Junggu Launches City Branding as the Birthplace of Yi Sunsin
Vision Proclamation Ceremony to Be Held at Namsangol Hanok Village on April 28
Junggu District in Seoul (District Mayor Kim Gilseong) has designated the road connecting Toegye-ro, Chungmuro, and Euljiro 3-ga as "Yi Sunsin Road," and announced plans to promote Admiral Yi Sunsin to the world, including foreign tourists. By branding "Yi Sunsin," Junggu will create commemorative spaces and hold annual events in his honor.
On April 28, at 2:00 p.m., Junggu announced that, in celebration of the 480th anniversary of Admiral Yi Sunsin's birth, it would proclaim its future vision at Namsangol Hanok Village and launch city branding initiatives that integrate education, tourism, and culture.
Junggu's Future Vision and Five Key Strategies
On this day, Junggu will proclaim its future vision under the slogan "The Great Beginning of Chungmugong Yi Sunsin, Once Again from Junggu," expressing its commitment to fulfilling its role as the birthplace of Admiral Yi Sunsin and serving as a gateway to introduce him as a global hero.
To realize this future vision, Junggu has proposed five key strategies under the "Ogil Project." The "O (Five, Coming) Gil Project" means "The road from Chungmuro, united in courage and wisdom, leading to the world!" Within these "five roads," the district has outlined a variety of plans, including the creation of commemorative spaces, as well as initiatives spanning communication and harmony, culture and education, welfare, and tourism. Additionally, "Ogil" carries the meaning of "hoping you will come," reflecting the district's wish for many people to visit Junggu.
① Junggu will create spaces so that Chungmuro, the birthplace of the hero, can be reborn as a center of historical culture. The 766-meter section from Namsangol Hanok Village to the Euljiro 3-ga intersection will be designated as "Yi Sunsin Road," with improvements to the pedestrian environment, allowing both domestic and international visitors to walk this path and commemorate Admiral Yi Sunsin. At the site of Admiral Yi's birthplace, included in the Sewoon redevelopment area, a commemorative space will be established to capture his life and spirit.
② The week around Admiral Yi's birthday, April 28, will be designated as "Yi Sunsin Week," during which various festivals themed around Chungmugong will be held. These include archery competitions, walking events, Yi Sunsin film screenings and book fairs, turtle ship building activities, the creation of festival streets, and parades-festivals designed for everyone, regardless of age or gender, to enjoy and participate in together.
This year, following the proclamation ceremony on April 28, Yi Sunsin Week will run from May 18 to 20. Starting next year, the festival will be held in line with Admiral Yi's birthday.
Junggu plans to ensure that Admiral Yi can be encountered in everyday life, not just during the festival period, by developing and operating a variety of content. This includes running the Yi Sunsin Academy, developing hometown donation return gifts themed around Yi Sunsin, and creating Yi Sunsin-themed menus in traditional markets.
③ In the spirit of nurturing and educating the next generation as modern-day Yi Sunsins, Junggu is planning programs such as the "Yi Sunsin Story" puppet show for children presented by grandparents, the Chungmugong Yi Sunsin Camp, the designation and promotion of must-read books about Chungmugong, book curation and humanities lectures, and tours of Yi Sunsin historical sites in Junggu.
④ Emulating Yi Sunsin's spirit of caring for the people and his leadership, Junggu will establish the "Chungmugong Scholarship," create jobs for vulnerable groups, develop and provide Yi Sunsin travel courses and companion services for seniors with mobility challenges, and operate a "Myeongnyang Diary" writing program to improve memory among the elderly. Through these initiatives, the district aims to embody Admiral Yi's spirit of public service in its administration.
⑤ Junggu will also take the lead in serving as a gateway to introduce Yi Sunsin to the world. Recognizing that areas such as Myeong-dong and Namsan are starting points for foreign tourists, the district will add Yi Sunsin-themed tourism content to the Chungmuro area. Together with Myeong-dong Square and the Namsan Footpath, Junggu will develop a tourism zone where foreign visitors can enjoy and experience the district in diverse ways.
Junggu will develop and establish the Yi Sunsin brand and brand identity (BI) together with residents, and collaborate with local merchants to introduce themed foods and souvenirs tailored to the tastes and preferences of domestic and international tourists. The Junggu Tour Pass, which was piloted from March, will officially launch on April 28. The story of Yi Sunsin will be incorporated into the Junggu Tour Pass, developing it into a themed tour where visitors can see, taste, and directly experience the story of Chungmugong.
District Mayor Kim Gilseong stated, "Just as Admiral Yi Sunsin led the Battle of Myeongnyang to victory with twelve ships, Junggu has 120,000 residents. We will dream and move forward together with our residents so that Junggu can once again become the center of change."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
