Gwak Jae-u
Encyclopedia
General Gwak Jae-u was a Korean
patriot from Uiryeong
. In 1592, nine days into the Japanese invasion of Korea, he formed a militia
to fight against the Japanese army. He was originally common people, but King Seonjo of Joseon
granted him government service.
in many guerrilla actions. Gwak also had the distinction of winning Korea's first land victory of the war in the Battle of Uiryeong. In part of a two-pronged offensive into Jeolla
, Ankokuji Ekei
led 6th division men from the south. Ankokuji needed to cross the Nam River to reach Uiryeong, an objective. He had his men find the shallowest parts of the river and mark them with stakes. While Ankokuji's army slept, Gwak's men moved the stakes to deeper sections of the river. When the crossing began, the Japanese soldiers foundered in the deep water, and Gwak's army attacked them. In multiple attempts to cross the river, Ankokuji suffered many losses, and was forced to abandon his attack on Uiryeong. The battle gave the Korean government respect for Gwak's abilities, and he was placed in command of the Korean forces in and around Uiryeong and the nearby Samga.
There is a statue of Gwak Jae-u in Mangu Park in Daegu
.
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
patriot from Uiryeong
Uiryeong
Uiryeong County is a county in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. It is one of the least populated counties in Korea.In 1938, Uiryeong native Lee Byung-chull founded Samsung Group in nearby Daegu....
. In 1592, nine days into the Japanese invasion of Korea, he formed a militia
Righteous army
Righteous armies, sometimes called irregular armies or militias, have appeared several times in Korean history, when the national armies were in need of assistance....
to fight against the Japanese army. He was originally common people, but King Seonjo of Joseon
Seonjo of Joseon
King Seonjo ruled in Korea between 1567 and 1608. He was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. He is known for encouraging Confucianism and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign, although political chaos and his incompetent leadership during the Japanese invasions of Korea...
granted him government service.
Raising an army
Gwak Jae-u disrupted Japanese supply lines around the Nakdong RiverNakdong River
The Nakdong River is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan.-Geography:...
in many guerrilla actions. Gwak also had the distinction of winning Korea's first land victory of the war in the Battle of Uiryeong. In part of a two-pronged offensive into Jeolla
Jeolla
Jeolla was a province in southwestern Korea, one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and the Special City of Gwangju as well as Jeju Island...
, Ankokuji Ekei
Ankokuji Ekei
was a diplomat of Mōri clan, a powerful feudal clan in the Chūgoku region, Japan, as well as a Rinzai Buddhist monk following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century. He went with Toyotomi Hideyoshi on his invasion of Korea, was named abbot of Tōfuku-ji in Kyoto Prefecture, and was given a...
led 6th division men from the south. Ankokuji needed to cross the Nam River to reach Uiryeong, an objective. He had his men find the shallowest parts of the river and mark them with stakes. While Ankokuji's army slept, Gwak's men moved the stakes to deeper sections of the river. When the crossing began, the Japanese soldiers foundered in the deep water, and Gwak's army attacked them. In multiple attempts to cross the river, Ankokuji suffered many losses, and was forced to abandon his attack on Uiryeong. The battle gave the Korean government respect for Gwak's abilities, and he was placed in command of the Korean forces in and around Uiryeong and the nearby Samga.
Trivia
He was called the "Red Robe General" (천강홍의장군, 天降紅衣將軍) after his habit of wearing red costumes and riding a white horse in battle.There is a statue of Gwak Jae-u in Mangu Park in Daegu
Daegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
.