Geojedo (거제도)
Geoje Island is strategically situated off the southern coast of Gyeongsang Province, the first major island west of Busan. As such, in 1592 it was home to no fewer than seven naval bases intended to ward off the incessant Wako pirate attacks that plagued the Joseon littoral. As well, Geojedo hosted several signal beacon sites, intended to pass alarm of an approaching invader or marauder all the way to the capital in Hanseong (Seoul). Geojedo ended up being fought over and fortified by the Japanese and the ruins of two castles near the fateful Chilcheollyang Strait can still be visited today along with what remains of several naval fortifications, or jinseong.
Jisaepo Signal Beacon
Unlike mid-system beacon stations, Jisaepo is a terminal site, meaning it didn’t need the traditional five fires to transmit more complex messages. Jisaepo, with its mountaintop view of the approaches to Joseon’s southern coast, had only one, and the lighting of that fire signaled a singular message to the rest of the kingdom . . . invasion!
The view from Jisaepo Signal Beacon—if you imagine the trees being cut all around to improve visibility—offered plenty of advance warning of approaching threats.
A rather dizzying (sorry) 360-view from atop Jisaepo Signal Beacon.
* A final note of caution if you intend to visit Jisaepo Signal Beacon. It looked on the map for all intents and purposes like a quick, hour-long excursion. In and out, no muss no fuss! For a variety of reasons it took over three. Worth every minute, but it did throw off our schedule for the rest of the day. Be advised!
The port of Jisaepo on Geoje Island.
Jisaepo Port and Naval Station
Unfortunately little remains of Jisaepojinseong, the naval fortification, at this Geoje port. Yet the topography of the area, less developed than the island’s other busy harbors, gives a good idea why the base was built there in the first place. Like the rest of the naval bases under Admiral Won Gyun’s command, Jisaepo was abandoned in May 1592 in favor of consolidating his fleet’s remaining combat power to the west. There it linked up with Admiral Yi’s fleet from Jeolla Province and commenced the fight for maritime supremacy along Jeoson’s southern littoral. The combined Joseon fleet would sail past Jisaepo on the way to its first victory at Okpo, just to the north, in June 1592.
The mouth leading to Jisaepo Bay is quite narrow, and the site was well chosen and protected for the construction of a naval base.
Couldn’t help myself. The view in the evening was just spectacular!
What remains of Jisaepojinseong lies across the bay in the cleared section of the hillside in this photo. The stone walls now serve as charming background to a rather large flower garden, yet its position high above the waterline makes clear its ability to dominate access to the strategic bay.
Okpo
Site of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and Joseon’s first victory over the Japanese invaders in June 1592. On his first combat patrol, done jointly with the remnants of Admiral Won Gyun’s fleet, Yi rounded Geoje Island, passed the abandoned naval fortification at Jiseapo, and headed north to engage a Japanese fleet. Yi caught them in the act of pillaging the port town of Okpo and the battle that ensued resulted in the loss of 26 Japanese vessels for none of his own.
Modernity has completely taken over Okpo harbor, once the site of another of Admiral Won Gyun’s naval bases. Nothing remains of the quaint fishing town that once fished these waters. Yet the bay itself is where Admiral Yi and his fleet sailed into on 16 June 1592, surprising the Japanese troops and sailors pillaging on the shore, leading to the first real naval battle of the Imjin War and Joseon’s first victory over the invaders.
The Okpo Battle Memorial and Museum was a surprise find so we had to check it out. Well worth the visit as the staff maintained displays of artwork and artifacts that even I’d never seen before!
This interesting piece is a Ming Chinese “Crouching Tiger” cannon, the most common variety the Ming Armies brought with them to the Imjin War.
A collection of Imjin War projectiles, including several rocket-assisted arrows or singijeon.
A very nice cut-away view of a kobukseon, or “Turtle Ship” model.
Jamok Bay
Jamok Bay, on Geojedo’s northwestern side, looks idyllic today, but it bears a deeper darker history. The strategic location of this natural harbor, guarding the northern entrance to Chilcheollyang Strait, combined with topography that included heights towering above both sides of a narrow entrance made it perfect for Japanese fortification. In fact, occupying Japanese forces built not one but two castles here, one on each side of the harbor entrance, naming them Jangmunpo to the south and Songjinpo to the north. Admiral Yi raided this harbor and even landed troops to harass the Japanese garrisons in November 1593.
A panoramic view of Jamok Bay, highlighting the two hill masses guarding the entrance.
To the south lies the hill mass upon which Jangmunpo was constructed by Japanese occupying Geojedo beginning in the summer of 1592.
The hills north of Jamok Bay lead to the northern castle, Songjinpo as well as a surprise, the local traditional Korean archery range (Kukkung) is located there as well.
* Time and intense overgrowth prevented us from exploring the castles in any real detail. This is one of those sites best visited, perhaps, in the winter as we were told it can be very difficult to find the Japanese castle ruins today. Will update this with whatever photos we can get once we make it back there!