers of the army consisted mainly of the people from the capital at first, however, the number of local people came to grow after they were imposed on the same military services as the people from capital.
Toward the end of the 5th century, Silla may have begun to operate direct-control by dispatching Tosa(道使). Unlike Tosas, who were spread to throughout the dominions of Silla comparably, Kunjus seem to be stationed at the places that were on the border and had the most geographical benefits according to military needs. The post of Kunju located somewhat distant from the front line so that the army of Kunju could have supported the outpost fortresses connected along routes and counterattacked the enemies. Through such defense system, Silla must have tried to secure the conquered area. Due to the importance of the defense system Kunju would have been recorded as ‘Sabangkunju(四方軍主)’ in Ch’angnyongbi.