Seoul City Strengthens Management of 25 Anti-Japanese Independence Sites... Additional Discovery of Anti-Japanese Independence Heritage

Joint Annual Inspection by Cultural Heritage Committee Members, Managers, and Owners for Proactive Maintenance and Repair
Introduction of Night Lighting, 24-Hour Open Restrooms, Braille Signage, and Barrier-Free Access Paths

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 23rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will renovate the guidance facilities of 25 anti-Japanese independence-related cultural properties, strengthen management and promotion, so that citizens can easily recognize and visit the anti-Japanese independence heritage and honor the noble patriotism of independence activists.

The anti-Japanese independence-related cultural properties located in Seoul include 19 nationally designated cultural properties and 6 Seoul-designated cultural properties. Looking at the 25 cultural properties by type, there are 6 park-type cultural properties such as Tapgol Park and Hyochang Park, 10 tomb-type cultural properties such as the graves of Ahn Chang-ho and Son Byeong-hui, and 9 building-type cultural properties such as Gyeonggyojang and Simujang.

First, to strengthen cultural property maintenance, all anti-Japanese independence-related cultural properties will undergo a joint regular inspection once a year to proactively prepare for any defects. In addition, expert advice will be provided in the preservation and management fields according to the type of each cultural property, such as parks, tombs, hanok, and monuments. Typically, cultural property maintenance is carried out after defects such as leaks occur and are reported, but for the 25 anti-Japanese independence-related cultural properties, experts will identify potential defects in advance to fundamentally prevent them.

Furthermore, management will be strengthened according to each type of cultural property. Park-type cultural properties adjacent to entertainment districts, such as Tapgol Park and the Boshingak site, will expand management facilities and strengthen nighttime patrols to prevent damage caused by intoxicated persons and homeless people. In particular, Tapgol Park will enhance citizens’ awareness of the environment around the cultural property through environmental improvements such as expanding CCTV, installing temporary lighting, and placing flower pots around the fence. Additional signboards will also be installed to guide intoxicated persons who need restrooms to use the nearby 24-hour open restroom (Namin-sa Yard Restroom).

At the tombs of independence activists such as Son Byeong-hui, barrier-free access facilities and Braille guide maps will be introduced to improve accessibility for vulnerable groups such as people with mobility difficulties and the visually impaired. Construction around cultural properties is restricted to preserve their original form. Therefore, this project will be implemented at the tombs of independence activists where construction is possible without damaging the cultural properties, including Kim Chang-suk, Shin Ik-hee, Son Byeong-hui, Yeo Un-hyung, Lee Si-young, and Lee Jun.

Additionally, security and disaster prevention facilities such as CCTV, fire extinguishers, and intrusion sensors will be expanded at Cheondogyo Central Church and Seungdong Church. New cultural property signboards with no glare and high readability will be installed at Tapgol Park, Jangchungdan Monument, and Changnyeong Wigung Jesa. In the excavation field, efforts will continue to discover additional lost anti-Japanese independence sites that are not designated as cultural properties but have protective value, and to install markers.

The ‘Smart Seoul App’ will provide the ‘Map of Anti-Japanese Independence Heritage in Seoul’ to comprehensively offer related information so that more citizens can easily recognize the anti-Japanese independence heritage. The map of anti-Japanese independence heritage will provide information on 25 anti-Japanese independence cultural properties located in Seoul and the areas where markers for anti-Japanese independence sites are installed, increasing citizens’ interest and accessibility.

Moreover, tour programs related to anti-Japanese independence heritage will be planned by base and theme so that citizens can honor the spirit of independence at historical sites. Seoul plans to conduct programs such as visiting anti-Japanese independence sites like Tapgol Park → Seungdong Church → Dilkusha → Gyeonggyojang while listening to expert lectures; events issuing mobile stamps when passing specific points of anti-Japanese independence heritage sites and offering prize draw opportunities; and history education programs at sites where independence movements occurred, categorized by themes such as the March 1st Movement, armed anti-Japanese struggles, and patriotic enlightenment movements.

Joo Yong-tae, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Culture Headquarters, said, “We plan to renovate related heritage and guidance facilities so that all citizens can easily recognize and visit the anti-Japanese independence heritage, strengthen management to prevent damage, and provide information. We hope that this focused management plan will serve as an opportunity for all Seoul citizens to honor the noble anti-Japanese independence spirit of patriotic fighters.”

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