Name: Northeastern Watchtower (Dongbuk Gongsimdon), Hwaseong Fortress
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Northeastern Watchtower (Dongbuk Gongsimdon), Hwaseong Fortress

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South Korea

Northeastern Watchtower (Dongbuk Gongsimdon), Hwaseong Fortress

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Location: South Korea

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Best Hikes to Northeastern Watchtower (Dongbuk Gongsimdon), Hwaseong Fortress

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1. Hwaseong Fortress – Yeonmudae Observation Post loop from Godeung-dong

7.74km

02:09

130m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

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2. Hyeongjebong Peak – Hwahongmun Gate loop from Yeonghwa-dong

14.7km

04:20

400m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

Maik

September 7, 2025

This is a watchtower for monitoring the surroundings and attacking enemies. Its Korean name, gongsimon, means

"hollow outpost." This is because a gongsimdon conventionally has no facilities in its tall brick tower apart from an inner staircase and arrowslits in the walls. In Korea, this kind of watchtower was only constructed in Hwaseong Fortress. There were originally three watchtowers in Hwaseong Fortress, but only two remain today.

The Northeastern Watchtower is the only cylindrical brick building constructed during the Joseon period. It consists of three floors and is topped with a pavilion. It is also called "Soragak," literally meaning "conch tower," referring to the shape of the spiral staircase inside. This watchtower was largely destroyed during the Korean War (1950-1953) and was reconstructed in 1976.

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Elevation 80 m

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Saturday 20 September

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Max wind speed: 5.0 km/h

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See hikes here

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Location: South Korea

Northeastern Watchtower (Dongbuk Gongsimdon), Hwaseong Fortress

1. Hwaseong Fortress – Yeonmudae Observation Post loop from Godeung-dong

2. Hyeongjebong Peak – Hwahongmun Gate loop from Yeonghwa-dong

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