Seoul city is starting to recover the site of Uijeongbu, the top political institution of Joseon Dynasty, where is currently a simple plaza and green area and utilized as parking lot of tourist bus. Since when it was damaged due to establishment of Gyeongi-Do Provincial Government in Japanese colonial era, it is utilized as Gwanghwamun(Gate) Citizens Yeolin Madang (Open Garden).
Old road which was disconnected from Gyeongbokgung Palace took a symbolic first step of connecting to Yookcho Main Road
Top political institution of Joseon, Uijeongbu, is being utilized as simple plaza and tourist bus parking lot after being destroyed in Japanese colonial era
Seoul City proceeds ‘Historical Transition Process’ in total 3 steps of ‘General academic investigation-excavation-realignment’ until 2019
The restoration work of Uijeongbu site will be proceed in total 3 steps of ‘Academic investigation (July, ’15~April,’16)-Excavation investigation (June, ‘16~’17)-Realignment (till ’19). First of all, in order to have truthful restoration, they will start general academic investigation on historical transition process of Uijeongbu and Yookcho Main road where the main government was location in front of the Gyeongbokgung Palace with Historical Architectural Technology Lab starting from this July to April, 2016.
They will collect and analyze various references, documents, old maps, and old pictures for chronological transitional process and original form investigation of not only the Uijeongbu site, where they didn’t study systematically, but also Yookcho Main Road where the main government was located in front of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Joseon Dynasty.
After that, based on the result of academic investigation, they will start overall excavation on Citizens Yeollin Madang which is Uijeongbu site.
Lastly, per the result of excavation of trace, they are planning to realign the Uijeongbu site into truthful historic park until 2019. In this place, they will provide exhibit space for historical materials on Yookcho Main Road area which is discovered through general academic investigation.
‘Uijeongbu’, which was the top political institution of Joseon Dynasty, was a place where a prime minister, the first vice-premier, and the second vice-premier assist King and handle national political affairs, such as, 6 government official works, since 1400 (Jeongjong 2) when Jeongjong set up for the first time to 1907, when it was abolished due to establishment of cabinet.
It was located in current Gwanghwamun (the highest among the six ministries) Citizens Yullin Madang Area in front of the Gyeongbokgung Place and the status fell as their power transferred to the Office of Border Defense and the government office building is relocated due to fire. However, it regained its status after King Gojong ascended to the throne and reorganize it along with Three Military Authorities and Six Ministries Office Building per royalty reinforcing policy of Daewongun and it also got repaired and rebuilt on its original location.
Chang-hak Lee, the director of Seoul Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated “This Uijungbu site restoration project will be the symbolic first step of connecting figure of Seoul to Yookcho Main Street which is currently disconnected from Gyeongbokgung Palace. We anticipate this become a place where Seoul citizens and the tourists visiting Seoul enjoy historical culture in depth.”
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Writer:
Yee OhJooEun
architectural journalist
email: yojest@naver.com
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Original article : http://www.conslove.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=38696 (Korean language)
