The monument was built by King Jangsu, Kwanggaetho's son, in 414 to hand down his feats to posterity. It is located in Kuknaesong (Jilin Province of China at present), which was the capital of Koguryo.

It consists of body and footstone. Its body, square pillar-shaped tuff monolith, is 6.34 meters high and 1.43-1.9 meters wide.

Inscribed on the monument are 1 800 letters in total as an epigraph. This epitaph, made up of three parts, shows the level of Koguryo's development in political, economic, military and cultural aspects.

Its first part tells how King Tongmyong, the founder of Koguryo, built a country and deals with the history of successive kings in Koguryo, general estimation of King Kwanggaetho's feats and so forth.

The second part explains the feats Kwanggaetho had performed by extending Koguryo's territory with its powerful strength and promoting the unification of the three kingdoms.

The third part expounds the legal provisions for the management and protection of the mausoleum of King Kwanggaetho.