[Interview] Kim Young-jong, Mayor of Jongno-gu: "We Will Devote All Efforts to Inheriting and Developing Han (韓) Culture to Preserve Jongno's Identity and Enhance Its Prestige and Competitiveness"

Focusing Efforts on Preserving the Most Korean Traditions Such as Hanok, Hanbok, Hansik, Hangeul, Hanji, and Urisori to Protect Traditional Culture

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “With the belief that our country’s culture and history are embodied in Jongno, we consider it our district’s duty to preserve this heritage. We have focused our efforts on protecting the most Korean elements such as hanok (traditional Korean houses), hanbok (traditional Korean clothing), hansik (Korean cuisine), Hangul (Korean alphabet), hanji (traditional Korean paper), and our traditional sounds.”

Kim Young-jong, Mayor of Jongno District, said this in an interview with this publication, explaining that since the 5th elected term, various related projects have been promoted to strengthen the self-sustaining power of Han (Korean) culture and to revive its identity.

Since the founding of Joseon, when Hanyang was established as the capital, Jongno has been the historical, political, cultural, and economic center of Seoul to this day. The entire area is a cultural heritage site, a “museum without a roof,” and Mayor Kim has taken on the role of “guardian of our culture.” Kim said, “With the belief that our country’s culture and history are embodied in Jongno, we consider it our district’s duty to preserve this heritage. We have focused our efforts on protecting the most Korean elements such as hanok, hanbok, hansik, Hangul, hanji, and our traditional sounds.”

They have purchased neglected hanok ruins and rebuilt them into 19th-century traditional hanok, such as ‘Sangchonjae,’ which showcases the beauty of hanok and the lifestyle of our ancestors, and ‘Cheongun Literature Library,’ a hanok library harmonizing with the old fortress paths in the city and the natural scenery of Inwangsan Mountain.

Additionally, materials that had been scattered due to demolition were gathered and carefully restored with minimal damage or alteration to create ‘Mugyewon,’ where people can experience hanok. They also operate the nation’s first ‘Hanok Demolition Material Recycling Bank,’ which systematically manages hanok materials removed due to urban development and provides them to residents at affordable prices. Mayor Kim added, “Hanok is an architectural form that well represents our culture, reflects our history and era, and emotionally provides warmth and comfort, making it suitable for public buildings used by many people.”

Alongside this, Jongno District holds the ‘Jongno Hanbok Festival’ every September throughout the Jongno area to promote the excellence of hanbok. The Hanbok Festival has been designated as a Cultural Tourism Promotion Festival by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and is recognized as a representative tourism content enjoyed by domestic and international tourists. In 2018 and 2019, they held ‘Proper Wearing of Our Clothes, Hanbok Forums’ to raise public interest in hanbok.

Jongno is especially significant in the history of Hangul. It is the birthplace of King Sejong, who created the unique Korean script Hangul; the village where Ju Si-gyeong, who preserved Hangul during national crises, lived; and the site of the Joseon Language Society, where numerous scholars risked their lives to protect Hangul. It also houses the Hangul Society, which continues the spirit of the Joseon Language Society, preserving the birth and development of Hangul intact.

Recognizing the connection between Jongno and Hangul, they published the book ‘Hangul Gaon Jongno’ last year, compiling research results.

The title ‘Gaon’ is a pure Korean word meaning ‘center’ or ‘middle,’ symbolizing that Jongno has been the foundation of Hangul history and culture from past to present.

The book covers detailed topics such as ‘The principles and background of Hunminjeongeum’s creation,’ ‘The modern Hangul movement continued by the Joseon Language Society,’ ‘Historical figures who illuminated and protected Hangul,’ ‘Hangul landmarks within Jongno,’ and ‘Hangul recorded through various media.’

Particularly notable are the studies on Ju Si-gyeong’s Hangul research, the Hangul movement by scholars of the Joseon Language Society (now the Hangul Society) who resisted Japanese colonial rule, and the district-by-district introduction of Hangul Gaon-gil located around Gwanghwamun. Mayor Kim said, “We have long pondered and researched to find Jongno’s role at the center of Hangul history and have included these findings in ‘Hangul Gaon Jongno.’”

Furthermore, to widely promote and preserve Korean cuisine culture, they hold the ‘Royal Court and Yangban Family Traditional Food Festival.’ To revitalize gugak (traditional Korean music), since 2011 they have hosted the ‘Gugak-ro Gugak Grand Festival,’ and in 2017, they opened the ‘Uri Sori Library’ in Ikseon-dong, contributing to the popularization of gugak in daily life. Mayor Kim Young-jong emphasized, “Living up to Jongno’s reputation as the district with the most cultural heritage in Seoul, we will continuously seek ways to lead the development of our Han culture and protect these precious assets. During the remainder of my term, I will strive to preserve Jongno’s identity and advance Han (Korean) culture.”

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