Okpo Garrison Fort Site, Geoje

This is a stone-built mountain fortress standing on the coast at Bukchon village, south of Okpo-dong, Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. According to the Jeungbo munheon bigo (Revised and Augmented Reference Compilation of Documents), it measured 1,074 cheok in circumference and 13 cheok in height, a cheok being a traditional unit of roughly 30 cm. The fortress fell into ruin after dozens of raids by Japanese invaders from the end of Goryeo into the early Joseon period, but it appears to have gradually revived once King Sejo, seeking to strengthen defences along the south coast, established seven garrisons (jin) so that naval forces could be stationed at Okpo, Jorapo and other points. Several records give differing accounts of when the wall was built. The Sinjeung Dongguk yeoji seungnam (Newly Augmented Survey of the Geography of Korea) records it as the fortress where the Okpo naval manho — a fourth-grade military post attached to garrisons in each province during Joseon — was stationed. The Jeungbo munheon bigo states that the wall was built in the 19th year of King Seongjong (1488) to defend against Japanese raiders, while the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty date it to the 21st year of King Seongjong (1490); construction is thought to have begun in 1488 and been completed in 1490. Okpo is also the site of the Battle of Okpo, fought in the 28th year of King Seonjo (1592) — the first naval battle of the war — in which General Yi Sun-sin destroyed 26 of the roughly 300 Japanese ships stationed there. Today, as a result of urbanisation, the fortress has been largely destroyed, and only part of its walls and some of its retaining terraces survive.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Geoje, Gyeongnam

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물