In around 1000 BC, the knowledge of how to work bronze was introduced to northern Korea, possibly from China. By around 500 BC bronze manufacture appears to have been widespread as throughout Korea stone moulds have been found for casting bronze daggers, mirrors, arrowheads, fishhooks, axes and other items.

Bronze was used for various items, spanning from weapons to ritual objects, such as bells and mirrors. Bronze was not used for making vessels – these continued to be made from pottery. The great variety of bells that have been found in burials suggests that they played an important role as funerary objects. They were probably used in shaman rituals and are similar to bells used today by Korean shamans. Bells and mirrors were decorated with similar geometric patterns.

Iron artefacts were in use already by 400 BC and iron was mined and smelted on the peninsula from 300 BC. From this time on bronze wares became less important as ritual and burial objects.