[Opinion] Restoration of Gwanghwamun

The Gwanghwamun restoration project has begun. Last January, Yoo Hong-joon, the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, instigated controversy when he proposed replacing the hanging board, on which former President Park Jung-hee’s calligraphy is displayed. The controversy cooled after it was decided for the matter to be discussed upon the completion of the restoration project. The work will be completed in December 2009, which means the issue will be decided by the subsequent administration. The history of Gwanghwamun has twists and turns. It was burned down during the Imjin War in the Joseon era and left in ruins for 273 years. Daewongun rebuilt Gwanghwamun in 1865, but the Japanese colonial authorities relocated it to the east of Gyeongbok Palace to build the Japanese government-general office in 1927.

Only stone parts of Gwanghwamun remain since being bombed during the Korean War. It was constructed at its current site in 1968, which was also a restoration. Yet, it was constructed 14.5m to the north and 10.9m to the east to bring it in line with the axis of the Japanese government-general building, which is now demolished. The existent stones were used, but the gatehouse was made of concrete, not wood. This now sounds awkward, yet that was the way amid industrialization.

The Cultural Heritage Administration emphasizes that this time will be the real restoration. Gwanghwamun will be restored in the exact original site, and the gatehouse will be made of wood. It is impossible to get back the original form, however, as it is impossible to turn back time. Therefore, the project requires caution. Yoo’s idea to replace the Gwanghwamun plate with King Jeongjo’s calligraphy is a mere political tactic to remove the remnants of Park’s era.

Gwanghwamun built in the 1960s will become a part of history as well, as time goes by. To tear down and rebuild a new one requires capability and responsibility to create superior cultural assets. Muneyoshi Yanagi, a pro-Korean Japanese, just before it was torn down in 1922, said, “Losing Gwanghwamun is losing the center of Seoul.” It is the historical heart of Seoul. Newly-built palaces behind it seem humble compared to their historical significance. Building an imitation is equivalent to building a studio set. It is doubtful whether the administration has the ability to build a new and representative Gwanghwamun.

Hong Chan-sik, Editorial Writer, chansik@donga.com