"Naju-mok Dongheon Reconstruction to Begin"... Filling the Last Gap of the 'Millennium Magistrate City'

Focusing Administrative Efforts on Securing Next Year’s National Design Budget
Completing the Historical and Cultural Belt Linking Geumseonggwan and the Magistrate’s Residence

At the heart of the old city center of Naju, traces remain of "Naju-mok," which led the politics and administration of the Honam region for over 500 years. While treasures such as Geumseonggwan, the magistrate's residence, and Hyangcheong have all been sequentially restored, the "Dongheon"—the core space where the local governor conducted official affairs—has remained empty for a long time. In effect, the last puzzle piece needed to complete the Joseon-era government office complex has been missing.

Naju City has now officially begun efforts to put this final puzzle piece into place.

Naju City, now part of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, announced on July 20 that it has laid the groundwork for the project to reconstruct the Dongheon of Naju-mok through ongoing consultations with the Cultural Heritage Administration. The city added that it will seek to secure national funding for next year's detailed design implementation.

The project will pick up pace in the second half of this year. After discussions with the Cultural Heritage Administration in August, the plan is to undergo a review by the National Heritage and Historic Sites Subcommittee in September. Following that, the city intends to request in October that the government include the detailed design funding for the restoration—including the Dongheon—in the 2027 national budget.

The area of 31-1, Geumgye-dong, Naju, the target site for the restoration project of the Naju Mokguan Omandae building. Provided by Naju City.

If national funding is secured, the reconstruction of the Dongheon will enter the full-scale design phase.

The Dongheon was the central government building where the local governor in the Joseon Dynasty carried out key administrative and judicial work. This project is more than restoring a single building—it holds symbolic significance as it will complete the spatial structure of Naju-mok's government office, which represented the Honam region during the Joseon period.

Naju City has already been steadily pursuing government office restoration projects for more than a decade. Beginning with the demolition of the Geumgye Daily Market in 2012, the city sequentially restored key historical spaces centered on the treasured Geumseonggwan, along with Seuikheon, Dongikheon, a pond, and Hyangcheong. However, with the Dongheon missing, the core axis of the government complex has yet to be completed.

Once this project is finished, the Naju-mok government office will finally be completed as a unified historical space.

Naju City does not intend to stop at restoration alone. The plan is to develop the Dongheon area into a historical and cultural park that can be used both as a relaxation space for citizens and as a place where tourists can directly experience history and culture.

Detailed Map of Naju-mok Created in 1872 from Bibyeonsa, the Highest Military and Administrative Authority of the Joseon Dynasty in 1872 (Source - Cultural Heritage Administration). Provided by Naju City

Additionally, the city has devised a strategy to create a historical and cultural belt that connects nearby national heritage sites—including Geumseonggwan, the magistrate’s residence, Hyangcheong, and the Naju Eupsung Fortress—into a single route. Through this, Naju aims to expand tourism focused on longer stays and inject fresh vitality into the stagnating old downtown area.

This project also carries significance in that it was promoted after prolonged discussions with the Cultural Heritage Administration concerning both the principles of national heritage preservation and utilization strategies.

Byungtae Yoon, the mayor of Naju, has visited the Cultural Heritage Administration multiple times to explain the need for the project and to consistently request national funding support.

Mayor Yoon stated, "The Dongheon is the final puzzle piece in restoring the Naju-mok government office and symbolizes the history and dignity of Naju, the city of magistrates for a thousand years." He added, "More than just a simple restoration of a cultural asset, we will turn it into a vibrant historical and cultural park where citizens and tourists can experience and enjoy history and culture."

He went on to say, "We will work closely with the Cultural Heritage Administration to secure detailed design funding, and by reconstructing the Dongheon, we will revitalize the old downtown and strengthen cultural tourism competitiveness—laying a sustainable tourism foundation even beyond the '2026 Year of Visiting Naju.'

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