On the tenth day of the first lunar month in 1894, peasant forces led by figures including Jeon Bong-jun occupied the Gobu government office. The Donghak Peasant Revolution Foundation identifies abuses surrounding a newly built Manseokbo weir and water taxes as a central grievance.
The Gobu uprising became a fuse for the wider Donghak Peasant Revolution. It is best described as a local revolt against exploitation that helped set a nationwide movement in motion.