Gongju Ugeumssi Battlefield

About this place

The Ugeumssi Battlefield in Gongju was the site of the final decisive battle in 1894 where the Donghak Peasant Army fought against the combined forces of the government army and the Japanese military. Located on the ridge leading from Gongju toward Buyeo, the pass is also known as 'Ugeumgogae,' 'Ugeumjae,' or 'Biugeumgogae.' Ugeumssi Pass was a strategic stronghold in the Hoseo (Chungcheong) region and served as a critical gateway to the south of Gongju, where the Chungcheong provincial government was headquartered. In 1894, this was where the Donghak Peasant Army, led by Jeon Bong-jun, made a last stand with bamboo spears against Japanese firearms, raising the banner of anti-feudalism and anti-foreign imperialism — a deeply meaningful site in modern Korean history. Ugeumssi Battlefield is designated as a National Historic Site, and in 1973, a Donghak Revolutionary Army Memorial Tower was erected to console the souls of the fallen.