An interesting tale about the Kum River (Kumgang) states that the T'ang army of China's Empress Wu was trying to conquer Paekjae in 660 A.D. Its navies intended to come up the Kum River with their fleet to reach the capital city of Puyo. But the Dragon King opposed them for seven days. Finally a high Chinese officer bribed a local shaman who told him that the local river dragon did have one weakness: he could not digest a white horse.

The Chinese found a white horse and put it in front of the dragon who was now hungry from opposing the Chinese. He ate it and became so weakened he could not defend Puyo. Thus Puyo fell.

Nice tale, but historical accounts talk about a pincer attack by the 13,000-man T'ang force which joined up with the Shilla navy in the bay off of Inchon. This force came up the Kum River, while the Shilla army under General Kim Yu-Shin hit Puyo from the east. The pincer attack toppled King Uija's throne. General Kim, more than any other person, is credited with unifying the Paekchae and Koguryo under the Shilla Dynasty in 676 A.D. His honored tomb is located in Kyongju.

The second battle happened at the mouth of Geum River in 663, which is called Gibeolpo sea war or Baekchongang sea war between the Baekjae revival soldiers who were to reestablish the country that were ruined and the Na-Tang union soldiers. As the Baekjae revival soldiers were defeated at this combat, Baekjae was completely destroyed.

In the third battle, Silla soldiers made war against Tang's soldiers who intended to directly govern the territory including Silla after Baekjae and Goguryeo were destroyed. The Silla soldiers who won in the Maechoseong combat defeated the Tang's soldiers lead by Seol In Gui at Gibeolpo through 20 battles with the final battle in Gunsan to complete the unification of the Three Kingdoms after completely driving out Tang's soldiers from the south of the Korean Peninsula.

SHILLA DYNASTY: Gunsan was known as "Okku" (Okgu-Hyeon): 756AD) in the Shilla dynasty (668-936) The whole country was divided into 9 provinces for government in the United Silla Dynasty, and Jeonju was one of them. Jeonju was subdivided into 10 counties, and Impi-gun (Sisan-gun of Baekjae), one of them, Hamyeol-hyeon (Gammula-hyeon of Baekjae), Okgu-hyeon(Maseoryang-hyeon of Baekjae) and Hwaemi-hyeon(Buburi-hyeon of Baekjae). After the reign of King Hyeonjong (early 10C), there was Impi-hyeon under Jeonju-mok, where a Hyeon governor was appointed to govern hyeons without governors such as Hwaemi, Okgu, Mangyeong etc. (Source: Kunsan City Site.)

(Click on photo to enlarge)

GORYEO DYNASTY: Gunsan was known as "Okku" in the Goryeo Dynasty (936-1259). The most interesting historic events in the Gunsan area during the Goryeo Dynasty might be the Japanese invasion and the operation of Jochang (Jinseongchang) located in Changan village, Seongsan-myeon.

Jochang is a warehouse where grain was collected from the whole countryside. A tax was placed on the coast or the riverside to transport them toward Gaegyeong (the capital of Goryeo Dynasty). There were twelve Jochangs nationwide in the Goryeo Dynasty. Jinseongchang, one of Jochangs, was around the Changan embankment, Mt. Manggyeong, Chango-ri, Seongsan-myeon. A mud castle was erected to store grain collected as tax at this location. As a result of the rice storage, there were frequent raids by Japanese pirates at this location.

The most famous battle with the Japanese pirates took place around Jinseongchang in Jinpodaecheop. In August in the sixth year of King U of the Goryeo Dynasty (1380), 500 Japanese warships invaded the entrance of Jinpo, and they bound the ships to each other with a rope. Some of them kept the ships and others were on shore to plunder and kill the people. Then three generals of Na Sae, Sim Deok-bu, and Ch'oe Mu-son installed hwatong and firearms. Ch'oe Mu-Son, the Korean who learned to produce gunpowder, as its deputy commander had these firearms installed in 80 warships before they reached Jinpo.

When they shot firearms in a volley at the same time against the invaders' warships, the Japanese pirate ships caught fire and went down simultaneously -- because they all were tied together. There were many victims who were burnt to death or drowned. At the time, the enemy who reached land wandered about the countryside through Okcheon and Yeongdong. Ultimately they were hunted down and destroyed by the Lee Seong-gae's unit in Hwangsan (Namwon, Unbong) - Hwangsandaecheop. (Source: Kunsan City Site.)

Jin-po Victory

Jin-po Victory

CHOSUN DYNASTY: Gunsan was known as "Kunchang" in the Choson Dynasty (1392-1905). Gunsan had been deemed to be significant in the Chosun Dynasty. There was a general appointed who commanded the Jeolla-do naval forces in Okgu. Okgu included the west of Gunsan-si and Okgu-eup centered on Gamyeong and Eupseong that had been in current Sangpyeong). Gunsanjin of the naval forces was set up in Seonyu-do.

After King Saejong, Gunsanjin, which was previously located on Seonyu Island, was moved to the present location of Gunsan. The reason why Gunsanjin was moved to Jinpo was that Japanese pirates made a detour to avoid Seonyu Island -- on which Gunsanjin was located -- so that they could plunder Gunsan area and the shore of Geum River. Gunsanjin was located around Geumdong, Hyeonjae-ri in north Okguk county. According to records, four large ships, four special ships, 461 soldiers, and 4 sailors were stationed at Gunsanjin. Nothing remains of it now.

In the reign of King Gongyang at the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, Jinseongchang was moved to Yongan Deukseongchang. In the time of King Jungjong (early 16th century), it moved to Gunsanchang (also called Noinseongchang), where a stone castle was built and managed by a 4th-level rank Cheomsa. No remains of Gunsanjinseong exist today. However, the content of "Jeollaudo Gunsanjindo" and "Gunsangaehangjeonsa" verify that Gunsanjinseong did exist.

Gunsanjinseong was constructed immediately after Gunsanjin was moved from Seonyu Island at the time of King Saejong. It was 1,500~2,000 Korean feet of circumference and 12 feet in height, and was located around current Geumdong, old Gunsan Medical Center, and Cheonggu Women's Commercial High School. It was made of stones.

There was a soil watchtower of 3 meters height in the north after a ditch of 7.5m length and 1.5m depth was dug. The outside was sharply sloped, and the inside consisted of two steps. This place was exposed to the riverside, where the Haemangjeong watchtower connected to the Mt. Jeombang beacon mound guarded against any enemy's surprise attack from the rear, while warships were anchored in the front of the castle.

At the end of the Chosun Dynasty, Japanese occupied Gunsanjinseong and built Esacheong as Japanese' residences. It was used as the base to reclaim the lands in Gunsan. It is theorized that any evidence of Gunsanjinseong was destroyed in order to reclaim the shore and swampy land. (Source: Kunsan City Site.)

In Homer B. Hulbert's 1905 book, The History of Korea , the Cholla Province is mentioned as "The finest piece of rice-land in Korea is a broad plain situated in the two districts of Keum-gu and Man-gyung in Chul-la Province. The two districts were named from the plain which is called Keum-gu Man-gyung Plain and means 'The Golden Valley a Boundless Sea of Waving Grain'." This area of traditional Korean rice surplus lies southwest of the Man-gyonggang River around Kimje. This plain is also referred to as the Honam plain -- or popularly as the "KumMan" plain. In 1997, the Impe Rice Museum was opened to commemorate the significance of rice and the irrigation projects in the area during ancient times.

Events that Shaped Kunsan's Destiny (1894):

Kunsan was originally a poor fishing village. The creation of the Kunsan port was a result of series of events with international consequences that started with the Tonghak (Eastern Learning) "peasants' revolt" in the Cholla area. The revolt caused the king to ask for Chinese military help in putting down the uprising. However, the Japanese fearing Chinese dominance in Korea intervened. This in turn led to a face-to-face confrontation between Chinese and Japanese military forces on Korean soil. The confrontation soon exploded into the Sino-Japan war where the Chinese were trounced. The end result was Korea was forced into legitimizing the Japanese military presence in Korea. As part of the "agreement," Kunsan was created. One of the provisions of the "Provisional Agreement" was to promote trade with Japan by opening Kunsan port in Cholla Province.

In 1876, the first foreign "gunboat" treaty was signed with Japan. A new era was opened of intrigue, palace coups, and power struggles on the international level. In Homer B. Hulbert's The Passing of Korea written in 1906, he talks about the turbulent years that followed. In 1884, the Japanese-inspired coup with 400 Japanese was thwarted by a frontal attack by a Chinese force of 2800 men. The Japanese fled back to Japan. According to Hulbert (p126), "This was the first great reverse the Japanese suffered at the hands of the Chinese, and the question was definitely settled as to the attitude that Korea should take. She was henceforth completely in China's hands, and was destined to remain their until Japan reversed the verdict in 1894 just ten years later." The foreign powers tried to keep Korea "out of the clutches of China" because of "Korea's willingness to fall back upon the old-time relationship of suzerain and vassal." In other words, though the foreign governments (including the U.S.) had signed treaties with Korea, the die was cast that they would do nothing to protect Korea in a confrontation with Japan.

The foreign powers (U.S., Russia, China and Japan) were playing cat-and-mouse games in Korea. Various treaty ports of Chemulpo, Pusan, Wonsan and Seoul were opened. In the years after 1884 (p128), "It was no longer a struggle between Japan and China, but between Japan and Russia. And just as Japan failed in the diplomatic duel with China, so she failed in the diplomatic duel with Russia. In each case a final resort to arms was necessary." When the Japanese invaded the palace, the king fled to the Russian embassy. (NOTE: This face-off would ultimately result in the war with Russia in 1904-1905 where Russia was defeated and forced to cede the southern half of Sakhalin.)

The country of Korea was in a hopeless state of chaos in 1890. The infighting between Queen Min and her father-in-law, the ex-regent Taewon-gun had escalated. A History of the Korean People: Korea Tradition & Transformation , Andrew C. Nahm, 1988, states, "The heavy tax burden and the intolerance of government officials had already caused many uprisings by impoverished peasants. The severe grain shortage that developed following the drought of 1889 only increased their plight and their restlessness grew. Banditry became rampant and an increasing number of peasants joined armed bandit groups. Local uprisings of peasants, miners, and fishermen, as well as other socially mistreated people frequently, sometimes under the leadership of former government officials and government slaves. The situation of discontent in Chungchong and Cholla provinces was the worst." The Japanese minister, Oishi Masami, observed in 1893, that "there was not a single Korean statesman capable of regenerating his own country."

It all started with the Tonghak "peasants' revolution." At first it was a protest movement against corrupt officials, misappropriation of wages, and the instituting of political reforms. Though the sect leaders were anti-government, they were loyal to the king. However, when they petitioned the king for government redress, they were turned down. The Tonghak sect then lead a thousand angry farmers in a revolt on February 1894. The government retaliated against the leaders and a full-scale uprising ensued. The victorious rebel forces under Chon Pong-jun (1854-1894) took over Chonju, the capital of Cholla Province on May 31, 1894 and the revolt quickly spread to the Chungchong and Kyonggi provinces. At this point the king decided to request China's military assistance against the rebels -- over the objections of his advisors.

In the meantime, the government's military leader in the Cholla area realized his inability to defeat the rebels and offered a truce. The Tonghak rebels accepted the truce and withdrew from Chonju. For a short time, it appeared that the government would meet the demands of the insurgents under directions of the king. There was a lull in the disturbance as the movements leaders attempted to work with the government.

Though the uprising was temporarily quieted, the ball had been set in motion. On June 6, 1894, 1,500 Chinese troops arrived in Korea to help the Korean government to subjugate the Tonghak rebels. The Chinese stated that they acted "in conformity with China's ancient custom of sending troops to protect vassal states." The Japanese government rejected this Chinese notion and in turn sent eight Japanese warships under a new Japanese minister, Otori Keisuke. There was a swift buildup of troops ending in a face-to-face confrontation with 10,000 Japanese troops against 5,500 Chinese troops. Western nations were unwilling to become involved. At first Japan offered to share with China the control of Korea, but China refused. On July 22 Otori delivered an ultimatum that unless a satisfactory response was given (meaning that the king should tell the Chinese to leave), Japan would resort to military force in defense of her interests. On July 23 Japanese troops occupied the Kyongbok Palace, the king's residence and the king was forced to abrogate the Chinese treaty. On August 1 China and Japan declared war. The Japanese troops quickly demolished the Chinese troops and Chinese troops retreated northward. (NOTE: The end result of this war with China between 1894-1895 was that Japan gained control of not only Korea, but also Formosa and southern Manchuria.)

In A History of the Korean People: Korea Tradition & Transformation , Andrew C. Nahm, 1988, (pp174-178), it tells of Kunsan harbor's creation. On August 20, 1894 Japanese Minister Otori Keisuke brought the Korean foreign minister, Kim Yun-shik, "to conclude the 'Provisional Agreement' in which Korea agreed to accept Japanese advice on internal reform, to allow the Japanese to construct railway lines between Seoul and Inchon and Seoul and Pusan; to promote trade with Japan by opening a port (Kunsan) in Cholla Province ; and to raise no questions regarding the July 23rd incident which involved the Japanese invasion of the Kyongbok Palace." As part of the legitimization of Japanese military occupation of Korea, Kunsan harbor was created.

One may ask, "Why Kunsan rather than another port area?" The main reason is that since ancient times, the Honam Plains (Keum-gu Man-gyung Plain) had been an area of traditional Korean rice surpluses. Japan intended to tap into this wealth following its unwritten policy to make Korea its "rice bowl". Since the 1876 "gunboat" treaty with Japan, large numbers of Japanese -- who enjoyed "very extra territorial privileges" under the treaty -- migrated to Korea and had settled in the area with the encouragement of the Japanese government. Japan needed Kunsan as an exportation point to ship the rice from the "Keumgu-Mangyong" plain (Honam plain) to Japan. However, it should also be pointed out that under this agreement, Songjin and Masan were also opened in 1898.

But the story is not over. The Tonghak "peasants' revolt" reflared in October 1894 after the Japanese gained control of Korea and the government failed to keep its promises. The revolt became both anti-government and anti-Japanese. The combined Tonghak forces marched on Seoul. In November 1894, they had captured Kongju, but they soon were badly beaten by combined Korean and Japanese troops. In December 1894, Chon and most of the leaders were captured and executed bringing the Tonghak movement to an end in January 1895.

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24 December 2001