"From the Path of Exile to the Path of Culture"... Prince Geumseong's Narrative Reshapes Yeongju Tourism

Yeongju City in North Gyeongsang Province is accelerating efforts to strengthen its brand as a ‘City of Historical Culture’ by reinterpreting the story of Prince Geumseong’s loyalty and the historical narrative of King Danjong’s restoration as signature tourism resources. This is a strategic move to go beyond mere preservation of relics, expanding into experiential tourism content that combines figures, places, and stories.

At the Sanryeonggak Shrine in Gochiryeong, Yeongju City, the Sobaeksan Mountain God (Prince Geumseong) and the Taebaeksan Mountain God (King Danjong) are enshrined (appearance of the memorial tablet).

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On March 20, Yeongju City announced that an inspection team consisting of acting mayor Eom Taehyeon and senior officials conducted an on-site survey of the ‘Danjong Aesa Daegun-gil’ and the Gochiryeong area. This inspection served as a preliminary assessment aimed at systematically developing tourism content based on the historical event of King Danjong’s restoration.

The ‘Danjong Aesa Daegun-gil’ is a historical exploration trail created to follow the footsteps and loyalty of Prince Geumseong, who was exiled to Sunheung over 500 years ago. It is garnering attention as a core content symbolizing the region’s identity.

In particular, this trail is evaluated as having strong potential for development as a cultural tourism resource that combines walking and experiential activities, with its narrative centered around the tragic historical figures of King Danjong and Prince Geumseong.

Gochiryeong (altitude 770m), which was included in the inspection, is a major mountain pass of the Baekdudaegan mountain range and was once a key transportation hub connecting Gyeongsang, Chungcheong, and Gangwon Provinces. Due to its geographical feature of linking Yeongwol, where King Danjong stayed, and Sunheung, where Prince Geumseong was exiled, it holds great symbolic importance as a historical intersection of these two figures.

According to local folklore, it is said that Prince Geumseong exchanged secret messages with King Danjong and frequently crossed this pass. Today, a Sanryeonggak Shrine dedicated to both figures stands in the Gochiryeong area, further solidifying its historical significance.

Gochiryeong also served as a traditional route for itinerant merchants and peddlers, making it a space where the exchange of goods and the lives of ordinary people accumulated over time. Noting these multifaceted values, Yeongju City plans to develop multidimensional tourism content that links Daegun-gil and Gochiryeong.

The city plans to introduce experiential programs connected to the ecological resources of the Baekdudaegan in the future, and to establish a new tourism model called ‘Walking History’ through exploration content enhanced with historical interpretation and storytelling. The goal is to shift away from simple sightseeing tourism and transition toward stay-type and participatory tourism.

On the 20th, Youngju City visited Daegungil and Gochiryeong to conduct an on-site inspection for the development of storytelling-style exploration content.

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A Yeongju City official stated, “We will reinterpret the integrity of Prince Geumseong and the historical significance of King Danjong’s restoration as modern content to secure Yeongju’s unique competitive edge in tourism,” and added, “As the region’s history and stories become future assets, we will continue to build a sustainable foundation for historical and cultural tourism.”

This on-site inspection is significant as a turning point in shifting from simple preservation to the utilization of Yeongju’s historical assets. Attention is focused on whether the trail imbued with Prince Geumseong’s unwavering spirit can become a new growth engine for the region.

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