History of Buan

  1. Samhan

    • Buan is assumed to have been included in Jibanguk, one of the 54 Mahan statelets—which surrendered to Baekje along with neighboring statelets in the 4th century.
  2. Baekje Kingdom

    • Buan was considered a political, military, and marine hub. Jukmakdong holds maritime rite artifacts. Juryuseong Fortress was a base for the restoration movement of Baekje. Within Jungbanggosaseong Fortress, Buan was divided into two administrative districts: Gaehwa and Heunryangmae.
  3. Unified Silla Kingdom

    • In 757 (16th year of King Gyeongdeok’s reign), Gaehwa-hyeon was changed its name to Buryeong-hyeon or Gyebal and Heunryangmae-hyeon, to Huian-hyeon. Both of them were part of Go-bu.
  4. Goryeo Dynasty

    • Whereas Huian-hyeon was renamed Boan-hyeon, Buryeong-hyeon kept its name. Huian-hyeon and Buan-hyeon were nicknamed ‘Nangju’ and ‘Bupung,’ respectively. Boan-hyeon and Buryeong-hyeon were under the control of Gobu-bu.
      Yejong dispatched an official called Gammu to Buryeong-hyeon. During the reign of King U in late Goryeo, Gammu was appointed for Boan-hyeon as well. The Gammu system lasted until Joseon.
  5. Joseon Dynasty

    • Between 1414 (14th year of Taejong’s reign) and 1416 (16th year of Taejong’s reign), according to the reorganization of local governments, Buryeong-hyeon and Boan-hyeon underwent integration and separation.
      In 1416, Buryeong-hyeon and Boan-hyeon were merged into Buan-hyeon.
      In 1417, Buan-jin was established after acquiring Heungdeok-jin, and Byeongmasa, a governor, held a concurrent position of a judge.
      Byeongmasa was changed into Cheomjeoljesa in 1423 (5th year of Sejong’s reign) and later Hyeongam. As Gojong reshuffled the administrative units of bu, mok, gun, and hyeon into gun in 1895, Buan-gun was born.
  6. Japanese Colonial Rule

    • In 1914, while the Japanese Empire carried out administrative reforms, Wido Island was transferred to Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do and Biando Island, to Gunsan-si. Three myeons from Gobu-gun—Baeksan, Geoma, and Deokrim—became part of Buan-gun.
    • In 1943, Buryeong-myeon was promoted to Buan-eup; Buan-gun thus had 1 eup and 9 myeons.
  7. 1945 to the Present

    • In 1963, in accordance with administrative division adjustments, Wido-myeon of Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do was incorporated into Buan-gun.
    • With the completion of the Gyehwado reclamation project in 1978, the area of 3,968 hectares was expanded—which is Gyehwa-myeon. Jinseo-myeon was separated from Sannae-myeon in 1983. Currently, there are 1 eup and 12 myeons. The total land area is 493.35 square kilometers (farmland: 42%, forest: 42%, others: 16%). Buan-gun, at 126 degrees 40 minutes east and 35 degrees 40 minutes north, is located in the western portion of Jeonbuk State, bordering Gunsan-si by the sea, Gimje-si to the northeast, Jeongeup-si to the southeast, and Gochang-gun to the south. Originally, the coastline from the mouth of the Dongjingang River to Upo-ri, Julpo-myeon was 99 kilometers. But now, Buan-gun has 66 kilometers of coastline due to the construction of the Saemangeum Seawall. With a low terrain in the east and a high terrain in the west, Buan-gun sits on a peninsula that protrudes into the West Sea. Mountains stand in the southwestern part, and spacious and fertile plains lie across the northeastern part. These topographical features and the northwest monsoon bring on snow in winter.