Hangpaduri Historic Site of Anti-Mongolian Struggle

On a gentle slope in the hills above Aewol, grassy earthen walls run across the landscape. The Hangpaduri Historic Site of Anti-Mongolian Struggle marks the last stronghold of the Sambyeolcho, the Goryeo army units that refused to accept peace with the Mongols. Their rammed-earth fortress went up around 1271 and fell to a combined Goryeo-Mongol force in 1273. Restored walls, an excavation site and an exhibition hall tell the story today.

History: from Jindo to Jeju, the last two years

In 1270 the Goryeo court made peace with the Mongols and moved back from Ganghwa Island to the capital, Gaegyeong. The Sambyeolcho rebelled. After a heavy defeat at their base on Jindo, the forces led by Kim Tong-jeong moved to Jeju and built Hangpadu Fortress. They held out for about two more years, but in 1273 a Goryeo-Mongol army of some 12,000 under Kim Bang-gyeong and Hindu crushed them, and all of the defenders died. The fortress sat about 3 km inland on a hill 140–250 m above sea level, between the Goseongcheon and Sowangcheon streams, whose ravines and slopes served as natural defences. To the north it overlooks the Jeju Strait towards the mainland.

What to see

• Earthen walls: The outer wall measured about 3.87 km and the inner fortress wall about 756 m. They were built of sticky yellow-brown soil, and the ramparts are still clearly visible.
• Inner fortress excavation: Digs since 2010 have revealed the size of the inner fortress, building foundations, roof tiles and ceramics; this was the Sambyeolcho headquarters.
• Stone hinges: Ten stones thought to have held the gate frames survive; the fortress reportedly had four gates.
• Hangmong Sunuibi monument: Erected during the 1977–1978 restoration, its inscription is in the handwriting of then-president Park Chung-hee.
• Exhibition hall: Finds from the inner fortress, including roof tiles. Some follow mainland designs but were made locally, suggesting craftsmen came to the island with the Sambyeolcho.

Good to know

• Jangsumul Spring: Legend says General Kim Tong-jeong left a footprint in the rock when he leapt from the wall, and a spring welled up there. The water is no longer drinkable.
• The "arrow-struck stone": A large standing stone said to have served the Sambyeolcho as an archery target, with arrowheads once embedded in it.
• Scale: The designated site covers about 1.1 km², larger than it first appears once you start walking the walls.
• Springs: Gusimul, used by soldiers and commoners outside the walls, and Ongseongmul, said to have supplied the elite, still survive.
• Pagunbong: A hill about 100 m high where the Sambyeolcho fought the landing Goryeo-Mongol troops.
• Restoration: Recognised by Jeju Province in 1976, the site saw parts of the walls rebuilt and the monument erected in 1977–1978, and it became a national Historic Site in 1997. Its layout resembles other Goryeo fortresses built against the Mongols, such as Ganghwa and Jindo's Yongjangseong.

Nearby

• Aewol coast: The sea is only about 3 km north of the site, easy to combine with a coastal drive.
• Jeju Olle Route 16: The trail passes through the site, so many walkers stop in on the way.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: 09:00–18:00, open every day; admission and parking are free.
• Time needed: 30–45 minutes for the hall and inner fortress, about 1.5 hours if you walk the walls.
• Getting there: 50 Hangpaduri-ro, Aewol-eup, Jeju City. Driving is far easier than public transport.
• When to go: There is little shade, so avoid midday in summer; mornings and late afternoons are best for walking.