Mokpo History and Culture of Modern Times

Site details

The Mokpo History and Culture of Modern Times preserves the painful memory of colonial exploitation, but it also bears witness to the history of Korean resistance, including dockworkers’ labor struggles, farm tenancy disputes, righteous army activities, and anti-Japanese independence groups. When Mokpo opened its port to international trade in 1897, this neighborhood was designated as a foreign settlement where people from other countries could reside. The coastal area around the Joseon-era military facility known as Mokpojin was reclaimed to create a modern-era urban district. The period’s road grid and many of its modern buildings remain well-preserved to this day. At the time of the opening of Mokpo’s port, the foreign settlement covered a total area of 726,024 square meters (approx. 220,000 pyeong). The core area of this settlement was later designated as Registered Cultural Heritage No. 718. The district is organized around a main road that runs from the neighborhood of a former elementary school for Japanese residents toward Mokpo Station, connecting Yudalsan Mountain, Mokpojin Military Camp, and the wharf. A number of modern buildings and sites are concentrated in this area, including the Former Japanese Consulate (now Mokpo Modern History Museum No. 1), which is designated as a Historic Site; the Former Oriental Development Company building (now Mokpo Modern History Museum No. 2), a symbol of colonial economic exploitation; schools and churches used by Japanese residents; Japanese-style houses; and commercial facilities such as a department store.