Jongno-gu Grants Honorary Street Names Including Women Independence Activists' Road, Simsangil, and Mugaejeongsa-gil

Yulgok-ro 3-gil is 'Yeoseong Doknip Undongga-gil', Seonggyungwan-ro 5-gil is 'Simsan-gil', Changui-mun-ro 5-ga-gil is 'Mugye Jeongsa-gil'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Jongno-gu (District Mayor Kim Young-jong) has assigned honorary road names reflecting Jongno’s unique traditions and historical characteristics to three road sections within the district.

The targeted areas are a total of three locations: ‘Yulgok-ro 3-gil’, ‘Sungkyunkwan-ro 5-gil’, and ‘Changuimun-ro 5-ga-gil’.

On October 23, the district officially designated honorary road names for these roads as ▲Women Independence Activists Road ▲Simsan Road ▲Mugyejeongsa Road, respectively.

First, the legal road name for ‘Women Independence Activists Road’ is ‘Yulgok-ro 3-gil’. Since it was previously also designated as the honorary road name ‘Gamgodang-gil’, both names will be used concurrently going forward. The section receiving the honorary road name extends 440 meters from Yulgok-ro 3-gil 1 to Yulgok-ro 3-gil 88.

This location is where Cha Mirisa (1880?1955), a female liberation activist and founder of Geunhwa Academy, the predecessor of Duksung Women’s Middle and High School under Duksung Academy, devoted herself to practicing national education during the Japanese colonial period. It is also the site where Geunhwa Academy students staged a “Manse” (long live) protest as part of the independence movement.

Cha Mirisa was recognized for her contributions to women’s education and the independence movement and was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Patriotic Medal) in 2002. Additionally, 21 Geunhwa Academy students were also honored as independence patriots, further emphasizing the significance of Women Independence Activists Road.

‘Simsan Road’ honors Simsan Kim Chang-suk (1879?1962), an independence activist, social activist, and educator. It covers a 560-meter section from Sungkyunkwan-ro 5-gil 1 to 112.

Throughout his life, Simsan Kim Chang-suk participated in independence movements resisting Japanese colonial rule. He opposed the Eulsa Treaty, raised funds for independence, and orchestrated the bombing of the Oriental Development Company by independence activist Na Seok-ju. He was arrested by Japanese police in Shanghai, sentenced to 14 years in prison, and suffered brutal torture that left him disabled.

After liberation, he founded Sungkyunkwan University to promote Confucian studies and nurture future scholars, serving as its first dean. At the end of 1950, he led a national movement to reclaim civil rights against Syngman Rhee’s dictatorship. For his lifelong dedication to the nation and people, he was awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Second Class, in March 1962.

‘Mugyejeongsa Road’ spans 560 meters from Buam-dong Changuimun-ro 5-gil 1 to Changuimun-ro 5-ga-gil 48.

Prince Anpyeong, the third son of King Sejong the Great, is said to have built a pavilion here after dreaming that the scenic eastern side of Inwangsan Mountain in Buam-dong resembled a peach blossom land. He composed poetry and practiced archery at this pavilion, which was called Mugyejeongsa (武溪精舍). Although only a rock engraved with the characters ‘Mugye-dong’ (武溪洞), believed to be written by Prince Anpyeong, and the site remain today, the nearby Mugyewon still preserves the pavilion’s atmosphere.

Moreover, the district decided to extend the honorary road name usage period for ‘Gamgodang-gil’ (Yulgok-ro 3-gil) and ‘Hangeullo’ (Jahamun-ro 1?190), which were set to expire on December 27 this year, by five years until December 27, 2025. The name ‘Hangeullo’ will be changed to ‘Hangeul-gil’. This change reflects the pure Korean word ‘gil’ (road) in consideration of the birthplace of King Sejong the Great.

District Mayor Kim Young-jong stated, “The Jongno area was the capital for 600 years during the Joseon Dynasty and was home to many great figures and cultural artists. Each alley contains the great cultural heritage and spirit of our ancestors. Although it would have been ideal to use road names reflecting this, in the early 2000s, legal road names were designated focusing on convenience, such as Yulgok-ro 1-gil, 2-gil, and 3-gil, which was regrettable. To preserve the pride of Jongno, which holds centuries of history, we will continue to discover historically meaningful areas and assign honorary road names.”

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