Gongju

Gongju's old fortress above the Geum River remained useful long after the end of Baekje's royal court. Under Joseon, the earlier earthen defences of Gongsanseong were rebuilt in stone, and the stronghold continued to serve local administration. Its surviving layers reflect repeated use by later governments rather than a capital abandoned after antiquity.

In 1602 the Chungcheong provincial governor's headquarters moved from Chungju to Gongju. The governor's establishment supervised a province of four mok and thirty-five other districts, making the town an important centre of official business. Provincial administration also supported book production: the Gongju headquarters, known as Geumyeong, maintained a publishing tradition studied through its surviving books and printing blocks. Civil government, textual scholarship and the fortified river site together gave Gongju an enduring place in the political life of western Korea.