Naval bases or garrisons were established inshore and island areas during the period of the late Goryeo through the early Chosun dynasty to cope with rampant Japanese pirates called Waegu, and got change in their formation. The system was fully reorga...
Naval bases or garrisons were established inshore and island areas during the period of the late Goryeo through the early Chosun dynasty to cope with rampant Japanese pirates called Waegu, and got change in their formation. The system was fully reorganized against the Japanese Invasion in 1592 (Imjinwaeran) and foreign ships called Hwangdangsun or pirates, and had fulfilled their duty of sea defence till the naval forces were abolished since their opening.
Gogunsanjin, one of the naval bases was located in Seonyudo, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan City, Jeollabuk-do in the current administrative district, and closed by the invasion of Waegu. It was reconstructed in the late Chosun dynasty to cope with the invasion of foreign ships called Hwangdangsun or pirates and played a pivotal role in sea defence of Jeolla province for about 270 years. Gogunsanjin was rebuilt in the 2nd year of King Injo’s reign (1624) as Byeoljangjin of Jong 9th Poom, a weak military organization. With growing military strength, it was promoted to Cheomsajin of Jong 3rd Poom in the 1st year of King Sukjong’s reign (1675). But, Gogunsanjin was abolished after the Ulmi Reform Movement in 1895 and entirely destroyed by fire during the period of Japanese colonial rule. As a result, there is only the ground left.
Now the research or use of Gogunsanjin is relatively lack and isolated from the local government policy for historic and cultural resources, which shows it is urgent to establish a way to vitalize that.
Recently there has been noticeable interest in Gogunsanjin on its cultural features and utilization in local community through academic conferences held by the local government, research institutes, and schools. But such researches are not yet put into the specific practice.
Thus, this study examined the system and function of the naval base during the period of late Goryo through Chosun, and reviewed the process of the establishment and abolishment of Gogunsanjin and its operation based on related literature and historical materials. To research the systematical use of Gogunsanjin as historical and cultural resources, the study reviewed the state of historic-cultural resources of Gunsan City as the administrative district to which Gogunsanjin ruins belong and diverse utilization of a naval base in other local governments. Based on the research result, the study presents a way to utilize ‘Gogunsanjin’ including its restoration.
The result shows that Gogunsanjin played a role as a gateway of inland waterways and a strategic point of marine transportation from Goryeo to Chosun Dynasty, from which we are required to establish a way to utilize its unique marine and island culture.
For more positive research and use of Gogunsanjin as cultural heritage, there should be local policy to utilize the historical and cultural resources focused on modern cultural heritage and to reorganize a single unitary cultural zone centering around Saemangeum. In addition, related researches should be open to the new point of views to discover various historical and cultural resources, not limited to the existing research items. For the expenses and human resources, it is possible to use existing researchers, organization, and events.
Specifically, the study presents development direction and the items to be utilized in a table by classifying into culture & art, education, festival & event, cultural contents, ICT combination, and tourism resources. And also, the study establishes utilization system of Gogunsanjin cultural heritage by classifying the field into the database of cultural archetype resources, construction of cultural landscape and maintenance, establishment of the history and culture center, and contents development, and gropes the way to utilize them with detail examples.
Through the process, this study examined the way of historic-cultural resources utilization related to Gogunsanjin. To promote the research and utilization of Gogunsanjin-related historic and cultural resources, extensive researches and utilization projects should be conducted by connecting the cultural feature of Gogunsanjin to existing historic and cultural resources. What is the most important to achieve the goal is to express the appropriateness of Gogunsanjin as cultural heritage, and develop continuous interest and a bond of sympathy in the local community.
Key words: Gogunsanjin, Naval base or garrison, Gunsan City, Historic-cultural resources, Cultural contents