Uijeongbu site to be open to citizens after completing excavation

The opening of \'Uijeongbuji\' in front of Gwanghwamun. Courtesy of the Seoul Metropolitan Government

The site where Uijeongbu, the top administrative agency that oversaw state affairs during the Joseon Dynasty, was located will be opened to citizens after completing excavation.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on June 17 that it would open the site of Uijeongbu, located on the east side of Gwanghwamun Gate in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace, to the public on a trial basis from the 18th after completing excavation and maintenance. The site of Uijeongbu, which began excavation in 2016, was designated as a national heritage site in 2020 in recognition of its historical and academic value.

The site of Uijeongbu was excavated in the form of a “three-place parallelism” centered on the “Jeongbondang,” which was the workplace for Yeonguijeong, Jwauijeong, and Woouijeong, as well as "Hyeopseondang," which was the workplace for the first class and the second class officials Chansan and Chamchan, respectively, and "Seokpakdang," which was the workplace for the ministers, placed side by side. Traces of a pond and a pavilion were also found in the patronage of Jeongbondang. A building map of the former government complex of Gyeonggi Province, which was built on the site in 1910 during the Japanese colonial period, was also discovered.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to turn the site into a “Uijeongbuji Historic Square,” with a total area of 11,300 square meters, and officially open it next month. Visitors to the square will be able to see the traces of the five buildings and other major facilities (Yeonji and Well), and can relax in the garden and trails created around Yeonji and Jeongja, which are located at the backyard of Uijeongbu.

The square will be open 24 hours a day. Any inconveniences during the pilot operation period will be addressed before the official opening.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.