Volunteer who fell with Jo Heon at the battle of Geumsan (pen name Gagok)
| Life | 1592 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 충주 박씨 |
Park Sa-jin (朴士振) was a volunteer of the Chungju Park, courtesy name Chiyong and pen name Gagok. Following his teacher Jo Heon (趙憲), he became one of the so-called 700 volunteers and is said to have fallen in the Imjin War at the battle of Geumsan in 1592. His birth year is not confirmed, and a memorial gate (jeongnyeo) is said to remain.
Jo Heon raised volunteers at Okcheon in Chungcheong, joined forces with the monk-soldiers of Yeong-gyu, and faced the Japanese army under Kobayakawa Takakage at Geumsan; outnumbered, nearly all 700 volunteers are known to have died. Their tomb is the Chilbaek Uichong at Geumsan, and Park Sa-jin is said to be among them.
His specific lineage and offices are not sufficiently confirmed in public sources. Only points confirmed from the brief account in the Wikipedia article on the Chungju Park are given, and a detailed chronology needs checking against the genealogy and records of the Chilbaek Uichong.
In 1592 Jo Heon raised volunteers in Chungcheong and marched toward Geumsan; they are commonly called the 700 volunteers. Park Sa-jin is said to have joined his teacher. The battle of Geumsan, fought together with the monk-soldiers of Yeong-gyu, is remembered as one in which most died before a large Japanese army.
A jeongnyeo memorial for Park Sa-jin is said to remain. The Chilbaek Uichong in Geumsan honors Jo Heon and the volunteers, and the Chungju Park lineage remembers his martyrdom as a source of pride.
He is said to be honored with the 700 volunteers at the Chilbaek Uichong in Geumsan.