Park Seo’s Defence of Gwiju

In the first Mongol invasion Park Seo and Kim Gyeong-son held Gwiju against repeated Mongol assaults, opening the gates only when the court, having made peace, ordered them to.

In 1231 a Mongol army under Sartai crossed the Yalu. For over a month the soldiers and people of Gwiju beat off catapults, fire attacks and tunnelling. An old Mongol commander is said to have marvelled that in a lifetime of war he had never seen a fortress endure such assaults without surrendering. The Mongols besieged Gaegyeong, Goryeo sued for peace, and the Mongols left behind 72 darughachi overseers.