A small stone bridge just east of the Koryo Museum, dating from 1216. The bridge itself is modest — it crosses a narrow stream and would attract no attention at all if not for what happened here in 1392. Koreans treat the spot with genuine reverence, and the story of Chong Mong-ju is still taught in schools on both sides of the border.
Sonjuk Bridge
Medieval bridge where a loyalist scholar was assassinated in 1392.
A story
In 1392, the scholar and loyalist Chong Mong-ju was lured to this bridge and killed by assassins working for Yi Songgye, who then founded the Joseon dynasty. Koreans regard Chong Mong-ju as a model of loyalty — he had refused to transfer his allegiance to the new order. A dark stain on one of the stones is traditionally said to be his blood; it reappears, locals claim, when it rains. Geologists attribute it to iron in the rock.