Jeonbuk Jeongeup City announced on the 17th that it will hold an expert discussion at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 21st to gather diverse opinions from experts across various fields as the first step toward restoring Gobu Gwana.
Gobu was the central region of the Gobu Peasant Uprising, which marked the starting point of the Donghak Peasant Revolution. However, in 1914, due to the retaliatory administrative district reorganization by the Japanese colonial government, it was demoted from a county (gun) to a mere township seat.
In particular, Gobu, as the birthplace of the Donghak Peasant Revolution, was thoroughly destroyed, and Gobu Gwana, a symbol of Jo Byeong-gap's tyrannical rule, has left no traces except for a signboard indicating the historic site.
The Japanese colonial government demolished local government buildings and built schools to undermine the legitimacy of Joseon’s governance and administrative system.
Gobu Gwana was also systematically dismantled and altered by the Japanese, leaving no intact buildings, and it is difficult to find detailed records.
Accordingly, the city plans to restore Gobu Gwana, which was brutally damaged by the Japanese, to recover the nation's identity and spirit.
The expert discussion will begin with a presentation by Professor Shin Byung-wook of Jeonbuk National University on "The Necessity and Historical Significance of Restoring Gobu Gwana," followed by participation from six discussants.
Professors Kim Yang-sik of Cheongju University, Lim Hyung-jin of Kyung Hee University, Song Seok-gi of Gunsan University, Researcher Lim Kyung-hee of Yeungnam University, Director Jo Gwang-hwan of the Donghak History and Culture Research Institute, and Chairman Kim Cheol-mo of the Gobu Gwana Restoration Promotion Committee are expected to offer various suggestions for the restoration of Gobu Gwana during the comprehensive discussion.
The city plans not only to restore Gobu Gwana but also to renovate the surrounding area and link various cultural projects.
Mayor Lee Hak-su said, "The Donghak Peasant Revolution was an event that became the beginning of democratization, which most of the people sympathize with, and its start was the Gobu Peasant Uprising. We plan to restore the damaged historic symbolic space and utilize it as a place to enhance the status of Jeongeup as a revolutionary city and as a historical tourism and educational resource."
Jeongeup = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Jae-gil baekok@asiae.co.kr
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