He had passed the examination to enter the civil service when he was thirty-four, but was denied a post as his essay portion was harshly critical of the government.
Kwak began raising a militia to defend the free parts of Kyongsang province from the invaders.
[2] Kwak Chaeu disrupted Japanese supply lines around the Nakdong River in many guerrilla actions.
In multiple attempts to cross the river, Ankokuji suffered many losses, and was forced to abandon his attack on Uiryeong.
[citation needed] While Chaeu's robe is often simply described as red, Samuel Hawley further elaborates that the robe was "dyed in the first menstrual blood of young girls, which he believed suffused the garment with yin energy that would repel the yang energy of Japanese bullets.