Happy Bean Doctor | Restaurant Guide | K-Travel Mate

Doksanseong is designated as a historic site, with a total length of 1,100m and an inner fortress of 350m, making it a compact mountain fortress. The exact date of Doksanseong's initial construction is unclear, but its strategic location between Yongin and Yangji, with Goseong and Namhansanseong forming a defensive line, shows its importance. Historical records state it was originally a Baekje fortress and remained a military stronghold during the Silla unification period and the Goryeo era. Doksan was formerly called Seokdaesan or Hyangrobong, named Doksanseong in the Joseon period, but after General Kwon Yul's clever war strategy during the Imjin War, it is now also called 'Semasan' or 'Sema-dae.' At its peak is a pavilion featuring a plaque inscribed by President Rhee Syngman. Although a critical military position, the fortress suffered from a lack of spring water. In 1593, after Ming forces recaptured Pyongyang, General Kwon Yul, commander of Jeollado’s military, camped here with 20,000 soldiers to retake Seoul alongside Ming troops, leading to the famous Battle of Doksanseong. The Japanese army, led by Ukida Hideie, assumed the barren hill lacked water and sent scouts carrying a load of water up the mountain. General Kwon Yul saw through this and had a white horse brought up, pretending to wash it with rice water. Mistaking this as a sign of abundant water, the Japanese troops retreated. This story highlights Kwon Yul's wisdom overcoming the water shortage. The fortress was restored in 1957 by the 'Sema-dae Reconstruction Committee,' composed of civilians and officials.