Jeonnam Province Conducts Thorough Correction of 461 'Incorrect Place Names' Including Japanese-style Names

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province (Governor Kim Young-rok) is undertaking a comprehensive correction of incorrect place names related to the Japanese colonial era.

According to Jeonnam Province on the 3rd, the ‘Jeollanam-do Place Name Committee’ reviewed and approved 458 place names in Yeosu City and 3 in Sinan County for correction, and submitted them to the National Place Name Committee.

This review and approval by the provincial place name committee is part of the ‘Japanese-style Place Name Survey and Correction’ initiative launched last year, covering one newly established maritime bridge name in Yeosu City, 439 newly assigned names, 18 abolished names, and three newly established maritime bridge names in Sinan County.

The maritime bridge connecting Jangsu-ri, Hwayang-myeon, Yeosu City, and Jobaldo, Hwajeong-myeon, was reviewed and approved as ‘Hwayang Jobal Bridge’ following an agreement between the residents of Hwayang-myeon and Jobaldo.

Additionally, 439 place names that had been used informally among Yeosu residents without official notification were newly assigned after on-site investigations and gathering residents’ opinions.

The newly assigned names include Expo Tunnel (Pyeongyeo-dong, Yeosu City), Yeocheon Station Intersection (Yeocheon-dong, Yeosu City), Myodo Bridge (Myodo-dong, Yeosu City), Jonggisan Mountain (Sagok-ri, Sora-myeon, Yeosu City), Chaeyang Mountain (Sangbong-ri, Yulchon-myeon, Yeosu City), and Dangsan Park Bridge (Ando-ri, Nam-myeon, Yeosu City), among others.

Notably, ‘Ando Pedestrian Bridge’ in Ando-ri, Nam-myeon, Yeosu City, is a pedestrian skywalk leading into Ando Dangsan Park. Since Ando holds the Dangsan Festival, a Yongwangje ritual, at Dangsan Park, reflecting the residents’ desire to highlight the regional identity of Dangsan, the name ‘Dangsan Park Bridge’ was newly assigned.

Place names that were officially notified in the 1960s but have since changed in status, are no longer used by local residents, or have been incorporated into developments such as Yeosu Airport, port areas, and Yulchon Industrial Complex, have been abolished.

The three maritime bridges in Sinan County are to have their names established and officially notified before their completion in March next year. Residents’ opinions were collected through a website contest and preference surveys were reflected.

The maritime bridges connecting Jido-eup, Sinan County to Imja-do were named ‘Imja 1 Bridge’ and ‘Imja 2 Bridge,’ and the maritime bridge connecting Sugok-ri, Amtae-myeon, Sinan County to Chupo-do was named ‘Chupo Bridge,’ all reviewed and approved accordingly.

Jeong Aesook, Director of the Land Management Division of Jeonnam Province, said, “Place names reflect the geography and cultural values of the region, and recently there has been an expanding view of place names as cultural heritage. We will continue to promote place name corrections to recover the identity of our disappearing place names and to make them cultural resources that can represent the region.”

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