Yeongju City Holds 'Samaso Restoration Completion Ceremony'

Restoring a Symbolic Space of Seonbi Spirit
Strengthening Local Cultural Identity

On October 20, Yeongju City in North Gyeongsang Province held the 'Samaso Restoration Completion Ceremony' in the Yeongju-dong area.

Yeongju City is holding the 'Samaso Restoration Completion Ceremony.' Photo by Yeongju City

Samaso, established in 1509 (the 4th year of King Jungjong's reign), was an association of Confucian scholars that contributed to local enlightenment through academic and political discussions as well as educational activities. It is regarded as a symbolic heritage of Seonbi culture.

This restoration project was carried out from 2022 with a total budget of 1.25 billion won (500 million won from the provincial government and 750 million won from the city government). The restored Samaso is a wooden structure with a tiled roof, measuring five bays across the front and two bays on the side (building area: 67.5 square meters). Construction was completed in April 2025.

About 300 people, including members of the Buyonggye Association and key guests, attended the completion ceremony to reflect on the historical significance of Samaso and celebrate its restoration. The event began with a pungmul (traditional Korean percussion) performance, followed by a restoration progress report, presentation of appreciation plaques, congratulatory remarks, and a tape-cutting and unveiling ceremony.

Yeongju City expects that this restoration will serve as an opportunity to shed new light on the historical value of the old downtown area and further enhance the region's cultural dignity.

Samaso is expected to become a space symbolizing the Seonbi spirit, alongside the abundant historical and cultural resources near Buyongdae. It will be used as an open cultural venue where citizens and visitors can experience traditional culture.

Jo Jonggeun, head of the Culture and Arts Division of Yeongju City, said, "Samaso is an important cultural heritage symbolizing the Seonbi spirit and academic tradition," adding, "With this restoration, we aim to restore the historical value of the old downtown and enhance local cultural pride."

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