Yeosu City, Restoring Cultural Heritage to Boost National Pride and Develop Tourism Resources

Restoration and Maintenance of Jinnamgwan and Jeollajwasuyeong Dongheon
Creation of Old Fortress Street at Samdosugun Tongjeyeong Site Also Planned

Yeosu City in Jeollanam-do plans to restore key local cultural heritage sites to enhance pride in its national defense history, while also utilizing them as tourism resources.

According to the city on the 18th, projects such as the restoration of the Jeollajwasuyeong Dongheon, the creation of the first Samdosugun Tongjeyeong Old Fortress Street, the maintenance and repair of Jinnamgwan, and the development of the Seonso Theme Garden are underway throughout the area.

Restoration Project Bird's-eye View of Jeolla Left Naval Command Government Office Area. Provided by Yeosu City

The historical sites where these projects are being carried out are all highly valued for their historical and cultural significance, embodying the region's authenticity and pride, which has generated great interest among citizens.

Accordingly, the city aims to use these projects to raise awareness of national defense history and establish them as core infrastructure for historical and cultural tourism.

Jeollajwasuyeong was established in the 10th year of King Seongjong's reign during the Joseon Dynasty (1479) and served as a strategic stronghold for the Joseon navy for 417 years until the 32nd year of King Gojong's reign (1895). During the Imjin War, it served as the supreme command of the Joseon navy, and was also where Admiral Yi Sunshin, the Samdosugun Tongjesa, commanded his troops and wrote his war diary.

The restoration project will reconstruct eight buildings, including Unjuheon, within the former Dongheon, and develop the surrounding area into a park. Scheduled for completion in 2029, the basic plan was established in 2015, and since 2017, related land acquisitions and four rounds of archaeological investigations have been conducted. Since the start of the 8th popularly elected administration, 10 billion KRW has been invested, and last year, the city completed the purchase of 82 land parcels and 53 buildings at the restoration site. Demolition work on the acquired buildings was completed this year. Last month, the city commissioned a 'Comprehensive Maintenance Plan', and after its completion next year, the restoration will proceed through various administrative procedures and detailed design services.

The Jeollajwasuyeong and the first Samdosugun Tongjeyeong Old Fortress Street stretches approximately 1.74 km from Dongsan-dong through Gwanmun-dong, Goso-dong, Jungang-dong, to Gunja-dong. The city plans to create street designs that reflect the spirit of national defense and local characteristics in this area. The detailed design service will be completed within this year, and full-scale implementation will begin next year.

The Jinnamgwan maintenance and repair project, which has been underway since 2015, is nearing completion, with reopening scheduled for February next year. The city also plans to launch a media facade project next year. Once these projects are completed, the city intends to establish the Jeollajwasuyeong Dookje and Naval Departure Ceremony as regular programs, branding them as unique traditional cultural and artistic performances of Yeosu. The city is also considering partially restoring the east, west, and south gates and fortress walls of the Jeollajwasuyeong and the first Samdosugun Tongjeyeong fortress, and introducing a 'Gatekeeper Shift Ceremony'.

The Seonso Theme Garden project will invest 23.9 billion KRW, including national and provincial funds, in the Seonso historical site in Sijeon-dong, Yeosu, to build a Seonso Theme Media Exhibition Hall, walking trails, and hanok-style restrooms. The Seonso Theme Media Exhibition Hall will be a two-story building with a total floor area of 3,859 square meters, featuring a state-of-the-art immersive video theater and a knowledge experience center. The city also plans to create a coastal trail around Seonso, extending to the entrance of Ungcheon Jangdo, and to develop nighttime landscape lighting. The Seonso area is expected to become a place for citizens and tourists to learn about history and enjoy various experiences in an urban garden setting.

A city official stated, "Through these projects, we aim to awaken the spirit of national defense in our region, thereby boosting citizens' pride," adding, "We plan to utilize these as tourism resources to further elevate Yeosu's status as a historic and cultural city."