Ungcheoneupseong Walled Town, Changwon

An eupseong is a walled town that protected the residents of a gun (county) or hyeon (district) while serving both military and administrative functions. This mountain fortress, located in Seongnae-dong, Jinhae (now part of Changwon), Gyeongsangnam-do, was built in 1439, the 21st year of King Sejong of Joseon. A port had been opened here in 1407 for trade aimed at maintaining relations with Japan, but as the illegal settlement of Japanese residents increased, the walled town was built to curb this and protect the district. In 1451, the first year of King Munjong, part of the wall was extended and waterways were dug on its east, west and north sides to guard against invasions by Japanese pirates (waegu). In 1510, the fifth year of King Jungjong, the town fell temporarily during the Sampo Waeran, an uprising of Japanese residents at Korea's three treaty ports, and during the Imjin War, the Japanese invasions of Korea, Konishi Yukinaga stayed here. Today only the east wall survives intact, together with the site of the east gate, whose opening is 4 m wide. Parts of the west and south walls remain, while the north wall has been entirely removed. The base of the wall was built up with square-cut stones, above which square or triangular stones were laid, becoming smaller toward the top; the wall faces were built vertical to the ground, with small stones wedged between the larger ones. The total length surviving today is 500 m, and the site of a pavilion also remains about 100 m south of the northern end of the east wall.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Changwon, Gyeongnam

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물