Creating Local Identity and Public History : Focusing on Eupseong(Walled Towns) Restoration

Public history refers to “all forms of public expression of history directed toward the public.” The restoration of eupseong (walled towns) is a public history project that involves the investment of substantial social resources, with goals such as resolving underdevelopment in old city centers, utilizing historical sites for tourism, and restoring damaged local identities. However, restoration efforts that focus solely on reconstructing the physical structures of eupseong have failed to achieve these goals.<br/>These problems have been pointed out multiple times in the past, and some have been partially addressed. Nevertheless, eupseong restoration, as a reproduction of premodern monuments, still heavily prioritizes hardware-based, construction-driven approaches. Moreover, since the primary beneficiaries and targets of such public history projects are tourists rather than local residents, the anticipated outcomes have largely failed to materialize.<br/>For eupseong restoration and other public history projects to yield meaningful results, the following approaches must be taken. First, comprehensive research on the region’s original cultural forms and elements should be conducted to ensure that restored monuments embody the values of “authenticity” and “completeness.” Second, the intended beneficiaries should be local residents rather than tourists. The projects should contribute to the expression and formation of local identity while showcasing cultural diversity. Tourist attraction should be considered a secondary outcome rather than a primary goal.<br/>Such a reorientation can contribute to preserving local cultures that are gradually disappearing through the implementation of public history projects.