Naju-si 추진 'Geumseonggwan Dismantling and Repair Project'... Target Completion in 2027

Published 10 Jun.2024 11:28(KST)

The ‘Naju Geumseonggwan’ (錦城館), the largest guesthouse building from the Joseon Dynasty, is set to undergo dismantling and restoration for the first time in 140 years since its renovation in 1885.

Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Yoon Byeong-tae) announced on the 10th that on the 7th, it signed a business agreement with the Traditional Architecture Repair Technology Promotion Foundation (Chairman Kim Chang-jun), a special corporation under the National Heritage Administration (formerly the Cultural Heritage Administration), to promote the dismantling and restoration of Geumseonggwan.

Naju City signed a business agreement on the 6th with the Traditional Architecture Repair Technology Promotion Foundation under the National Heritage Agency to promote the dismantling and repair of Geumseonggwan, the largest guesthouse of the Joseon Dynasty.
[Photo by Naju City]

Geumseonggwan is a representative cultural heritage of Naju, a magistrate town with a thousand years of history, and is located centrally among other cultural heritages such as Naju Moksan Naea, Naju Hyanggyo, Seoseongmun, and the Gomtang Street, making it the top tourist spot in Naju.

The guesthouse served as a local palace enshrining the royal tablet symbolizing the king during the Joseon Dynasty and functioned as lodging for visiting officials and envoys.

It was built by Naju Magistrate Lee Yoo-in (李有仁) during the 18th to 20th years of King Seongjong’s reign (April 12, 1487 ? July 20, 1489).

It was subsequently renovated in 1775 and 1885, served as a military office during the Japanese colonial period, and underwent restoration work in 1976 to reach its current form.

Geumseonggwan holds architectural rarity not only due to its size but also because its roof is a ‘paljakjibung’ (hip-and-gable roof), contrasting with the typical gable roof of the jeongcheong (the central building of a guesthouse).

The paljakjibung refers to a roof with triangular hip sections on both sides.

In particular, the structure’s elevated platform (woldae), floor plan, elevation, and ceiling are composed similarly to the main hall of a royal palace, making it a highly dignified building.

Since 2017, following a detailed safety inspection of Geumseonggwan that raised concerns about structural safety due to aging, the city has been in ongoing discussions with the National Heritage Administration regarding the scope and direction of restoration.

From around April last year, as the building’s deformation rapidly progressed, emergency reinforcement work such as the installation of sliding supports and braces was carried out, and monitoring is ongoing.

The National Heritage Administration decided to dismantle and restore the building beyond the eaves level to repair wooden components such as pillars that could not secure structural safety due to rot and damage.

Accordingly, the city completed the dismantling and restoration design for Naju Geumseonggwan by December last year.

Through the agreement with the foundation, the city has established a mutual cooperation system for systematic dismantling and restoration work of Geumseonggwan.

While completing the building repairs, investigations and research will be conducted simultaneously, and all dismantling and restoration processes will be documented to preserve the national heritage value and improve repair quality.

The Geumseonggwan dismantling and restoration project is scheduled for completion in 2027, with a total budget of 10 billion KRW.

The project includes the installation of temporary protective structures, dismantling and restoration of Geumseonggwan, and surrounding maintenance work.

The city plans to install a promotional center to allow citizens and tourists to participate in the new journey of Geumseonggwan’s restoration, which is the first dismantling and restoration in 140 years since 1885, by opening the work site to the public.

Meanwhile, about ten officials from various institutions attended the agreement ceremony, including Naju Mayor Yoon Byeong-tae, National Heritage Administration Cultural Heritage Director Lee Jong-hee, Traditional Architecture Repair Technology Promotion Foundation Chairman Kim Chang-jun, and Jeollanam-do Cultural Prosperity Director Park Woo-yuk.

Mayor Yoon Byeong-tae said, “We will do our best for the successful dismantling and restoration of Geumseonggwan, a national heritage symbolizing the status of Naju-mok, the administrative center of Jeolla Province during the Joseon Dynasty,” and added, “We ask for citizens’ interest and cooperation for Geumseonggwan, which is entering a new phase after 140 years.”

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