Naju City Accelerates Restoration of 'Hyangcheong' at Najumok Gwana

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yuk-bong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do, is accelerating the restoration of ‘Naju Mokgwana,’ a key project of the 8th local government administration aimed at establishing the identity of the thousand-year-old Moksa town and revitalizing tourism in the old downtown area.

On the 25th, the city announced that it plans to complete the restoration construction of the ‘Hyangcheong’ of Naju Mokgwana in the Gawon-dong and Geumgye-dong areas by February next year.

Naju Mokgwana (Historic Site No. 483) is a national historic site encompassing the Naju Mok guesthouse, Naea (inner quarters), government offices, Hyangcheong, and Hyanggyo within the Naju Eupseong fortress during the Joseon Dynasty.

It is considered a cultural heritage of high historical preservation value as it reflects the status of Naju Mok, which served as the administrative, economic, and educational center of Honam.

The restoration project of Naju Mokgwana began with the restoration of Manghwaryu of Geumseonggwan, the Naju Mok guesthouse (National Treasure No. 2038) in 2002, followed by Dongikheon in 2007, and the restoration of the Geumseonggwan pond in 2018, all of which have been completed to date.

The next restoration target, ‘Hyangcheong’ (鄕廳), was one of the local administrative facilities during the Joseon Dynasty, serving as an autonomous organization that advised and assisted the local magistrate. It played a role similar to that of a modern-day council.

The existence of Naju Mok Hyangcheong can be found in historical records such as ‘Dongguk Yeoji Ji Naju Mok Gungsiljo’ (1656), ‘Naju Gun-eupji’ (1899), and ‘Soksu Najuji’ (1920).

Although severely damaged during the construction of concrete buildings in later generations, with only the ‘Jeoksim’ (the stone foundation beneath the pillar base) remaining, the restoration plan was established by estimating the form and scale through photographic materials from the Naju Agricultural Land Improvement Association in the 1960s.

During the restoration design process, expectations for accurate restoration were raised with the discovery of the ‘Joseon Governor-General’s Office Local Government Office Relocation Administrative District Change Proposal Naju Plan’ (1911, held by the National Archives), which contains information on the original form of Hyangcheong. However, in January 2022, the Cultural Heritage Historic Site Subcommittee finalized the restoration plan based on the excavated remains.

The restoration of Hyangcheong began with an excavation survey in 2017, and a total project cost of 1.27 billion KRW, including 890 million KRW in national funds, will be invested by next year.

According to the Historic Site Subcommittee’s plan, the main Hyangcheong building will be restored in the form of a traditional hanok with a building area of 92.71㎡, featuring three bays in the front and two bays on the side.

In addition, the gatehouse and the remains of a well (one location) will be refurbished, and tourist convenience facilities such as a plaza and parking lot around Hyangcheong will be created.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “The 1872 map of Naju Mok shows several government buildings within the four main gates, indicating how prosperous Moksa town Naju was at the time. Through systematic preservation of existing cultural heritage and restoration of lost heritage, we will restore the reputation of Naju as the capital of Honam and enhance its utilization value, propelling Naju to become the number one historical and cultural tourism destination.”

Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yuk-bong baekok@asiae.co.kr

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