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Ⅰ. HISTORY
History of Dongdaemun-gu District
Before the 1900s
Located in the eastern part of the capital city, Seoul, Dongdaemun-gu is named after
Dongdaemun Gate, one of Seoul’s four gates. After the king of Joseon dynasty, Taejo transferred
the capital city to Hanyang, the administrative district of Hanseong-bu was divided into five
divisions (called Bu in Korean): Dong (east), Seo (west), Nam (south), Buk (north), and Jeong
(center). The five divisions were sub-divided into 53 districts (called Bang in Korean). Of the
53 districts, 12 districts were placed in Dongbu (east)
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ten districts in the castle and two districts
outside the castle. The two districts were Sungsin-bang and Inchang-bang, and today’s
Dongdaemun-gu, as well as Seongbuk-gu, Dobong-gu, and Seongdong-gu are involved in these
two areas.
In the book Yukjeonjorye, published in the fourth year of King Gojong’s reign (1867),
Donggyemyeong was seen. Thus, it can be confirmed that on the one hand, Sungsin-bang
involved Sungsindong-gye, Wolgongni-gye, Miary-gye, Anamdong-gye, Jongamdong-gye,
Jangwiri-gye, Neungdong
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gye, Suyuri-gye, Gaori-gye, Uiri-gye, Eochang-gye, Sinseol-gye, On
the other hand, Inchang-bang involved Inchangdong-gye, Changnyangni-gye, Jeonnongni-gye,
Jegiri-gye, Dapsimni-gye, Wangsimni-gye, Wangsimni 2-gye, Wangsimnisa-gye, Majangni-gye,
Jungnyangsangni-gye, and Jungnyanghari-gye.
After the Gabo Reform in the 31st year of King Gojong’s reign(1894), many of the Dongs and
Ris were united into Gye, so Sinseol-dong, Sin-ri, and Usangak-ri became part of Dongmunoe-gye
of Dongseo Sungsin-bang, and Jegi-ri, Yongdu-ri, Jeonnong-ri, Dapsimni Cheongnyangni,
Hoemyo-dong Hwigyeongwon, Imun-dong; most of today’s Dongdaemun-gu became part of
Dongsomunoe-gye of DongbuInchang-bang.
Before the 1940s
In 1910, under the pretense of Naejeonilche, the policy that Japan and Korea are One, Japan
changed the name of Hanseong, the capital city of the Joseon Dynasty, to Genso, combing the
last part of Donggyeong (Tokyo) and the last part of Hanseong.
On April 1, 1911, Japan revised Gyeongseong-bu into five Bu’s and eight Myeons, and also
changed existing Bangs outside the castle to Myeons. Thus, Sungsin-bang changed to
Sungsin-myeon, and Inchang-bang to Inchang-myeon. As a result, Sungsin-myeon of
Gyeongseong-bu involved Sinseol-gye, and Inchang-myeon of Gyeongseong-bu involved Jegi-ri,
Yongdu-ri, Jeonnong-ri, Dapsimni Cheongnyangni, Hoemyodong Hwigyeongwon, and Imundong.
