Cheongju

Ch'ŏngju lies in the inland plains of central Korea, a centre of the surrounding Ch'ungch'ŏng country. Its walled town housed military officials as well as local government. During the Japanese invasion of 1592, the city was occupied by Kuroda Nagamasa's forces. Volunteer leaders Pak Ch'unmu and Cho Hŏn gathered men to resist, and together with the monk Yŏnggyu's fighters helped recover the fortress that August.