The Chungju area is a strategic site located along major land routes that cross the Sobaek Mountain Range, connecting the Chungcheong and Yeongnam regions. It is also a significant point on the Han River waterway, allowing access by boat to Hanseong via the Namhan River, a main tributary of the Han River. Additionally, as one of the primary iron-producing areas of the Korean Peninsula, ironworking activities were carried out here from the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period. Due to these strategic advantages, Chungju region was successively occupied by Baekje, Koguryo, and Silla during the Three Kingdoms Period. Jangmi Fortress in Chungju is understood within this historical context.
Jangmi Fortress is a stone-walled mountain fortress constructed on the summit of Jangmi Mountain, which is located along a route leading into the Chungju Basin via the Han River. The remaining walls of the fortress stretch for a total of 2.94 kilometers. Although it is generally believed that the fortress was constructed after Silla's expansion into the Chungju area after the mid-6th century, the discovery of artifacts such as Hanseong Baekje pottery and Goguryeo-style iron arrowheads raises the possibility that the fortress may have been built earlier.
Recent excavations of the northern wall of Jangmi Fortress have uncovered an earthen wall and associated features beneath the stone wall, suggesting the possibility of an earlier construction phase. This study examines Jangmi Fortress in Chungju to evaluate its potential role as a regional fortress of Hanseong Baekje and explore its historical significance.