Hoengseong County to Submit 35 Major Agenda Items to Gangwon Province Toponymy Committee

Etymology of Registered Place Names Such as Pungsuwon
Geographical Storytelling of Local Toponyms

Hoengseong County in Gangwon Province announced on September 26 that it will submit 35 major agenda items, which have passed the Hoengseong County Toponymy Committee, to the Gangwon Province Toponymy Committee in November. The agenda items include 27 place names reviewed and approved this year, as well as 8 major intersections approved at the end of last year. Place names confirmed by the provincial committee will be officially registered as national toponyms in the National Geographic Information Institute’s toponym management system.

Pungsuwon landscape. Provided by Hoengseong County

One of the most notable cases is "Pungsuwon Samgeori," located in Yuhyeon 2-ri, Seowon-myeon. "Pungsuwon," also located in Yuhyeon 2-ri, Seowon-myeon, was officially registered in the toponym management system in 1961, and Hoengseong is the only place in the country with this name. True to its Chinese character origin, "Pungsuwon" means "a place where water is abundant and houses are clustered together."

In particular, the name "Pungsuwon" holds significant historical and geographical value due to its topographical characteristics. Traditionally, settlements called "Won" are located on natural levees formed by sediment accumulation in the upper reaches of rivers. These natural levees are less prone to flood damage and have good drainage, making them suitable for farmland and residential areas. The fact that the village was established on such a floodplain, matching the meaning of "a settlement abundant in water," adds further significance to the name Pungsuwon.

Pungsuwon is also notable as the site of Pungsuwon Catholic Church, the first Catholic church in Gangwon Province, making it a valuable historical and tourism resource.

The county plans to continue its efforts to designate place names in order to enable quick location identification during emergencies. In addition, it aims to enhance public awareness of the historical significance of local place names and utilize them as tourism resources by linking geographical features and landscapes of value with their respective toponyms.

Shin Seungil, head of the county’s Land and Property Division, stated, "We will accelerate our toponymy work to enhance the value of Hoengseong County’s place names both domestically and internationally through the designation of various toponyms."

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