순천왜성

Suncheonwaeseong Fortress In Sinseong-ri where Suncheon, Yeosu and Gwangyang meet, Suncheonwaeseong still remains to show the traces of the Japanese invasion of 1592. Originally, the sea used to come right up to the fortress but, since the establishment of the Yulchon Industrial Complex, the area has all become land. During the invasion, Japanese raiders are said to have dug moats and set up bridges to get to the fortress during the day before cutting off the bridges at night. Thus, it was also called Waegyoseong or Yegyo. Suncheonwaeseong only has a stylobate of the inner fortress walls remaining today but it was one of the 28 fortresses that the Japanese raiders built along the southern coast during the invasion in 1592 and the Jeongyu Wars. By constructing fortresses at key locations on the shores, the Japanese raiders not only secured sea routes but also defended themselves against the Joseon navy. It was built with rocks and soil for about three months by the hands of Japanese soldiers as well as the Joseon people who had been prisoners of war. As you walk along the trail from the parking lot, you will reach the fortress walls in Munji, the first gate. The easiest difference you can find between Korean and Japanese fortress construction styles is the shape of the walls. Japanese typically built walls with a steep and sharp curvature to make it difficult for enemy soldiers to climb up, and then set up structures on top so that, even if each of these buildings gets captured, battles could continue from other structures. If you continue to follow the trail between the fortress walls, you will reach the second gate. Within a Japanese fortress system, the place where a general dwell is known as the Cheonsugak (or Tenshukaku), and this Gate No. 2 is the final barrier that protects the Cheonsugak. Once you go past the gate, you will find the stylobate of Cheonsugak that remains in its highest position. If you stand on this stylobate, all of the surroundings can be viewed like a panorama. The most famous battle that took place at Suncheonwaeseong is the Battle of Waegyoseong during the Battle of Noryang. It was the battle in which Admiral Yi Sun-sin and General Chen Lin of the Joseon-Ming joint forces fought against Konishi Yukinaga and his Japanese troops. History says that it was a difficult and desperate battle as some of the Ming soldiers who had been bribed by the Japanese did nothing to contribute. It ultimately ended in the Joseong-Ming forces victorious, but in the naval battle that followed, Admiral Yi Sun-sin perished. The fortress was designated as a national treasure during the occupation era but the designation was canceled after Liberation. Then, in 1999, it was re-designated as Jeollanam-do Provincial Monument No. 171 to serve as a site where we can reflect on our sad history. There is the Chungmusa not far from the fortress and the temple enshrines three of our greatest military figures (Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, Chungjanggong Jeong Un and General Song Hee-rip) who protected Suncheon during the Japanese invasion of 1592 so make sure to check it out as well.

The only Japanese-style fortress walls remaining in Namdo region until today Suncheon Japanese Fortress and Suncheon History Park Commemorating the Second Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1597 There is a place where you can find traces of Japanese culture without having to travel all the way to Japan. Suncheon Japanese Fortress is a Japanese-style fortress built over three months by Konishi Yukinaga during the Second Japanese Invasion of Korea (1597) as both a base for the military forces to launch their attacks from and a final defense base when the Honam region was under attack. The fortress saw more than 14,000 Japanese troops stationed at one point in time, and is also a historic location where the Joseon-Ming joint forces fought two great battles against the Japanese invaders both on land and in water. 30 Japanese fortresses were built along the southern coast during the time, but the one in Suncheon is the only Japanese fortress that have been preserved well to this day. It consists of the main fortress and the outer fortress, and what remain today are the Stone Foundations of the Main Tower which served as a watchtower. There is also the Gate Site; and parts of Haeja, which was a waterway for defense. Near the fortress lies Suncheon History Park Commemorating the Second Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1597 (Suncheon History Park). Suncheon is where the final battle for the Second Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1597 took place. This battle is also commonly known as the Siege of Suncheon, and considered one of the greatest battles during the Second Japanese Invasion of Korea. It was through this battle that Joseon was able to gain victory after the seven-year war launched on Korea by the Japanese. Records note that the Joseon-Ming joint forces amounted to 50,000 soldiers on land and in water combined. So you can easily imagine how massive the scale of the battle must have been. In the process, a significant number of commoners were forced to sacrifice their lives. Their sacrifice and agony are expressed through a sculpture depicting commoners, situated in the center of the square. The walls surrounding the square tell stories about the Second Japanese Invasion of Korea, the Siege of Suncheon, and Suncheon Japanese Fortress. Make sure to stop by Suncheon History Park before visiting Suncheon Japanese Fortress. You will be able to learn more about the fortress and the Siege of Suncheon more vividly.