Kim Chung-young's Suwon Microscope (133) Professor Kim Dong-wook: "Suwon Hwaseong is My Beginning and My End"

Behind the inscription of Suwon Hwaseong as a UNESCO World Heritage Site lay the participation and efforts of many people, with Mayor Shim Jae-deok of the first popularly-elected Suwon city government leading the charge.

Prior to this, the person who theoretically presented the value of Suwon Hwaseong as a world cultural heritage to Mayor Shim was Professor Kim Dong-wook of the Department of Architecture at Kyonggi University.

Professor Kim graduated from Korea University's Department of Architectural Engineering in 1974 and joined Hyundai Engineering and Construction, but resigned to study Korean architecture. After entering Korea University's Graduate School, he became interested in Suwon Hwaseong before restoration work had even begun, and while researching it at intervals, he obtained and began reading a facsimile of the "Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe" (Record of the Construction of Hwaseong).

After obtaining his master's degree, he became a research student at Waseda University through an exchange program between Korea University and Waseda University's graduate school. In 1978, he entered the doctoral program at Waseda University, and around this time, Professor Kang Man-gil of the Department of History at Korea University came to Waseda University as an exchange professor. Through Professor Kang's guidance in reading the "Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe," he became even more devoted to studying Suwon Hwaseong.

In 1980, he presented four papers on "Suwon Hwaseong Research" at the spring and autumn academic conferences of the Architectural Institute of Japan.

After returning to Korea in 1982, he took up a position as professor in the Department of Architectural Engineering at Kyonggi University. His connection with Suwon Hwaseong deepened further.

Beginning with the presentation of the paper "Preliminary Study on the Research of Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe" in 1982, he published papers in 1983 titled "On the Use of Bricks in Suwon Fortress Wall" and "Foundational Research for the Restoration of Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung."

In 1989, his work "Suwon Hwaseong" was published in the "Colorful Books" series, greatly contributing to promoting awareness of Suwon Hwaseong.

In 1989, a new construction plan for the "Gyeonggi Provincial Suwon Medical Center" located on the site of Hwaseong Haenggung was announced. The plan was to demolish the outdated hospital and construct a modernized one in its place. Shim Jae-deok, then director of the Suwon Cultural Center who was promoting the restoration of Hwaseong Haenggung, requested that local historian Lee Seung-eon excavate materials related to Hwaseong Haenggung.

In late May 1989, Lee Seung-eon informed Director Shim Jae-deok that a "Map of Hwaseong Haenggung" existed in the Kyujanggak at Seoul National University, leading to the formation of the "Committee for the Promotion of Hwaseong Haenggung Restoration."

At the time, 81 representatives from Suwon's cultural and prominent circles were selected for the Haenggung restoration promotion committee, and Professor Kim Dong-wook was the only academic expert to participate.

Through his work on the Hwaseong Haenggung Restoration Promotion Committee, Professor Kim became increasingly involved in research on Suwon Hwaseong and various related activities.

In 1994, he presented research on material transport equipment used in the construction of Suwon Hwaseong and the significance of Suwon Hwaseong's construction and urban development at the general meeting of the "200th Anniversary Commemoration Committee for the Construction of Suwon Hwaseong."

Moreover, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary commemoration of the fortress's construction, he published the booklet "18th Century Architectural Thought and Practice - Suwon Fortress," contributing to the commemorative project.

From 1995 onwards, he participated as a consultant member of the Cultural Heritage Committee of the Cultural Heritage Administration, providing consultation on historical accuracy and construction progress for the Hwaseong Haenggung restoration project. Through his efforts, the first phase of the Hwaseong Haenggung restoration project was successfully completed in 2003.

Professor Kim also made significant contributions to the process of Hwaseong's inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In March 1996, the Cultural Heritage Administration decided to apply for UNESCO World Heritage status for fortress walls and palaces representative of Korea. Changdeokgung was to be nominated as the palace, and there were opinions to nominate Namhansanseong in Gwangju and Samnyeonsanseong in Boeun, North Chungcheong Province as the fortress walls.

However, Professor Kim, who had long studied Suwon Hwaseong, insisted that Suwon Hwaseong should be nominated as a World Heritage Site. He played a decisive role in determining Suwon Hwaseong as a candidate for World Heritage status in 1997 by explaining the cultural value and excellence of Suwon Hwaseong, particularly the value of the "Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe," the quintessence of record culture.

Professor Kim provided consultation in the process of drafting the application for Suwon Hwaseong's World Heritage inscription. In March 1997, there was a field inspection by the World Heritage Committee, conducted by Professor Nimal De Silva from Sri Lanka, affiliated with ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites). It was Professor Kim Dong-wook who explained the excellence and value of Suwon Hwaseong when Professor De Silva visited Suwon for the inspection.

When Inspector Professor De Silva raised questions about the restored portions of Suwon Hwaseong, Professor Kim explained that restoration had been conducted based on design drawings because the "Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe" existed.

However, when World Heritage Committee members questioned whether Suwon Hwaseong was in its original form, Mayor Shim Jae-deok personally traveled to Paris with the "Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe" to provide explanation. Aided by Mayor Shim's passion, the value of Suwon Hwaseong was highly evaluated, and it was ultimately inscribed as a World Heritage Site.

Professor Kim Dong-wook devoted his entire life to Suwon Hwaseong, captivated by it. While serving as a member of the Korean Architectural History Society and as a cultural heritage specialist, he conducted research and provided consultation on architecture-related cultural heritage throughout the nation. Regarding Suwon Hwaseong, he has authored approximately 40 research papers and written books including "Suwon Hwaseong (Colorful Books)," "Research on the History of Korean Architectural Construction," "18th Century Architectural Thought and Practice - Suwon Fortress," "Suwon Hwaseong, a New City of Joseon Built with the Spirit of Practical Learning," co-authored works such as "18th Century New Cities and 20th Century New Cities," "Research on the Ritual Ceremonies and Architectural Characteristics of Hwaryeong Hall," "Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe Terminology Dictionary," and "Hwaryeong Hall, a Rational Ritual Space in Suwon."

He is currently working on a manuscript titled "The Influence of 18th Century Suwon Hwaseong Construction Technology on the Late Joseon Building Environment."

Professor Kim Dong-wook reflected, "My connection with Suwon Hwaseong is a companion that allows me to walk the path of a happy scholar and an inexhaustible spring," and "Suwon Hwaseong is Kim Dong-wook's beginning and my end."