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LocationBuan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- CategoryRegional Overview
- Korean현대
- Chinese現代
- FieldHistory / Modern
- Contents TypeConceptual Terminology / Conceptual Terminology (General)
- Definition
- The modern history of Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do from the national liberation on 15 August 1945 to the present
- Summary
- Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do has had a turbulent time since national liberation on August 15, 1945: Ideological conflicts in the post-war years inflicted great wounds on the residents followed by the national division led by the United States and the Soviet Union and the Korean War in 1950 which has left indelible scars on them like those in the rest of the country.
Buan-gun however managed to heal many of the wounds and joined forces to make remarkable economic growth across the nation. However, its economy began to suffer as the Saemangeum Reclamation Project, among others, was eliminating tidal flats in the area. Conflicts are continuing in the county between conservation advocates and development promoters; Buan-gun is expected to find new opportunities for growth on the back of its historical and cultural heritage they have built getting over countless hardships.
- Administrative Reorganization
- In 1914 when Korea was under Japanese colonial rule, Buan-gun went through an administrative reform and the number of its administrative units shrank from 17 to 10 including Buryeong-myeon (current Buan-eup), Jusan-myeon, Dongjin-myeon, Haengan-myeon, Boan-myeon, Sannae-myeon (current Byeonsan-myeon), Baeksan-myeon, Sangseo-myeon, Haseo-myeon, and Julpo-myeon.
In January 1963, Wido-myeon was transferred from Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do to Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do. In February 1983, the Gyehwa Branch Office merged with parts of Dongjin-myeon and Haengan-myeon to become Gyehwa-myeon while the Jinseo Branch Office in Sannae-myeon was separated and promoted to Jinseo-myeon.
- Major Post-Liberation Incidents
- 1. Post-Liberation landscape
The national liberation was achieved on August 15, 1945, yet rather than experiencing major changes, the residents of Buan was rejoiced at the fact that the country was ‘liberated’ and the terrible war ‘ended.’ Japanese troops still patrolled downtown Buan while armed with guns and swords on the grounds of security. They did so for a month in the name of protecting the Japanese living in the area. As they did not have any forceful means to disarm the defeated Japanese soldiers, local residents just had to bear the situation for a while.
During the Japanese colonial period, Buan Elementary School had giant cherry trees around the Shinto shrine hall located in its playground. Their flowers were brilliant in spring. Their leaves made great shades in autumn during field days. After liberation, the local community strongly demanded that all the trees be cut down on the grounds that the cherry blossom was Japan’s national flower and that the trees had been planted to instill the spirit of Japan into Korean students. All of them were actually removed.
Liberation brought tremendous hatred and criticism about Japan not to mention pro-Japan factions in the country. Japanese names were removed from various monuments in the region. Stone monuments built during the Japanese colonial period had the word Showa (pronounced Sohwa in Korean), referring to Emperor Hirohito, removed from their surface.
Until the establishment of the Korean government in 1948, chaos continued in Buan as in the rest of the country. Every morning, new leaflets were posted by leftists everywhere, calling for “Land Confiscation, Free Distribution,” “Down With Mercenary Capitalists and Vicious Landlords,” and 'Immediate Execution of Pro-Japanese Traitors.”
2. March General Strike
On March 22, 1947, the Namrodang (Workers’ Party of South Korea) ordered a 24-hour general strike to its underground organizations and party members across the country. The incident in Buan was not just a labor strike. Having gathered its forces in the region, the party confronted the police in Buan, and the incident developed into one that could determine the fate of the political organization.
The incident is evaluated as a time-limited labor strike that was deliberately expanded into a countywide protest against authorities or ‘an ostentatious protest’ to improve the image of the Buan community which did not participate in the October uprising of the previous year.
Evaluations are mixed: The left call it the “Buan March Democratic Uprising” while the right call it the “Buan March Riot.” The incident ended up being the largest violent clash between the left and the police in Buan, and the left-wing organizations in the Buan area have since been on the path of rapid disintegration.
3. Bodo League Massacre
The Korean War had a higher civilian death rate than any other war in the 20th century. Civilian fatalities in both North and South Korea during the war are estimated to top two million, with mass murder taking a substantial proportion.
In October 1949, the members of the National Bodo League Federation, which was for left-wing converts, reached 300,000. The problem was that the organization had a number of ordinary citizens, who had never been left-wing ideologues, because government officials were forced by the government to fulfill their quotas in addition to their personal ambitions.
As the Korean War broke out, the police in Buan arrested the members and suspected supporters of the Bodo League in the region and put them in their detention center. They executed those identified as Class A on July 6, 1950, on a hill next to Gaeamsa Temple in Gamgyo-ri, Sangseo-myeon and the rest on July 19 and 20 in the Huchon Valley in Julpo-ri, Julpo-myeon and Yeorungae Valley in Unho-ri, Sannae-myeon (now Jinseo-myeon), respectively.
According to the testimonies of the body seekers at that time, the number of victims was about 170 people, including 100 people in the hillside next to Gaeamsa Temple, 40-41 people in Huchon Valley, and more than 30 people (one truckload) in Yeorungae Valley.
4. Recapturing Seoul and Buan
As Seoul was recaptured by allied forces on September 28, 1950, police and local volunteer forces in Buan-gun engaged the left-wing partisans who entered Byeonsan.
Thirty police officers were mobilized for Operation Ssangseonbong and Operation Junggye Sajadong which started in April 1951 and continued until November. They launched attacks on partisan bases in Uisangbong, Ssangseongbong, and Deokseongbong, and killed or captured many partisans. With the help of captured partisans, they found and killed other guerillas hiding in their bases and secret caves.
More guerillas were caught during the 1952 Spring Offensive as more of their secret caves were identified. A small number of remaining partisans in Byeonsan could not stand up to the police due to their inferiority in force, so they hid in caves and went down to villages at night to find food and survive. Some leftists in the Buan area who were captured at the time or captured while working in other areas were executed, and others, like Im Chang-gyu and Son Yun-gyu, died in prison.
There were also those who would not change their ideological beliefs. They served 19 to 40 years. Among them were Shin In-young and Son Seong-mo from Buan who were extradited to North Korea in 2000.
- Reclamation Projects
- 1. Gyehwado Reclamation Project
The Gyehwado Reclamation Project was intended to turn the sea into land as part of the country’s first 5-year economic development plan during the Park Jeong-hee administration. The project implemented from 1963 to 1968 completed the construction of the first seawall (3,556m, Gyehwado-Namdon Village in Uibok-ri, Haseo-myeon) and the second seawall (9,254m, Gyehwado-Munpo Village in Anseong-ri, Dongjin-myeon).
Construction companies that participated in the project blasted beautiful rocks in Gyehwasan and used it to build the seawalls. They dug up the soil of the fields owned by residents and did nothing so the residents could do the farming on them. Under the military dictatorship, residents did not even dare to complain about the tyranny of the builders that was close to brutality. Following the completion of the sea walls, farmland began to be created inside the walls over a period of 10 years until 1978.
With the completion of the Seomjingang Dam in 1965, the Dongjingang link canal was also constructed, extending about 67km from the Chilbo Power Plant (Seomjingang Hydroelectric Power Plant) to the Gyehwa reclaimed land in Buan-gun. The water used for hydroelectric power generation was brought to the Cheongho Reservoir in Haseo-myeon so that it could be supplied as agricultural water needed for reclaimed Gyehwado Island.
About 2,000 residents of the communities that were submerged due to the construction of the Seomjingang Dam were relocated to Gyehwa-ri and Changbuk-ri, Gyehwa-myeon, Buan-gun to farm the reclaimed land.
2. Saemangeum Reclamation Project
In July 1987, the government announced the ‘Saemangeum Reclamation Project’ on the grounds of the necessity of expanding the country’s farmland. The government searched for an area where a large-scale farmland expansion project was possible in the wake of the great drought of 1969 and the great food crisis of 1970. The government ended up paying attention to the land that could be developed in the west coast where the tidal difference was severe.
In 1991, the government kicked off the Saemangeum Reclamation Project to reclaim the sea between Buan and Gunsan. On April 21, 2006, the construction of the Saemangeum seawalls was completed after the project was halted twice due to opposition from environmental groups and local residents followed by legal proceedings with them. The project was promoted to help solve the country’s shortage of rice through the reclamation of tidal flats in the Saemangeum area.
However, 30 years later, not a single grain of rice has ever been produced from the land. The fact of the matter is that Korea has hardly faced any food shortage for years.
Regarding the usage of the reclaimed land, the media reports still widely vary from golf courses to casinos to solar farms to an airfield.
- Overcoming Incidents and Conflicts
- 1. Sinking of MV Seohae
On October 10, 1993, the MV Seohae, a ferry operating between Wido and Gyeokpo, Buan-gun sank with 362 people on board. 292 people were killed, exposing so many problems characteristic of those in an undeveloped country, with the accident defined as a man-made disaster.
The victims were mostly Wido residents and anglers who came for sea fishing. Even life jackets were not available on board.
The accident occurred because the ship left port despite warnings of extremely severe weather; The number of passengers exceeded capacity by 141 persons; The center of gravity was formed on the upper part of the ship due to overloading, weakening the restoring force to return to the equilibrium state. On top of that, the ship's screw got caught in a fishing net while a large wave hit the side of the ship, making the MV Seohae capsize.
When the disaster happened, it was not possible to know how many were on board because a passenger list had not been made. It was on November 20 that the last missing person's body was recovered - 20 days after the accident occurred.
The MV Seohae Incident showed that the country still had a long to go in terms of safety when it should have been ready to prevent such an accident by analyzing structural issues in similar maritime accidents in the country and acting on them far earlier.
On October 10, 1994, marking the first anniversary of the accident, the residents of Wido-myeon who lost a total of 57 residents in the accident held a groundbreaking ceremony for a memorial tower for the victims. The annual memorial service for the victims of the ferry disaster is attended by the bereaved family and residents of Wido who gather to lay wreaths and remember them at the tower.
2. Buan Nuclear Waste Disposal Facility
A nuclear waste disposal facility is a radioactive waste treatment facility for the permanent disposal of nuclear waste, which is radioactive waste generated during the use of nuclear power. It is also called a nuclear waste disposal site. Nuclear waste in the country was stored in temporary storage of nuclear power plants, but as the storage facilities reached capacity, the construction of a new facility became necessary.
Previously, attempts were made to build it on Anmyeon-do, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do and Deokjeokdo, Ongjin-gun, Gyeonggi-do. Local residents’ opposition had the plans canceled. Conflicts in Buan-gun began in 2003 when its mayor himself applied for the construction of the facility in Wido-myeon. Opponents’ resistance and anger exploded because the mayor completely ignored their opinions in his decision-making process.
The 'Pan-Buan Resident Committee for the Abolition of the Nuclear Waste Disposal Facility Plan,’ participated by 34 organizations in Buan, waged protests against the mayor’s unilateral decision to apply for the waste disposal facility insisting that the mayor’s application was void right from the outset. The residents’ opinions were divided.
Proponents pointed to opportunities to revive the local economy while opponents pointed out various problems that could arise from the influx of radioactive materials. The latter were also worried about the potential damage to the image of Buan and its tourism industry in particular, citing environmental issues associated with nuclear waste.
On July 24, 2003, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy held a meeting of the committee in charge of the selection of a radioactive waste treatment plant site and finally confirmed Wido-myeon, Buan-gun as the site for the radioactive waste treatment plant. Residents took to the street to oppose the decision and maintained that the county’s application for the facility was invalid in the first place.
Opponents held candlelight protests every night, voicing their strong opposition to the idea of building a nuclear waste site in their county. Their protests included demonstrations in Seoul, sea protests, occupation of highways, and refusal by students to go to school. Many residents were injured during the protests. More than 390 people were prosecuted.
On February 14, 2004, a poll was held among the residents of Buan, and 91.83% of the voters, at the voter turnout rate of 72.01%, expressed overwhelming opposition to the construction of the waste disposal facility in the county.
Despite the controversy over its legal effect, the poll made the residents’ overwhelming opposition clear, paving the way to the government’s ultimate cancellation of the plan: On September 16, 2004, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy gave up the site selection procedure, and in November, the construction of the Buan Nuclear Waste Disposal Facility was finally abandoned.
However, the residents’ divided opinions about the facility led to deep-rooted conflicts among them and had a profound influence on the election results of a particular candidate in the subsequent election.
The positive aspect of the bitter experience was that it served as an opportunity for the residents to realize that the energy problem was not someone else's business or something far from their daily lives and that it had a profound impact on their lives right away. Likewise, the experience helped increase their interest in natural energy and environmental issues so that they could view them from a new perspective.
- Seohaean Expressway
- The Seohaean Expressway is a highway connecting Samhyang-eup, Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do and Doksan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. Construction began in December 1990 and was completed 11 years later on December 21, 2001.
The expressway numbered Expressway No. 15 has a total length of 340.8 km. Connecting major cities along the West Coast, the expressway starts at Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do (Mokpo City) and runs north to Hampyeong-gun and Yeonggwang-gun in Jeollanam-do; Gochang-gun, Buan-gun, Gimje-si, and Gunsan-si in Jeollabuk-do; Seocheon-gun, Boryeong-si, Hongseong-gun, Seosan-si and Dangjin-si in Chungcheongnam-do; Pyeongtaek-si, Hwaseong-si, Ansan-si, Siheung-si and Anyang-si and Gwangmyeong-si in Gyeonggi-do; and Geumcheon-gu in Seoul.
Discussion on the construction of the expressway began in the 1980s, citing the need for balanced national development, the growing demand for tourism, and the development potential of the West Coast which had been left out of the country’s economic development. After delays for assorted reasons, construction began in 1990.
With the opening of the expressway, accessibility has improved for those seeking natural coastal tourism resources such as Taeanhaean National Park, Byeonsanbando National Park, and the Gogunsan Islands. The expressway is also contributing to the transportation of goods for Incheon Namdong Industrial Complex, Ansan Industrial Complex, Sihwa Industrial Complex, Asan Industrial Complex, Gunjang National Industrial Complex, and Daebul Industrial Complex along the West Coast.
Buan IC and Julpo IC located in Buan make connection between the Seohaean Expressway and local roads easy. Buan IC is connected to National Road No. 30 (Buryeong-ro, Hawon-ro) and Local Route 747 (Deoksin-ro).
That has made transportation between the Saemangeum area and Buan-eup, Baeksan-myeon, Gyehwa-hwa, and Haseo-myeon easier. The Julpo IC is connected to Local Route No. 710 (Jueul-ro) and Byeonsanbando National Park through National Road No. 23.
As such, the Seohaean Expressway has made it easier for goods produced in Buan to be transported outside and for tourists to visit Buan from across the country.
Rest areas on highways serve several purposes including the promotion of adjacent areas. There was no rest area near Buan. In 2018, the creation of a rest area in Buan was finalized.
The location is in Deokrim-ri, Jusan-myeon. The land that is now being used as Buan Parking Lot will turn into a rest area on both sides of the expressway with the land area of 70,000 square meters and the floor area of 2,652㎡ including rest areas (1,694㎡), canopies (428㎡), gas stations (400㎡), and accommodation facilities (130㎡).
Buan-gun expects to create about 200 jobs with annual sales of KRW 5 billion in addition to the sales of local specialties in the rest area and the promotion of local attractions through the rest area, whose monetary value will be incredible.
The Seohaean Expressway and the Buan Rest Area will contribute to the promotion of Buan and the enhancement of its status as well as facilitating transportation and tourism industries. Meanwhile, in 2023, Buan will play host to the 25th World Scout Jamboree during which a total of 90,000 people including 50,000 participants and 40,000 visitors from 168 countries are expected to visit Buan.
[Deterioration of Agricultural and Fishing Villages and the Future of Buan]
The population of Buan-gun peaked in 1965 at 172,866. It stood at around 100,000 at the end of the 1980s. It has fallen to about 50,000 as of December 2018, indicating a sharp decline over the years.
People moving our has outnumbered those moving in while deaths have far exceeded births. The populations of Gyehwa-myeon and Haseo-myeon have decreased particularly sharply. Those who relied on the ocean for their livelihoods have left Buan following the progress of the Saemangeum Reclamation Project, leading to the closure of elementary schools in multiple places in the county.
The government's investment in Buan has been focused on development projects intended to eliminate tidal flats, such as the Gyehwado Reclamation Project and the Saemangeum Reclamation Project. The attempt to build a nuclear waste disposal facility in Buan was almost successful. The national projects divided local residents in two opposing groups and left incredible psychological wounds on those on both sides who had to go through serious conflicts for years.
That’s why there has been an increasingly stronger voice in the local community that claims that it is important to try to find a future for Buan, not from development projects, but from the creation of an ‘Ecological Buan,’ a ‘Tourism Buan,’ and ‘Comfortable Buan to Live,’ a community that preserves nature and treasures its historical and cultural heritage, so that Buan-gun can attract an increasing number of Koreans who would like to return to rural areas from across the country.