The Independence Gate, built during the Korean Empire period, will shed years of grime after 12 years. The cleaning will focus on the granite exterior, which has become dirty with traces of flowing rusty water and accumulated black dust. The iron structures that cause the rusty water will also be replaced with titanium materials. The Seoul Seodaemun District Office (Mayor Lee Seong-heon), which manages the Independence Gate, has been pushing for the cleaning since 2019, but it took 6 years to complete the administrative procedures.
◇Independence Gate established under Seo Jae-pil's leadership 128 years ago… 70 spots contaminated by rusty water and black dust
According to the Public Procurement Service on the 29th, Seodaemun District announced the bid for the 'Seoul Independence Gate repair and preservation work' the day before (28th). They are looking for a company to perform tasks including ▲repairing the stone surface of the Independence Gate ▲roof waterproofing ▲installation of entrance doors. The construction cost is over 680 million won, and the construction period is 6 months. A representative from Seodaemun District noted, "We initially planned to start the repairs in September, but we decided to begin shortly after Liberation Day on August 15."
Currently, the upper part of the Independence Gate's wall shows deep traces of bright red rust flowing down. The front, with '독립문' (Independence Gate) engraved in Hangul, and the back, with '獨立門' (Independence Gate) in Chinese characters, as well as both sides, show signs of rust. According to the results from an architectural firm commissioned by Seodaemun District, a total of 70 spots are contaminated with rusty water. Black dust is also present in various places.
◇Iron braces inserted between granite are the cause of rust… replacing them with titanium materials
The Independence Gate is covered in rust because the iron structures inserted between the stones have rusted due to rainwater. The gate was built by inserting iron braces into gaps created while stacking granite stones to prevent it from swaying. A representative from Seodaemun District stated, "Structures made by stacking stones must include iron structures in between to maintain balance and prevent misalignment of the stones."
Once this repair work is completed, the occurrence of rusty water is expected to decrease. Seodaemun District plans to replace 49 of the existing iron braces with rust-resistant titanium materials. For the braces that are difficult to replace, they plan to apply anti-corrosion treatment to prevent rust.
Along with this, the entire granite exterior will be washed, and the mortar filled between the granites will also be repaired. A representative from Seodaemun District mentioned, "Unless all the stones are dismantled and fully repaired, it is impossible to fundamentally eliminate the cause of rust."
◇Seodaemun District has been promoting the Independence Gate maintenance since 2019… it took 6 years to pass the procedures
The Independence Gate is Korea's first Western-style architectural monument, built under the leadership of Seo Jae-pil and the Independence Club in November 1897. It was constructed by demolishing the Yeongeunmun (迎恩門), where the King of Joseon welcomed Chinese envoys. Originally, the Independence Gate was located at the center of the Independence Gate intersection but was moved approximately 70 meters northwest to its current position in 1980 due to the construction of the Hyunjeong Expressway.
Subsequently, the authorities carried out roof waterproofing and rust removal work on the walls in 1998. In 2013, structural repairs and preservation work were also conducted, in addition to waterproofing and surface cleaning. In 2015, defects were repaired.
Seodaemun District began maintenance in 2019 after receiving complaints about the cleanliness of the Independence Gate, which is designated as Historic Site No. 32. However, to clean national heritage, the local government must apply for the budget for necessary repairs, pass inspections from the Korea Heritage Service, and have the budget allocated by the National Assembly. This process is said to take at least 1 to 2 years.
A representative from Seodaemun District stated, "It took several years to prepare and implement this repair work," and added, "In the future, maintenance of the Independence Gate will likely be possible once every 5 to 10 years."