Dongnae Fortress Imjin War History Museum beneath Suan Station
The Dongnae Fortress Imjin War History Museum is a free exhibition space located on B1 of the concourse at Suan Station on Busan Metro Line 4. Visitors can explore the moat discovered during construction of Suan Station in 2005 and learn about the Battle of Dongnae Fortress during the Imjin War through scale models, excavated artifacts, and videos.
I’ve been here?
Your check-in helps the next traveler.
No one has checked in yet Be the first
One tap — no writing needed
Why the Exhibition Hall Was Built on Basement Level 1 of Suan Station’s Concourse
The Dongnae Eupseong Imjin War History Hall is located on basement level 1 of the concourse at Suan Station on Busan Metro Line 4. Its address is 223, Chungnyeol-daero, B1, Dongnae-gu, Busan (Suan-dong), and it is not a site reached by looking for a separate mountain fortress entrance; rather, it is a space where visitors view exhibitions inside the subway station.
The entire concourse area of Suan Station is 3,806㎡, while the currently listed exhibition area is 1,029㎡ (311 pyeong). When it first opened, Dongnae-gu introduced the history hall as having an area of 653㎡, so the figures may differ depending on the period and counting criteria.
Dongnae Eupseong in the 15th Century and the Battle of April 1592
The construction of Dongnae Eupseong is classified as having taken place in the 15th century. In 1446, Kim Si, the magistrate of Dongnae, rebuilt the fortress, and during the Imjin War, Dongnae Eupseong became a primary target of the Japanese army’s first attack along with Busanjinseong Fortress, resulting in a major battle.
The fortress collapsed during the Battle of Dongnae Fortress in April 1592. Reconstruction began again on January 3, 1731, and was completed on September 19 of the same year. Knowing this history helps visitors understand that the fortress model in the history hall is not simply a model of an old building, but a device showing changes between an early Joseon-period town fortress and its reconstruction after the war.
The Moat Revealed During Suan Station Construction in 2005
A moat from the early Joseon-period Dongnae Eupseong was discovered at the Suan Station construction site of the Busan Transportation Corporation in 2005, and an excavation survey was conducted. A moat is a ditch dug outside a fortress to allow water to flow through, and it is a historic site that helps explain the defensive system together with the fortress walls.
Human bones belonging to victims of the Dongnae Eupseong battle during the Imjin War, along with various weapons, were excavated from the moat. The excavated artifacts include weapons and armor, bows and arrows, and helmets, providing an opportunity to understand the weaponry system of the Joseon army at the time.
From the Dongnae Magistrate’s Martyrdom Painting to the Recreated Moat Exhibition
The exhibitions consist of a Dongnae Eupseong exhibition, a special Imjin War exhibition hall, weapons experiences, and a video exhibition room. The exhibits include 397 items, including the Dongnae Magistrate’s Martyrdom Painting, lamellar armor, and the moat, while the special exhibition includes 11 items.
The Dongnae Eupseong model in the history hall was restored based on surveys of the fortress walls and moat excavations, as well as the Dongnae Magistrate’s Martyrdom Painting, taking into account the fortress layout and building arrangement of an early Joseon-period town fortress. When the hall first opened, it featured a scale model of Dongnae Eupseong, a video room showing 3D footage of battle scenes, and exhibits recreating the moat excavation site. Excavated artifacts and weapons such as large swords and spears, as well as a weapons experience room, were also introduced.
Open from 10:00 to 19:00 and Closed on Mondays
General visiting hours are 10:00–19:00, and admission is free. The hall is closed every Monday, so visitors who include Monday in their Busan itinerary should move their visit to another day.
The opening hours listed for the Busan Transportation Corporation’s Line 4 exploration-learning program are 10:00–18:00. It is intended for groups of 20 or more and operates from Tuesday through Friday. Because the general visiting hours and group program hours are listed differently, group visitors are advised to contact 051-605-0115.
How to Enter Directly from Suan Station on Busan Metro Line 4
The simplest way to get there is to take Busan Metro Line 4 and get off at Suan Station. Since the history hall is on basement level 1 of Suan Station’s concourse, visitors should follow the concourse and exhibition signs inside the station rather than looking for a separate tourist-site entrance above ground.
Public information does not separately provide Suan Station exit numbers or walking distances from the exits to the history hall. Parking is listed as unavailable, so drivers cannot plan on parking in front of the history hall. When entering the address into a navigation system, remember that both the above-ground address, 223 Chungnyeol-daero, and the underground address, 223 Chungnyeol-daero, B1 (Suan-dong), are used.
Although the Exhibition Is Free, Group Visits Have Different Conditions
Admission for individual visitors is free. However, the Busan Transportation Corporation exploration-learning program is for groups of 20 or more and operates Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 to 18:00. Therefore, groups planning to include the video room or weapons experience in their itinerary should not assume that the arrangements are the same as for individual visits.
Facilities listed at Suan Station include elevator-related equipment and accessible men’s and women’s restrooms. However, no separate public information is available about wheelchair or stroller accessibility within the history hall’s exhibition space itself, including slopes and level changes. English-language information, an audio guide, photography restrictions, cash-only policies, and the presence of resident cultural tourism interpreters are also not confirmed in the public guidance.
The Present-Day Dongnae Eupseong, Selected as a Busan Future Heritage Site in 2019
The Dongnae Eupseong heritage associated with the Imjin War was selected as a Busan Future Heritage Site in 2019. Dongnae Eupseong is valued as a source for understanding fortress construction techniques from early Joseon, and the discovery of various remains, including the moat, during construction at Suan Station in 2005 clarified why the history hall came to be located inside the subway station.
Today, the history hall has been created inside Suan Station on Metro Line 4, making it easily accessible to residents. Unlike an archaeological visit involving a walk along the fortress walls remaining on the mountain, this site connects the excavated moat, 397 exhibits, 11 special exhibition items, the scale model, and the video room within a single underground space.
Before You Go
- Address
- 223, Chungnyeol-daero, B1, Dongnae-gu, Busan (Suan-dong)
- Hours
- General visits: 10:00–19:00. Busan Transportation Corporation Line 4 exploration-learning program (groups of 20 or more): Tuesday–Friday, 10:00–18:00.
- Closed
- Every Monday
- Admission
- Free
- Phone
- 051-605-0115
- Official site
- https://www2.humetro.busan.kr/homepage/default/page/subLocation.do?menu_no=100102060103
- Transport
- Basement level 1 of the concourse at Suan Station, Busan Metro Line 4
- Parking
- Unavailable
- Accessibility
- As a facility within Suan Station, it has elevator-related equipment and accessible men’s and women’s restrooms listed in the Busan Transportation Corporation’s facilities information. No separate information was found regarding wheelchair or stroller accessibility within the history hall’s exhibition space itself.
The information above is current as of the time of writing. Check the official information again before visiting.
Places
Nearby Attractions 3
-
1
Dongnae BuwonA place where you can explore the government office architecture and administrative heritage of Dongnae Buweon from the late Joseon period. -
2
Bokcheon MuseumA museum exhibiting Gaya artifacts, including earthenware and ironware from the Samhan and Three Kingdoms periods. -
3
Bokcheon-dong Ancient TombsA place to explore ancient culture by viewing tombs from the Gaya period and the artifacts excavated from them.
Food & Dining 2
-
4
Dongnae Halmae PajeonA restaurant serving traditional Dongnae pajeon made with seafood and green onions. -
5
Bae Jong-gwan Dongnae SamgyetangA place to savor Dongnae samgyetang and royal-style medicinal samgyetang made with traditional herbal ingredients.
Events in This Area
Festivals in This Area
More Travel Guides in This Area
Travel Guide
Yeondong Market, with 90 Shops That Began in a Yeonsan-dong Residential Area in 1978
Travel Guide
Busan’s Seodong Miro Market, with 391 shops lining a 1.5 km alley
Travel Guide
26,000 Marine Specimens at the End of the Forest Trail in Geumgang Park
Travel Guide
Geumgang Park Cable Car, Ascending to the 540 m Ridge of Geumjeongsan on a Route Dating to 1966
Korea News
![BLACKPINK’s Lisa Dominates the VMA Red Carpet in a Sheer Corset Dress and Red Fur [Star Issue]](https://kotourlive-images.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/news/1790557894714_010e956a_news_94409db1-fab6-40bf-bc7b-4b985b1fbac7.jpg)
News
BLACKPINK’s Lisa Dominates the VMA Red Carpet in a Sheer Corset Dress and Red Fur [Star Issue]
![BLACKPINK’s Jisoo Spotted by Surprise with BIGBANG in London… Their Special Loyalty as Labelmates [IS High Cut]](https://kotourlive-images.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/news/1790557854683_6ea979f5_news_caab62e5-8462-43c8-8622-da794f3df9de.png)
News
BLACKPINK’s Jisoo Spotted by Surprise with BIGBANG in London… Their Special Loyalty as Labelmates [IS High Cut]
News
Tattoos All Over Her Body… AOA’s Jimin Draws Shocked Attention After Kwon Mina’s ‘Bullying’ Allegations
![You’ll Have to Look Twice… Choi Min-a-soo Perfectly Pulls Off Everything from a Daring Illusion Dress at the Awards Ceremony to Long Braided Hair [RE:STAR]](https://kotourlive-images.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/news/1790492384850_1f293dad_news_d834c50e-0685-43ef-9aa5-6995cd6d8848.jpg)
News