Suwon Hwaseong to Restore 27 Unreconstructed Sites with 39 Facilities by 2020
Suwon City has been carrying out restoration projects with short-, medium-, and long-term plans since 1999 to enhance Hwaseong's value as a cultural heritage, recover pride as a historic city, utilize it as an educational space, and provide the world's people with a venue to experience Korea's unique cultural heritage.
However, the estimated budget required for complete facility restoration and various consecration projects is approximately 2 trillion won, making budget acquisition the biggest obstacle to Hwaseong's restoration for the local government.
In particular, a special law related to Hwaseong consecration that would allow the city to stably promote restoration projects with state subsidies remains pending in the National Assembly, and the passage of the legislation has been sluggish, leaving the city with no choice but to proceed with slow restoration projects.
Meanwhile, recently the Industrial Bank of Korea's donation of 1.2 billion won has become an impetus to promote the restoration of Seongsinsa, where King Jeongjo offered sacrifices to the deity guarding Hwaseong Haenggung Palace. Corporate and philanthropic donations for Hwaseong facility restoration are emerging as an alternative to recovering Hwaseong's original appearance.
◇ Unreconstructed Facilities of Hwaseong and Restoration Plans
Built in 1796 as the world's first "garden city" with existing records from the time of Hwaseong's construction, and recognized as a fortress that embodies 18th-century pragmatic scholarship and scientific technology, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in December 1997.
According to the Hwaseong Seongnyeok Uigwe (Records of Hwaseong Construction), the fortress's perimeter is 5,744 meters and its area is 130 hectares, comprising a total of 48 facilities including garrison gates, water gates, hollow artillery towers, and water channels.
Among these, Seongsinsa and the South Water Gate were destroyed or lost during the Japanese colonial period due to cultural heritage destruction policies and flooding, with only records remaining.
Suwon City has divided the "Hwaseong consecration" project into short-term (2003-2011), medium-term (2012-2016), and long-term (2017-2020) phases, planning to restore Hwaseong's complete original form by 2020 with 1 trillion 992.2 billion won in fortress restoration project costs.
According to this implementation plan, the Hwaryeongjeong Hall's front office was restored in 2005. A representative restoration building is the Seojangdae fortress wall, which was restored from 2003 to 2004 at a project cost of 750 million won. Currently, the connection of the Jangan Gate fortress wall is ongoing, and the fortress's perimeter has regained its original appearance except for the Paldal Gate.
Currently, there are 27 unreconstructed sites with 39 facilities. The city is dividing and planning restoration measures for these into phases 1, 2, and 3.
Restoration projects are carried out through authentication procedures by experts including special committee members and central committee members examining literature and excavation surveys, and proceeding with review and advice from the Cultural Heritage Administration.
◇ Phase 1 Restoration Project and Budget Acquisition
An official at the Hwaseong Project Office said, "Budget acquisition is difficult. Since restoration costs are high and it's challenging for a basic local government to secure a budget, state and provincial funds are urgently needed."
The city has secured only 3 billion won in provincial funds and 3 billion won in city funds this year for Phase 1 restoration of unreconstructed facilities (Phase 2 of Haenggung Palace), and 2 billion won for maintenance and management of parks, facilities, and cultural heritage.
Phase 1 restoration alone requires a total project cost of 130.1 billion won. The city plans to conduct restoration projects on 10 sites including Dongji, Seongsinsa, and the South Water Gate in Phase 1.
Seongsinsa (城神祠), one of Phase 1 restoration projects, is where the guardian deity of Hwaseong was enshrined and is located within Paldal Park on Paldal-ro in Paldal-gu, Suwon, and is the most deeply significant building among all Hwaseong facilities.
Seongsinsa was destroyed by the Japanese Government-General during the colonial period. During a surface survey in 2004, tile fragments and part of a foundation stone were discovered at the Seongsinsa site area, confirming its location.
Accordingly, the city has secured the budget with 1.2 billion won donated by the Industrial Bank of Korea and will begin full-scale restoration this year. A detailed design will be ordered in January, with groundbreaking in May-June and completion by December.
Also, the South Water Gate, which was lost in a major flood in 1922, is a Phase 1 restoration target. The South Water Gate is a water gate built at the point where the Suwon Stream flows through the Hwahong Gate and meets Hwaseong again, currently located at 103-1 Namsu-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon. Its location was confirmed by comparing the 1911 cadastral map with the current topographic cadastral map.
The city plans to restore it with project costs of 8.83 billion won, but since the budget has not been secured, only plans have been established.
Dongji (East Pond) is also a Phase 1 restoration target. Looking at the "Hwaseong Map," two ponds can be seen drawn between Dongporyu (East Artillery Tower) and Dongichi, now in Maehyang-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon.
Dongji was created with two upper and lower ponds, with water lilies planted and a small island created in the middle. The city has established a restoration plan with project costs of 13.47 billion won.
An official of the Hwaseong Research Society said, "The participation of corporations and philanthropists in Hwaseong facility restoration can be one method of promoting restoration projects," and "Participation in the Hwaseong restoration project, which preserves a World Heritage site for posterity and embodies the spirit of the nation, is a historic undertaking, so active participation would be welcomed."
An official at the Hwaseong Project Office stated, "Those wishing to participate in restoration donation projects should express their intent to donate to the Hwaseong Project Office, and a donation screening committee reviews whether the donation is voluntary and for pure purposes. The corresponding department will then include it in the budget and execute it."
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