Dongdaemun-gu , located in the eastern part of the capital city of Seoul, gets its name from the fact that the area is located outside of Dongdaemun (commonly known as Heungin-gu), one of the four main gates of the capital city, meaning that it is located to the east of Dongdaemun .

● History before 1900

In 1894, the 31st year of King Gojong’s reign , many dongni (villages) were incorporated into a single clan due to the Gabo Reform . Sinseoldong , Sinri , Usan , and Gakri belonged to the Dongmun Outside Clan of the Dongseo (東署) Sungsinbang , while most of today’s Dongdaemun-gu, including Jegi – ri , Yongdu -ri, Jeonong-ri, Dapsimni, Cheongnyangni , Hoemyo – dong , Hwigyeongwon , and Imun-dong , belonged to the Dongbu Inchangbang Dongsomun Outside Clan .

● History before 1940s

In 1910 , under the pretext of the unification of Korea and Japan , Japan changed the name of Hanseongbu to “ Genso (京城) “ by discarding the last letter of their capital , Tokyo , and the first letter of Joseon ‘s capital , Hanseong (漢城) .

The following year, on April 1 , 1911 , when the Japanese reorganized Gyeongseong-bu into 5 bu (府) and 8 myeon (面) , the bang (坊) in the former extramural area was changed to myeon (面) , and Sungsin-bang became Sungsin-myeon and Inchang-bang became Inchang-myeon . Accordingly, Singyeol-seol and others were included in Gyeongseong- bu Sungsin-myeon , and Yongdu-ri , Jegi- ri , Jeondong – ri , Dapsimni , Cheongnyangni , Hoemyo – dong , Hwigyeongwon , and Imun-dong were included in Gyeongseong – bu Inchang-myeon .

Then, in 1936 , when the Japanese expanded the Gyeongseong-bu area, Sungin-myeon of Goyang-gun was incorporated into Gyeongseong-bu again , and at this time, all of the dongmyeong ( neighborhoods ) in Seoul were divided into Dongdaemun-gu and Seongdong-gu . At that time, the towns ( towns ) belonging to Dongdaemun-gu were Changsin , Sungin , Shinseol , Anam , Jongam , Donam , Yongdu , Jegi , Cheongnyang , Hoegi , Imun , Hwigyeong , Jeonong , and Dapsimni , making a total of 14 towns ( towns ) , and in November of the following year , Seongbuk-dong was incorporated, making a total of 15 towns ( towns ) .

On September 28 , 1946, Gyeongseong-bu was promoted to Seoul Special Free City , and on October 1 of that year , the Japanese-style neighborhood names such as jeong (町), tong (通), and jeongmok (丁目) were changed to dong (洞), ro (路), and ga (街) , and on August 13 , 1949 , with the establishment of Seongbuk -gu, the jurisdiction of Dongdaemun-gu was reduced .

● History to date

In April 1955, the dong system was implemented according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance , and 21 administrative dongs were created as administrative districts according to the Local Autonomy Act . In 1936 , as Seoul expanded its districts, many areas of Gyeonggi-do were incorporated into Seoul . At that time, Dongdaemun-gu was greatly expanded by incorporating Sangbong-ri , Junghwa-ri , Mukdong-ri , Sinnae -ri , and Mangwoo-ri in Guri-myeon, Yangju-gun , Gyeonggi-do .

On October 1 , 1975, there was a change in the districts of Seoul, and Changsin-dong, Sungin-dong, and Shinseol-dong in Dongdaemun-gu were renamed .

Parts of Buga-dong , Myeonmok – dong, Yongdu-dong , and Dapsimni-dong were incorporated into Seongdong-gu, and parts of Bomun-dong and Sinseol-dong were incorporated into Seongbuk-gu . Instead , parts of Junggok-dong , Neung – dong, and Gunja-dong in Seongdong-gu were incorporated into Dongdaemun-gu ( which created Jangan-dong ), and parts of Jongam-dong , Anam-dong , and Seokgwan – dong in Seongbuk-gu were incorporated into Dongdaemun-gu . Ultimately, the number of administrative dongs in Dongdaemun-gu was reduced from 36 to 32 .

On January 1 , 1988 , the districts of Gu with a population of over 760,000 were readjusted , and at that time, Myeonmok – dong, Sangbong- dong , Junghwa – dong, Muk- dong , Mangwoo – dong , and Sinnae -dong, which were under the jurisdiction of Dongdaemun-gu, came under the jurisdiction of the newly established Jungnang -gu , and Dongdaemun-gu consists of 10 legal dongs and 14 administrative dongs, including Sinseol – dong , Yongdu – dong , Jegi-dong, Jeonong-dong, Dapsimni-dong , Jangan – dong , Hoegi-dong, Cheongnyangni-dong , Hwigyeong-dong , and Imun-dong today .

Dongdaemun-gu is located in the eastern part of Seoul, bordering Jungnang-gu to the east across Jungnangcheon Stream , Seongbuk – gu and Jongno-gu to the west, Seongdong-gu to the south , and Dobong-gu to the north .

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