Kim Chung-young's Suwon Microscope (12) "Integrate Hwaseong" — The Story Behind the Creation of the Hwaseong Project Office

Hwaseong's World Heritage Site designation was not accomplished overnight. This work began with Sim Jae-duk, director of the Suwon Cultural Center, at the forefront, developing the Hwaseong Haenggung Palace restoration project as a civic movement. Activities of the Hwaseong Haenggung Restoration Promotion Committee, composed of representatives from various sectors, formed a broad consensus among the citizens.

The strength condensed through civic movements later manifested as the result of World Cultural Heritage designation. With Hwaseong's World Heritage Site designation, Suwon City gained a mandate to devote itself to Hwaseong.

However, at that time, the Suwon City Council was displeased with Mayor Sim Jae-duk's dedication to Hwaseong. The reason was that excessive budgets were being invested in Hwaseong restoration and maintenance projects, leaving insufficient funds for local residents' priority projects. However, as time passed, the negative sentiment toward Hwaseong also changed.

At the time, cultural heritage-related affairs were handled by the Culture and Tourism Division and the Cultural Heritage Department. However, after Hwaseong was designated as a World Heritage Site, Mayor Sim Jae-duk began to think that Hwaseong should be promoted with a long-term perspective.

The first task was to establish a master plan to improve the area around Hwaseong. The establishment of the Hwaseong area improvement plan was directed to be handled by the Urban Planning Division. In 1999, the plan to improve the Hwaseong area was established. In 2000, the dilapidated residential area outside the fortress walls between Jangan Gate and Hwahong Gate became the target for improvement. Government funds were provided for a project to create a parking lot at this location.

At that time, in addition to administrative staff, the Culture and Tourism Division and Cultural Heritage Department had one architect and one academic researcher handling the Hwaseong Haenggung Palace restoration project. At that time, the head of the Culture and Tourism Division was hoping that the Urban Planning Division, which had established the plan for improvements around Hwaseong, would take over this work.

I had become interested from the day Hwaseong was designated as a World Heritage Site and had surveyed the area around Hwaseong. Regular surveys of Hwaseong with colleagues developed into the Hwaseong Love Gathering. Subsequently, around May 2000 when the civic organization Hwaseong Research Association was founded, Hwaseong work quietly came my way.

The parking lot creation project outside Jangan Gate was the moment I stepped into Hwaseong work. After Hwaseong was designated as a World Heritage Site, each department of Suwon City competitively implemented various projects. The problem was that as each department pursued its own projects, there was a lack of mutual coordination, and projects were not reviewed and promoted from a long-term and comprehensive perspective.

I consolidated these issues and reported them to Mayor Sim Jae-duk. Then Mayor Sim said, "I hadn't thought of this situation either," and called the department head in charge of personnel and organization, instructing them to integrate Hwaseong work.

By 2001, the outline of the Hwaseong Haenggung Palace restoration project began to emerge. Once the Hwaseong Haenggung Palace was restored, personnel and a department to manage it were needed. The organization management department, after hearing from the relevant departments, drafted a plan to expand and reorganize the Hwaseong Management Office into the Hwaseong Project Office and, via Gyeonggi Province, applied for approval of the organizational restructuring plan to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

However, Gyeonggi Province attached an opinion that "expansion and reorganization is premature" when submitting to the Ministry. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety approved the addition of only one section to manage the Haenggung Palace. This led the Suwon City organization management department to prepare materials in depth, make supplements, and apply for approval of the organizational restructuring plan again.

According to those in charge at the time, they were about to send a document to Gyeonggi Province and make explanations when Gyeonggi Province sent back a rejection letter. A truly awkward situation had occurred. At that time, Suwon City and Gyeonggi Province were in a period of strained relations over various matters.

The uncomfortable relationship between Mayor Sim Jae-duk and Governor Lim Chang-yeol led to the rejection of the organizational restructuring plan. On June 13, 2002, local elections were held. Governor Lim Chang-yeol was unable to run due to an unfortunate incident at the time. Mayor Sim Jae-duk also lost to Kim Yong-seo, then-chairman of the Suwon City Council.

On July 1, 2002, Kim Yong-seo took office as Suwon City Mayor for the third elected term. With changes in the Gyeonggi Province Governor and Suwon City Mayor, the atmosphere began to improve. I thought deeply about how to proceed with the expansion and reorganization plan for the Hwaseong Project Office. I decided on a two-track strategy. The organization management department would handle the administrative line, and I would provide lateral support.

One day, I heard from an acquaintance that I should go explain the purpose to the director of the Local Government System Division of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, so I visited the Ministry. I heard "100% agreement" and came back to Suwon with a light step. I believe this was around October 2002. However, on December 19 that year, there was a presidential election for the 16th president.

That year-end, due to the election, the expansion and reorganization plan for the Hwaseong Project Office was being delayed. After the presidential election ended and 2003 arrived, Kim Yi-hwan, chairman of the Hwaseong Research Association, called me. "I met Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Geun-shik yesterday and told him about this," he said.

Not long afterward, the expansion and reorganization plan for the Hwaseong Project Office was approved. The existing Hwaseong Management Office had only one administrative officer, two grade 6 officials, two grade 7 officials, and four others. The newly launched Hwaseong Project Office was organized with one director (grade 4), and Management and Facilities divisions. There were two division heads (grade 5), seven team heads (grade 6), one academic researcher (grade 6), seven assistant staff members (grade 7), six secretaries (grade 8), two assistant secretaries (grade 9), and 23 administrative staff members.

In addition to these, 26 field workers were confirmed, bringing the total to 49 personnel. It was launched as an organization to promote overall Hwaseong-related work. At that time, the Hwaseong Project Office was a department responsible for all aspects of Hwaseong, including restoration and maintenance projects, Paldalsan mountain management, and cultural and arts performances, serving as an organization to promote and manage the World Heritage Site Hwaseong both internally and externally.

Suwon City began preparations for the opening of the Hwaseong Project Office. The office building preparations involved renting the second and third floors of the building directly in front of Haenggung Palace on the left to set up offices. Soon the opening date of the Hwaseong Project Office was set. The opening ceremony of the Hwaseong Project Office was confirmed for June 10, 2003.

I spent time wondering what I would do if I became the director of the Hwaseong Project Office. However, I remember around June 3-4. Someone called me. They said that from various perspectives, I should be the director of the Hwaseong Project Office, but this time I should make a concession. I did not respond. Then, as June 10 approached, the mayor was looking for me.

When I went up, as I had anticipated, it was "this time for the Hwaseong Project Office director, you should make a concession." They said if there was a next position, they would give me priority (0 number). There was nothing I could do. So I transferred from the Urban Planning Division director at City Hall to the Facilities Division director of the Hwaseong Project Office, a lower-ranking director position. However, the person who had called me did not come as director of the Hwaseong Project Office.

I could only advance to director of the Hwaseong Project Office in October 2005 after twists and turns. In any case, I am grateful that I lived happily with Hwaseong.