Trifter

Photo by Jeffrey Alan Miller

Photo by Jeffrey Alan Miller

If you’ve ever traveled to and from Inchon or Kimpo Airports along the Han River in Seoul, you might have noticed a non-descript white stone monument rising above a small mountain next to the Bangwha Bridge.

This monument on top of Mt. Deogyang (124 m high) marks the site of a fierce battle where General Kwon Yul won a decisive victory over a much larger Japanese army in 1593.

Today, as one walks up the paths of this lovely park nestled in the hills overlooking the Han River–to the summit of the Haengjusanseong Fortress (designated Historical site #56)–the only reminder of this bloody battle is a ring-shaped mud wall (which was restored in 1992) along the ridgeline of Mt. Deogyang.

It was here, following the Japanese invasion of 1592 and the subsequent fall of Seoul that General Kwon (then the Governor of Jeolla Province) led a small army of 2,300 soldiers in February 1593 to this mountain fortress with the intent of recapturing the capital.

Early in the morning on February 12, 1593, a Japanese force of over 30,000 men surrounded the fortress. They attacked the fortress 9 times, from three different directions, but each one was unsuccessful.

For more than 12 hours General Kwon’s army aided by a militia armed with sickles and hoes, monks from Buddhist Temples, and even women fought desperately to turn back the Japanese. More than 10,000 Japanese soldiers were killed or injured, including the Japanese general and two of his lieutenants.

During the fierce offensive and defensive battle, Korean women played a key role by carrying small rocks with their large aprons to soldiers who were running short of weapons such as arrows and rifles. From that time on the fortress was called “Haengjusanseong”, meaning apron fortress.

Photo by Jeffrey Alan Miller

General Kwon Yul’s victory at Haengju was one of three major victories against the Japanese along with Admiral Yi Sun-shin’s and General Kim Sim-in’s victories during the Hideyoshi Invasions of Korea, or as it is referred to in Korea, The Imjin War.

Although the original monument to commemorate the battle was destroyed during the Korean War, it was rebuilt during the 1960s. During that time, the area was landscaped to form a park, and the Chungjang-sa Shrine was built to house Gen. Kwon’s portrait. A memorial hall was added and the area further landscaped in the 1970s.

The park also includes a small museum with replicas of the weapons used during the battle and two pavilions with a commanding view of the Han River and the vicinity. If you have time, check out the free video presentation which features a reenactment of the battle.

There is also a monument at the entrance of the park to commemorate a joint-landing operation by ROK and U.S. Marines following the Inchon Invasion during the 1950-53 Korean War.

Although urban sprawl and the drone of traffic from several major nearby highways have diminished the sereneness of the park, the park’s close proximity to Seoul makes it perfect for a morning or afternoon getaway. If you happen to be in Seoul in late winter, the park also hosts the Haengju-daechop battle festival every March 14.

Photo by Jeffrey Alan Miller

The park is open year-round from 9:00-6:00 during the spring and summer and from 9:00-5:00 in fall and winter. Admission is 1,000 won for adults, 500 won for teenagers and 300 won for children. The information booth has pamphlets on other literature on the park and history in Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean.

The park is easily reached by three buses: the Number 88 or 87 buses which run between Seoul City Hall and Ilsan as well as the Number 85-1 bus which runs between City Hall and Kimpo Airport. All three buses stop at the entrance to the park. Ample parking is available for visitors who wish to drive. Bicycle enthusiasts can also cycle from Youido and Nanjido to the park as well.