[Column] Cheonghaejin 1200th Anniversary: Questioning the Future of a 'Maritime Powerhouse' and the 'Integrated Special City'

The upcoming year 2028 marks exactly the 1,200th anniversary since Jang Bogo built Cheonghaejin in Wando. Cheonghaejin was established in the lunar month of April in 828. In 1996, the government of the Republic of Korea converted lunar April to May in the solar calendar and designated May 31, the last day of May, as the national holiday "Day of the Sea." Therefore, May 31, 2028, which will mark the 33rd Day of the Sea, is a meaningful day, as it commemorates precisely the 1,200th anniversary of the construction of Cheonghaejin.

Cheonghaejin, the “First Maritime Glocal,” Foretold 21st-Century Korea

The fact that the construction date of Cheonghaejin became the origin of Korea’s "Day of the Sea" is due to its overwhelming historical symbolism. First, Jang Bogo dominated maritime relay trade in East Asia, connecting the Tang, Silla, and Japan, based on the "local" region of the southwestern islands and coastal areas. Cheonghaejin is thus Korea’s first successful "maritime glocal (global + local) model."

In the early 9th century, Jang Bogo was able to dominate the East Asian seas via Cheonghaejin, thanks to the "Silla ships," which boasted the highest performance of their time. This is a historical microcosm of how, in the 21st century, "Korean ships" command the world’s seas, leading the Republic of Korea as a maritime powerhouse. Moreover, Jang Bogo transferred the production technology of celadon—considered the "semiconductor" of that era—from the Tang dynasty to regions such as Haenam and Gangjin, making Silla the world’s second-largest producer of celadon. This laid the foundation for the creation of Goryeo celadon, an immortal work of creative art. This, too, closely mirrors how the semiconductor industry, which originated in the United States, took root in Korea and has now flourished to world-class levels.

Therefore, the decision in 1996 to designate the construction date of Cheonghaejin as the "Day of the Sea" was an outstanding choice that foresaw and propelled Korea’s rise as a maritime and semiconductor powerhouse in the 21st century. Now, as we approach the 1,200th anniversary of Cheonghaejin's construction in 2028, there is a national imperative to commemorate this milestone on a grand scale, to remember the historical achievements of Cheonghaejin, and to use this legacy as the driving force for Korea’s future as a maritime nation.

In 2028, We Must Proclaim the “Spirit of Cheonghaejin” for Peace and Co-prosperity

In early January, President Lee Jaemyung, during his state visit to China, emphasized the "Byeokrando Spirit" in his speech at the Korea-China Business Forum. He highlighted the historical lesson that, even when diplomatic relations between Goryeo and Song China were severed due to diplomatic and military pressure from the Khitan (Liao) and Jurchen (Jin), civilian exchanges and trade centered on Byeokrando at the mouth of the Yesong River never ceased. This was a timely message stating that, regardless of the challenges in today’s international situation, Korea-China exchanges must continue.

Now, with the 1,200th anniversary of Cheonghaejin approaching in 2028, I hope that the President will personally proclaim the "Spirit of Cheonghaejin" in Wando. The spirit of Cheonghaejin, which led the way for peace and co-prosperity in East Asia through maritime relay trade connecting the Tang, Silla, and Japan, is the true vision and ethos that we must embrace to actively navigate today’s complex East Asian relations.

However, less than two years remain until 2028. Yet, it is regrettable that few people recognize the immense significance of Cheonghaejin’s 1,200th anniversary. To ensure a successful anniversary, we must begin implementing a three-stage roadmap starting this year, 2026, without delay.

First, in the initial stage this year, 2026, a national-level master plan for commemorative projects must be established, while simultaneously initiating "warming-up" efforts to gradually build public support. In the second stage, in 2027, efforts should focus on securing budgets in line with the master plan and launching "boom-up" activities to generate nationwide interest. Finally, in the third stage, in 2028, a grand commemorative event marking the 1,200th anniversary of Cheonghaejin should be held in Wando, the birthplace of Cheonghaejin, around the 33rd Day of the Sea on May 31. The highlight should be the President’s official proclamation of the "Spirit of Cheonghaejin," creating a historic moment.

The Launch of the Unified Special City: A Turning Point for the Southwestern “Maritime Megacity”

On July 1, the "Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special City," encompassing Gwangju Metropolitan City and Jeollanam-do, was officially launched. While some are concerned about the side effects of the integration process, insisting on perfect preparation before unification is, in effect, a refusal to unify. As such a decisive launch was inevitable, what matters most now is practical determination to resolve the many challenges ahead.

First, the Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special City must use the “Spirit of Cheonghaejin” as a compass, proactively preparing the 1,200th anniversary commemorative projects while refining its identity and vision for the future. Historically, the seas of this special city, connecting the West and South Seas, have been the birthplace of the Korean peninsula’s maritime civilization and the core of East Asia’s maritime network. Now, the southwestern seas must be used to revive the ancient glory of maritime civilization in a 21st-century context.

Recently, positive developments have emerged, particularly in the field of renewable energy. With infrastructure being built for solar power generation in Solaseido, Haenam, and wind power in Shinan, as well as the opening of Korea Energy Engineering University in Naju and the selection of an artificial sun research facility, the southwestern region is becoming a mecca for renewable energy. Additionally, the establishment of the Solaseido AI Data Center and the announcement of plans for a semiconductor cluster in Gwangju are fueling expectations for the rise of a new industrial park centered on energy and AI.

The Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special City must undoubtedly accelerate the promotion of new industries encompassing climate, energy, AI, and semiconductors. However, this alone is not enough. At the same time, the region must restore its historical status as a global maritime gateway in order to fully establish the special city’s identity. With the 1,200th anniversary of Cheonghaejin as a turning point, I hope the southwestern region will, alongside the Busan-centered southeastern region, become one of the two pillars of Korea’s maritime policy. In that spirit, I offer a few suggestions.

First, it is necessary to establish a tentatively named "Fisheries and Aquaculture Food Agency" and to host an exposition. The southwestern region is a world-renowned archipelago, home to 65% of Korea’s islands and a treasure trove of fisheries and aquaculture. In line with the era’s shift from "catch fisheries" to "cultivated fisheries," I propose establishing a government agency headed by a vice minister in the southwestern region. In addition, a tentatively named "World Fisheries and Aquaculture Expo" in the southwestern region should be held to identify global trends in aquaculture and position the region at the center of this industry. If the southeastern region, based on the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, serves as Korea’s "marine capital" leading out to the open ocean, the southwestern region should become Korea’s "island capital," maximizing the competitiveness of its archipelago.

Furthermore, a gateway port for the 21st-century "Maritime Silk Road" must be constructed. While the southeastern region is the gateway to the Pacific and Arctic shipping routes, the southwestern region was the starting point of the traditional Maritime Silk Road. The Maritime Silk Road was a route of civilizations stretching from Korea’s southwest through the east coast of China, Southeast Asia, India, and Southwest Asia to the Mediterranean in Europe. To revive the power of the Maritime Silk Road in a manner befitting the 21st century, it is necessary to build a proper new outer port on one of the outer islands beyond the archipelago and to deploy shipping routes accordingly.

Finally, a grand unification initiative centered on the "Old Jeolla-do Megacity" is required. It is important to overcome the closed practice of each basic local government unit fending for itself and, at the same time, to envision a super-regional maritime alliance of "Old Jeolla-do" that includes Jeonbuk, home to Saemangeum, and Jeju Island, the mecca of marine tourism. This will be a key to balanced national development comparable to the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (BUK) Megacity.

Unification is the spirit of the age that the southwestern region must achieve. With the approaching 1,200th anniversary of Cheonghaejin, I sincerely hope that we can revive citizens’ pride by reconstructing the "first successful maritime glocal model" and usher in a great wave of unification and advancement.

By Kang Bongryong, history writer (Professor Emeritus at National Mokpo University, Chairman of the Jang Bogo Maritime Research Association)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.