Kim Chung-young's Suwon Microscope (24) Should We Build a Plaza in Front of Hwaseong Haengung?

The restoration project of Hwaseong Haengung can be said to have begun in early 1989 when former Suwon Mayor Shim Jae-deok was serving as director of the Suwon Culture Institute. It developed into a civic movement after local historian Lee Seung-eon (pen name Lee Han-gi, then standing editor of the Siheung County Records) discovered a colored "Hwaseong Haengung Map" at Seoul National University's Kyujanggak. It began in earnest after Gyeonggi Provincial Hospital announced a new construction plan. The first task was to prevent the provincial hospital from being built on the site of the Haengung.

The Haengung Restoration Promotion Committee played a decisive role in relocating the provincial hospital to the side of the Jeongja-dong Leaf Tobacco Manufacturing Plant. Director Shim Jae-deok was an alumnus of Shinpung Elementary School located on the Haengung site. Perhaps that is why he developed greater affection for the restoration of Hwaseong Haengung. Subsequently, Mayor Shim Jae-deok, elected in the first term of the popularly-elected government, devoted himself earnestly to the Haengung restoration project.

After breaking ground on the Haengung restoration project in 1995, he dedicated himself to registering Hwaseong as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On December 6, 1997, Hwaseong was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Seven years after the start of Haengung restoration, in 2002, as the first phase restoration project reached completion, the grandeur of Hwaseong Haengung was revealed.

However, the Haengung could not be seen from the old national road between Jang안문 and Paldal-mun. This was because there was a forest of 4-5 story buildings in the 150-meter section between Jongno Intersection and the Haengung. With this situation, concerns from citizens were significant, particularly among members of the Hwaseong Research Society, a group studying Hwaseong.

First, many people expressed a desire to have Hwaseong Haengung visible when passing through the old national road as a major thoroughfare. Second, there were many opinions that many tourists would visit in the future and more events would take place, so the city should prepare for such demand. For these reasons, opinions began to emerge that a plaza should be created in front of the Haengung. However, the negative effects of creating a plaza could not be overlooked.

First, during the Joseon Dynasty, there was no plaza culture. Second, if the road leading into the Haengung disappeared, the intersection would become a three-way intersection, distorting the original form of Hwaseong Haengung. Third, if a plaza were created, the Haengung would appear diminished. Fourth, many people worried that if a plaza were created, it would become a site for protests.

More importantly, the content from "Reading Suwon's History Through Old Maps," which was serialized as the 21st installment of "Kim Chung-young's Suwon Microscope," indicates that the road in front of the Haengung would disappear as the administrative divisions changed seven times, starting from when a new city was developed at the foot of Paldalsan and Gwanggyo-myeon was divided into Namni (南里) and Bukni (北里).

However, there were not many records regarding the road in front of the Haengung. The most notable record comes from "Wonhaengeul-myojeongliyigwe" (園行乙卯整理儀軌), the record of King Jeongjo's eight-day visit to Suwon from February 9 of the second lunar month in 1795. It states: "The royal procession entered through Jangان-mun, passed through Jongga (鍾街), went along the front paths of the left and right military camps and through Sinpung-ru and the Jwa-ik Gate, entered through Jungyang-mun (中陽門), and arrived at Bongsudang."

After the fortress was completed in 1796 and "Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe" (華城城役儀軌) was published in 1801 (Year 1 of King Sunjo), it contains "Hwaseong Jeondo" (Hwaseong General Map) depicting the appearance of Hwaseong at that time. Looking at these materials and survey maps created in 1911, we can estimate to some extent the appearance of the area around Hwaseong Haengung before Japanese colonizers damaged it.

During the Joseon Dynasty, streets of the Six Ministries (六曹) formed in front of the palaces of the capital. Market areas formed in front of provincial county offices. It is believed that government offices related to the Jangyong-yeong (壯勇營), which guarded Hwaseong at that time, were established on the road in front of the Haengung. Professor Yoo Bong-hak of Hanshin University argued that the Chogwan-cheong (哨官廳), Toppo-cheong (討捕廳), Bangnyeong-cheong (防營廳), Byeolhyo-sa-cheong (別驍士聽), and Byeol-gun-gwan-cheong (別軍官聽) were located in front of the Haengung.

After King Jeongjo's death and the abolishment of the Jangyong-yeong, the military camps likely were converted to other uses. Later, during Japanese colonial rule, the Bongsudang of Hwaseong Haengung was used as a charity hospital and subsequently became Gyeonggi Provincial Hospital. Suwon Elementary School was established in the Uwhagwan, which was a guesthouse. A police station was established in the northern military camp. A civil engineering bureau was established in the southern military camp, and all were subsequently demolished.

In the nearby Iah (貳衙) site, the Gyeongseong District Court Suwon Branch was established. And in the central camp area opposite the bell pavilion, the Suwon County Office was located. The district court and prosecutor's office were relocated to the Sungyeong Library site. After the district court and prosecutor's office built a new office in Woncheon-dong and relocated, the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Bureau, which was in Incheon, moved there.

As administrative offices were established in the Haengung, Iah, and military camps, offices related to government agencies, restaurants, hospitals, inns, and other businesses naturally formed along the Haengung road, and residential areas were formed in the rear. The 2002 Hwaseong Surroundings Maintenance Plan reflected the plaza plan in front of the Haengung. In October 2003, with the establishment of the basic plaza development plan, administrative procedures for plaza creation began.

Subsequently, in July 2004, compensation began. The compensation targets were 54 buildings and approximately 7,000 pyeong of land. The Hwaseong area was designated a cultural heritage protection zone, and residents suffered many disadvantages. However, residents whose properties were incorporated into the plaza quietly cooperated with the Hwaseong project pursued by Suwon City.

Some individuals refused negotiated purchases citing low compensation prices and went through land expropriation procedures, but overall compensation was carried out smoothly.

The only administrative institution on the plaza site was Suwon Post Office. It opened as Hanseong Post Office Suwon Branch on September 28, 1895, and by 2005 when the plaza project was being promoted, the Suwon Post Office had been in operation for 110 years. Suddenly, Suwon City announced a plan to create a plaza in front of the Haengung. This must have been like a bolt from the blue for Suwon Post Office.

Kim Seok-gyu, who was a parcel section chief at Suwon Post Office at the time, expressed regretful, bitter, and empty feelings through a contribution to Gyeongin Daily titled "Alas, Suwon Post Office, Suwon Post Office!" He stated that the post office was more than a simple government agency; it was a corridor connecting people to people. He wrote: "In an era when hearts could only be conveyed through writing, it was the only means to confirm love, longing, sometimes sadness and sorrow."

At that time, as the director of the Hwaseong Project Office, when I visited the post office director, the post office staff was so displeased that they would say he was not available.

"The Story of Creating Hwaseong Haengung Plaza (2) <Will Hwaseong Haengung Plaza Become a Place of Protest?>" will continue in the next issue. / Dr. Kim Chung-young, Urban Planning