Jeonnam Province Designates Naju Eupseong Area as 'Architectural Heritage Promotion Zone'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province announced on the 29th that the Gawon-dong area, where Naju’s Geumseonggwan, Naju Hyanggyo, and Naju Eupseong Seoseongmun are concentrated, will be designated as the ‘Naju Eupseong Area Architectural Asset Promotion Zone.’

The Architectural Asset Promotion Zone is a system established under the ‘Act on the Promotion of Architectural Assets such as Hanok,’ aimed at reducing damage and loss through comprehensive and systematic management of areas densely populated with architectural assets such as Hanok, and preserving their scenic characteristics.

The promotion zone to be designated this time covers Gawon-dong, Seonae-dong, Sanjeong-dong, and Geumgye-dong in the Naju Eupseong area, with a total area of 98,459㎡.

The province completed the architectural committee review last month for the designation of the promotion zone and plans to officially designate and announce it on the 30th.

By 2025, a total project cost of 77.2 billion KRW will be invested to newly construct 235 traditional Hanok buildings (162 houses and 73 commercial buildings), and improve the landscape of walls and building exteriors to utilize them as historical and tourism cultural resources.

To this end, since 2016, the province has supported Naju City with 500 million KRW for the construction of traditional Hanok model houses and multi-story Hanok commercial buildings, and 100 million KRW for landscape improvement projects such as walls as part of the Hanok village creation project. Last year, it also supported 150 million KRW for public infrastructure facilities.

Additionally, when constructing Hanok houses and commercial buildings, Jeonnam Province provides subsidies of 15 million KRW and loans of 100 million KRW, while Naju City supports subsidies of 85 million KRW.

Once designated as an Architectural Asset Promotion Zone, national funds can be received for infrastructure maintenance such as roads, water supply and sewage, and parking lots, and regulations under the Building Act such as building coverage ratio and floor area ratio will be relaxed.

As a result, in the Naju Eupseong area, where narrow road widths previously made building permits impossible without demolishing stone walls, the relaxed regulations will allow construction activities while preserving the stone walls.

In particular, through various specialized architectural asset plans, the area will be developed as a cultural tourism and traditional experience and residential space linked with cultural assets such as Naju Geumseonggwan, the Moksa Naea, and Hyanggyo.

The Naju Eupseong area is expected to become a leading domestic tourist destination where Hanok residences, lodging experiences, and Hanok shops harmonize.

Kim Taesik, Director of the Architectural Development Division of Jeonnam Province, said, “The designation of the Naju Eupseong Area Architectural Asset Promotion Zone is the first step in preserving the traditional village cultural heritage disappearing in Jeonnam and turning it into a traditional tourism resource. The interest and cooperation of residents are needed to create experiential and residential spaces where the past, present, and future coexist.”