FechTin Go · South Korea · Gyeongnam

Jinju Fortress & the Namgang Lantern Festival

Kang Byeong Kee · CC BY 3.0

A riverside fortress tied to two brutal sieges, lit each October by thousands of lanterns.

In 1592 three thousand defenders of Jinju threw back twenty thousand Japanese troops — one of the three great victories of the Imjin War. The following year the fortress fell, and the courtesan Non-gae pulled a Japanese commander into the Nam River with her from the rock beneath Chokseongnu pavilion. Today the fortress is a quiet park above the water. Each October the Jinju Lantern Festival floats thousands of paper lanterns on the river, a custom descended from wartime signal lamps.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Jinju Fortress & the Namgang Lantern Festival?

October (lantern festival)

How much does it cost to visit Jinju Fortress & the Namgang Lantern Festival?

2,000 KRW (1,000 teens, 600 children) between 09:00 and 18:00; outside those hours entry is free

How long do you need at Jinju Fortress & the Namgang Lantern Festival?

2 hours

What are the opening hours of Jinju Fortress & the Namgang Lantern Festival?

05:00–23:00

Did you know

• Site of the sieges of 1592 and 1593 during the Imjin War.
• Chokseongnu is one of the three most celebrated pavilions in Korea.
• The Namgang Lantern Festival is held each October.
• The Jinju National Museum inside the walls covers the Imjin War.

Travel tips

• Come in October for the lantern festival, and book a room early.
• The fortress is lit at night and pleasant to walk along the river.
• Jinju has its own style of bibimbap — try it at the central market.

Source: https://www.jinju.go.kr/02238.web

Updated: 2026-08-04