Kim Chung-young's Suwon Microscope (44) The Story of Na Hye-seok Street

Na Hye-seok Street is located in Ingye-dong, the central commercial district of East Suwon. Until the 1980s, this area was called 'Indorae'. Indorae was the former name of the central commercial area near the current City Hall. In 1967, the Gyeongsu Industrial Road was planned to divert traffic from National Route 1 that passed through Suwon's old downtown. East Suwon's development can be said to have been promoted for the construction of the Gyeongsu Industrial Road.

Urban planning for East Suwon's development was undertaken in 1978. Subsequently, on May 29, 1980, the areas of Ingye-dong, Gwonseon-dong, and Seryou-dong were designated as the Gwonseon Land Readjustment Project District. Project implementation began on November 17, 1981. Upon completion of the Gwonseon Land Readjustment Project and the relocation of Suwon City Hall to its current location in Ingye-dong in January 1987, East Suwon development was fully promoted.

As stated in Episode 37 of 'Kim Chung-young's Suwon Microscope,' titled 'Stories Related to Suwon City Hall,' and Episode 42, 'Stories Related to Gyeonggi Art Center,' around 1984 when the Gwonseon Land Readjustment Project was nearing completion, the Maetan 1 Housing Development Project District was designated. This project had the Korea Land Development Corporation appointed as the implementing body. During the subsequent development planning process, a request was made to create pedestrian-only roads on both the north and south sides of City Hall Road.

At that time, the pedestrian-only road and Hyowon Park were reflected in the development plan. The pedestrian-only road was planned to be 20 meters wide and 440 meters long, extending from Hyowon Park to Charming Officetel (formerly Nongjo Wedding Hall). The initially constructed pedestrian road was a promenade park-type road. At that time, East Suwon's urbanization was slow. Because housing lots were created without urban infrastructure, urban development was delayed.

In the commercial area behind Suwon City Hall, no construction took place until the mid-1990s, and the area often served as a driving practice lot. The Maetan 1 District pedestrian road similarly did not develop into an urban area. At that time, the Korea Land Development Corporation sold land under the condition that buildings would be constructed within two years.

As a result, a paradoxical phenomenon occurred in Maetan 1 District. On plots of land measuring 100 pyeong, single-story buildings of 30-40 pyeong were erected. By the mid-1990s, the area behind City Hall began constructing proper buildings to meet the demand from the City Hall location. Thus, a fairly developed urban area was formed behind City Hall.

However, Maetan 1 District was lined with temporary single-story buildings, and no commercial district was formed. As this situation developed, the pedestrian road deteriorated into a crime-ridden area overgrown with trees and weeds. In June 1994, I was transferred from the post of chief of the Urban Planning Division in the Urban Development Department to chief of the Roads Division in the Construction Department.

At that time, I lived in Imkwang Apartment, not far from the Gyeonggi Provincial Cultural and Arts Center. For that reason, while commuting on foot, I regretted that the pedestrian road had not been properly developed. On July 1, 1995, as the civil-elected era began during my tenure as chief of the Roads Division, Mayor Shim Jae-deok took office. Mayor Shim gave me many tasks.

In 1996, the Roads Division was upgraded to the Roads Department, and I was appointed director. Then, a year later in 1997, I briefed Mayor Shim on plans to improve the pedestrian road, and he approved them. Since this was a project to remodel the pedestrian road and create a landmark, above all, the design had to be well done. At that time, South Korea was at a level where roads only fulfilled their function rather than their aesthetics.

One day, a young man visited my office. He introduced himself as Yeo Sang-heon, representative of Lee Lae Environment, saying he had studied landscape design in Japan and worked at a Japanese landscape design office for about five years before returning to Korea to establish his own landscape design firm. At that time, I was in a period when I longed for impressive landscape designs while constructing roads and bridges. As I listened to him, I became interested.

So I brought up the topic of the pedestrian road improvement project in Ingye-dong. He said he would give it a try. He said he would only accept design fees in the amount of a private contract. Thus, the design process began. During the design process, opinions from nearby merchants were heard. The merchants strongly insisted on creating a vehicle road rather than a pedestrian-only road.

I had to explain the advantages of a pedestrian-only road to the merchants. I explained that this would be a unique place in Suwon. While converting it to a vehicle road might accelerate revitalization in the short term, in the long run, the advantages of a pedestrian-only road are greater, I said. In doing so, I requested that a merchants' association be formed so that dialogue could take place during construction. Thus, the 'Na Hye-seok Street Merchants Association' was established.

During the design process, I wanted to visit a site in Japan at that time. Since traveling abroad was difficult in those days, I informed City Hall and district office staff of my plan to visit Japan at my own expense. Subsequently, 14 people, including the district office director, chief, and survey company staff, participated. Finally, from November 10-13, 1996, I traveled to Tokyo, Yokohama, and Nagoya, Japan for a three-night, four-day trip.

At that time in Japan, I envied seeing that landscape plans were reflected in designs when road construction projects were promoted. Returning home, landscape design was incorporated when promoting road projects in Suwon as well. Such efforts were disseminated to the Korea Expressway Corporation and local governments nationwide, and became a catalyst for landscape design to become mandatory in South Korea.

In the fall of 1998, the design of the pedestrian road was completed. The Ingye-dong pedestrian-only road was 400 meters long and 20 meters wide. One plaza and two fountains were planned. The ground paving was planned with granite and tiles. Trees were planned to be Metasequoia trees and cherry trees. Lighting and sound facilities were reflected in the plan. The construction cost was designed at 3 billion won and construction began.

Subsequently, I was appointed director of the Urban Planning Department from my position as director of the Roads Department. This meant that I was to be entrusted with urban planning as well as the Hwaseong Seongyeokwha Project.

At that time, Construction Director Nam Woo-chul said, "Take the pedestrian-only road improvement project, which you took interest in and promoted, to the Urban Planning Department and finish it." He said he had reached agreement with Urban Planning Director Lee Jong-gu.

For this reason, the pedestrian-only road project was promoted by the Urban Planning Department. Mayor Shim Jae-deok called me one day. He suggested naming the pedestrian road 'Na Hye-seok Street' and creating 'Nanpa Street' on the southern pedestrian road. It seems there was likely a suggestion from the Na Hye-seok Memorial Project Association, which was established around that time.

Thus, Na Hye-seok Street was promoted by the Urban Planning Department. Subsequently, the Culture and Tourism Department installed the Na Hye-seok statue and sculptures. Not long after, the 2002 FIFA World Cup was held in Suwon, and while preparing for the World Cup, Mayor Shim Jae-deok suggested constructing a restroom at the intersection at the midpoint of Na Hye-seok Street. Thus, the design of the restroom was completed with remaining funds.

In the latter half of 1999, the budget for the Na Hye-seok Street restroom project was included in the 2000 budget. However, it faced opposition during the legislative review process. No matter how necessary the restroom was, constructing a restroom at the intersection at the midpoint of Na Hye-seok Street brought more harm than benefit, they argued, and the budget was ultimately cut.

Na Hye-seok Street has now become a landmark in Suwon. When summer comes with intense heat, young people from Suwon gather in small groups and have conversations, making it a cherished landmark. In autumn, the Environmental Sanitation Department holds the Na Hye-seok Street Food Festival. However, there was a problem. It was revealed that Na Hye-seok's birthplace was located in Shinpung-dong. Subsequently, a Na Hye-seok birthplace festival was also held in Haengung-dong.

Some say that the name Na Hye-seok Street is incorrect. In any case, I also think it is not entirely wrong that Na Hye-seok festivals are held both at Na Hye-seok Street and at the birthplace site in Haengung-dong in Suwon.