Jinju Fortress

Walls run along a cliff above a bend in the Nam River, and at their end a large pavilion looks down over the water. Jinju Fortress (Jinjuseong) saw one of the most dramatic victories and one of the most devastating defeats of the Imjin War, only a year apart. Today it is a historic park where you can follow that story along the ramparts and through Chokseongnu Pavilion.

History: victory and fall within a year

The fortress's origins are unclear, but in 1379 the magistrate Kim Jung-gwang rebuilt an earlier earthen wall in stone to fend off Japanese pirates. The walls are about 1,760 m around and roughly 5–8 m high.

In October 1592, during the first Battle of Jinju, magistrate Kim Si-min held off a far larger Japanese army with about 3,800 soldiers. Sources put the attackers at either some 20,000 or some 30,000 men. Together with the naval victory at Hansando and the defence of Haengju, the battle is counted among the three great victories of the war, and it helped protect the rice-growing Honam region.

In June 1593 the Japanese returned in force. After eleven days of fighting the fortress fell, and about 70,000 soldiers, officials and civilians inside died. From 1604 the fortress housed the army headquarters of western Gyeongsang, and until 1925 the provincial government of South Gyeongsang sat in front of Chokseongnu. Parts of the walls were demolished in 1905 and the outer wall vanished in the 1930s; restoration began in 1969 and gave the site its present form.

What to see

• Chokseongnu Pavilion: a pavilion on the cliff above the river, said to have been first built in 1241. It served as a command post in wartime and as an examination hall and gathering place for scholars in peacetime. Designated a National Treasure in 1948, it burned in the Korean War; the present building was rebuilt in 1960, partly with citizens' donations.
• Uiam Rock: a rock at the water's edge below the pavilion. After the fortress fell in 1593, Nongae is said to have embraced a Japanese commander at the victory banquet and leapt with him into the river from here. The characters "Uiam" are carved into its west face.
• Uigisa Shrine: behind the pavilion, a shrine honouring Nongae.
• Gongbukmun and Chokseongmun: the north gate and the main gate, rebuilt from the 1970s onwards.
• Seojangdae and Bukjangdae: command pavilions on the walls. Walking the ramparts gives wide views over the river and the city.
• Jinju National Museum: a museum inside the fortress dedicated to the Imjin War.

Nearby

• Jinju National Museum: inside the fortress, no extra travel needed. Seeing the weapons and records of the Imjin War first makes the walk on the walls much more vivid.
• Nam River promenade: the riverside path below the fortress looks up at Chokseongnu and the walls, with lights reflected in the water at night.
• Jinju Lantern Experience Centre and Jinyang Lake: a centre devoted to Jinju's floating lantern tradition and the observatory over Jinyang Lake, the reservoir behind the Namgang Dam, are both close to the city.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: March–October 05:00–23:00, November–February 05:00–22:00, open every day.
• Admission: adults KRW 2,000, youth and soldiers KRW 1,000, children KRW 600.
• When to go: at dusk, when the walls and pavilion are lit and reflected in the river. It gets very crowded during the autumn festival season.
• Time needed: 1.5 hours for the walls, the pavilion and Uiam Rock; 2.5 hours with the museum.
• Guides: Korean-language heritage guides are available; guides in other languages must be booked in advance.