Somri Modern History and Culture District, Iksan

Site details

Somri is the old name of Iri (now Iksan) in Jeonbuk State. Once a quiet village with only about ten households, it began to develop into a small market town after Gunsan Port opened to foreign trade in 1899, drawing people traveling between Gunsan and Jeonju. With the establishment of Dong-Iri Station in 1914, the area around Somri Market, near today’s Nambu Market, became a bustling commercial district. In 1919, events connected to the April 4 demonstrations in support of national independence took place at Somri Market. As a site that preserves traces of everyday life during the modern era, the district still retains streets of textile and sewing shops that continued to operate for many years after Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Old buildings and signs in its narrow alleys preserve their own distinctive atmosphere. In recognition of its value both for preservation and for current use, the area was designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage in 2019 under the name Somri Modern History and Culture District, Iksan. Somri Culture Geumgo Vault, a stamp station on the Visit Korean Heritage campaign, was built in 1925 as the Iri Financial Cooperative building. After Korea’s liberation, it was used as a registry office and later as a branch office of Jeonbuk Bank, taking part in the local history of finance. Today, it has been transformed into a visitor center and multipurpose cultural space representing the Somri Modern History and Culture District. It offers visitors a glimpse into the long relationship between modern financial facilities and the lives of local residents.