황석산성 전투란 정유재란 초기단계인 1597년 8월 중순, 거창에서 전주로 통하는 교통의 요지인 해발 1, 190m의 황석산 산성에서 조선의 함양·안음 거창의 지역 군민과, 일본 右軍의 가토 기요마사(加藤淸正) 등 6만여명의 군대가 벌인 전투를 말한다. 당시 황석산성은 안음현감 곽준을 수성장으로, 別將으로 김해부사 백사림, 그리고 前함양군수 조종도가 지키고 있었다. 8월 16일 전투가 개시되어 중과부적인 조선군은 18일에는 완전 궤멸되었으나 김해부사 백사림은 미리 도주하였다. 황석산성 전투는 조명(朝明) 연합군 전투인 남원성 전투에 비해 별로 알려져 있지 않다. 관련 사료도 극히 적다. 그런데 함양 선비 정경운의 일기인 『고대일록』을 보면 황석산성 전투에 대한 많은 것들이 읽혀진다. 더구나 정경운은 안음현감 곽준과 막역한 사이였다. 산성에서의 전투 결과 성곽 안에서 조선인 353명이 피살되었지만, 산성주변의 계곡과 멀리는 백운산에까지 마수를 뻗은 일본군은 무자비한 학살 행위를 벌여 양민 수천 명을 학살하고 있다. 백운산으로 피난 갔던 정경운 조차 큰딸과 친척 4명을 이때에 잃고 있다. 황석산성 전투 이후 함양 일대와 중앙 정계에서는 싸우지 않고 도주한 김해부사 백사림을 비난하고 처형하자는 논의가 1612년까지 계속된다. 전투에 앞서 ‘附倭’를 일삼아온 김해 군사들이 먼저 도망했고, 백사림의 가족들에 뒤이어 백사림마저 도망가는 바람에 성이 함락되고 곽준의 父子들이 살해되었다는 것이다. 백사림 처형론자들은 백사림이 ‘通倭’하여 목숨을 부지했다고도 하고 있다. 이처럼 백사림 처형을 ‘영남의 士論’이라며 ‘公議’ ‘公論’으로 자리매김하려하는 분위기에 대하여 선조나 광해군은, 왜적 7명 참획과 ‘北道’ 방어 등등 속죄 조건을 충족했다며 처벌하지 않고 남은 여생을 보내게 하고 있다.
Hwangseoksanseong Fortress Battle refers to a battle waged by about 60,000 troops in Hwangseoksanseong Fortress located at an altitude of 1,190 meters above the sea level, which was the main point of the traffic from Geochang to Jeonju, in the middle of August, 1597, when the Second Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1597 was in the early stage. The civilian militia of Hamyang, Aneum and Geochang areas of Joseon Dynasty fought the battle with Kato Kiyomasa"s army, which was the Right group of the Japanese army. At that time, Hwangseoksanseong Fortress was being defended by Aneum county governor Gwak Jun as the fortress defense commander, Gimhae prefecture governor Baek Sa-rim as the special forces commander, and Jo Jong-do, who was a former Hamyang county governor. The battle began on August 16. Having a shortage of soldiers, the Joseon army completely collapsed in two days, before which Gimhae prefecture governor Baek Sa-rim had fled in advance. Hwangseoksanseong Fortress Battle is less known than Namwonseong Fortress Battle, which was a battle waged by the allied Ming-Joseon forces. Besides, there is little historical record related to it. Godae Illok, which is a diary of Jeong Gyeong-un, a scholar in Hamyang, tells much about Hwangseoksanseong Fortress Battle. In addition, Jeong Gyeong-un was a trusted confidant of Aneum county governor Gwak Jun. 353 Joseon people were killed as the result of the battle in the fortress. The Japanese army, which reached out to valleys around the fortress and to Baegunsan Mountain in the distance, killed thousands of people by ruthless massacre. Jeong Gyeong-un, who had fled to Baegunsan Mountain, was also bereaved of his eldest daughter and four relatives at that time. In Hamyang area and central politics, a debate about the condemnation and execution of Gimhae prefecture governor Baek Sa-rim, who had fled without fighting at all, arouse and continued until 1612 since Hwangseoksanseong Fortress Battle ended. Before the battle, soldiers in Gimhae who frequently ‘collaborated with Japan’ fled away first, and Baek Sa-rim also fled following his family. Consequently, the fortress was fallen, and Gwak Jun and his sons were killed. People who insisted on the execution of Baek Sa-rim asserted that he survived through ‘collusion with Japan.’ Like this, there was a strong argument that the execution of Baek Sa-rim should be regarded as ‘public consent’ or ‘public opinion’ under the pretext that it was based on the ‘public opinion of scholars in Yeongnam area.’ King Seonjo and King Gwanghae, however, allowed him to spend the rest of his life without punishment as they thought he satisfied the requirements for atonement since he killed 7 Japanese soldiers and defended the ‘northern province’.