Hong Kyŏngnae's Rebellion

Hong Kyŏngnae's Rebellion (Korean: 경래의 난; Hanja: 洪景來ㅡ亂) was a peasant revolt that occurred between 31 January 1812 and 29 May 1812 in Joseon. It was led by Hong Kyŏngnae and the upperclass yangban of Pyeongan Province, who were unhappy with a tax regime based on government-administered high-interest loans. Impoverished farmers joined them following a year of exceptionally poor harvest, when they were forced nonetheless to contribute to a "grain fund". It is also called the Gwanseo Peasant War.

The rebellion was initially quite successful. At its height, the rebels controlled most of the area north of the Cheongcheon River, including the town of Jeongju, which was fortified to withstand invasions from Manchuria (then part of Qing China). Whenever the rebels took over a district, they distributed government grain to the people.

However, the rebels suffered defeats in the battles of Pine Grove and Four Pine Field, which caused them to withdraw to Jeongju. There, they came under siege by government forces. The rebellion was put down a few months later, on 19 April, when the government forces breached the town wall with a gunpowder charge. Hong Kyŏngnae was killed in the fighting. Other rebel leaders were also killed in battle or executed. Thousands of people caught up in the uprising, including boys as young as 10, who were also executed.

Although it failed, Hong Kyŏngnae's rebellion may have provided momentum for other popular armed uprisings in different parts of Korea seeking a more just society. The culmination of these was the Donghak Rebellion in 1894, centered in southern province of Jeolla.